Talen

“There are a dozen monitors for that!” Jennifer says.

“Not when they’ve been disabled,” Aerin replies.

“You did it?” She stops, and I run smack into her back. I give her a shove and tell her to keep moving. “Aerin, that’s going to set off another quake!”

Behind us, an incredible crash is followed by a partial collapse of the corridor. The walls begin to shake more violently as the earth and rocks behind the metal walls begin to push through.

Jennifer screams and covers her head with her hands. Aerin grabs her arm and drags her faster through the hallways.

“Just a little more!” I yell as the ground below begins to shake violently.

“We’re not going to make it!” Aerin screams.

“We will! Just keep going!”

As I run, the bouncing light of the flashlight catches the panel leading to the outside. I hear another crash just to my right, and a chunk of earth blows through the metal wall of the corridor and strikes me on the shoulder. I stumble but don’t lose my footing.

Aerin reaches the panel first and rips it open. I help her and her mother into it before I quickly scurry behind them. The entire corridor collapses behind me, and the walls of the shaft start to buckle just as we reach the end.

I tumble out, landing hard on my injured shoulder and rolling a few feet before I collide with something. When I look up, I see Ford standing over me with his weapon pointed at my head.

“Hello again, son. I assume this is all your doing?”

Chapter 24

“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter. I stare up at Ford for a moment before looking toward the sound of my father’s voice.

He’s only a few yards away with two more of his personal guards, standing casually and smiling his self-satisfied smirk. Aerin is lined up between my father and her mother, scowling at the travois covered in supplies.

Ford takes a step back and motions for me to stand.

“She said they rigged the generator,” Jennifer says as the ground starts to shake again. “It could trigger significant seismic activity. We need to move down the mountain and quickly.”

“There’s a road just north of here.” My father stares at me as that smug tone flows out of his mouth. “I have a transport on the way. Motorized. We’ll get to safety in time.”

“It should be here in ten,” one of the guards says.

“Get up,” Ford says. He taps his fingers over the top of his weapon. “I’m happy to just use this if you prefer.”

“Get those knives away from him,” my father says.

I stand slowly. Ford spins me around, tearing my pack from my back before ordering me to put my hands on my head. I comply, eyes on Aerin’s frustrated face as Ford takes my knives.

“Like that really matters,” I mumble.

“Shut up.” With his gun against the back of my head, he kicks my pack out of the way.

“You think it’s only my knives you have to worry about,” I say as I quietly chuckle to myself.

“What are you going on about?” Ford moves in front of me and glares.

“Nothing.”

He smacks the side of my head with the butt of the gun, and I stumble.

“Keep your hands on your head!” Ford points the gun at me again. “I asked you a question.”

I glance down at my belt and then quickly look away again. Ford takes the bait, telling me to keep my hands on my head as he examines my belt.