The Black Tide (Outcast 3)

“We really, really, need to find that bitch and stop her,” Jonas muttered, as he tried to egg more speed out of the already maxed-out hauler.

I didn’t say anything. I just watched the remotes getting closer and closer.

“Twenty seconds, if that,” I intoned.

“Come on you bastard—move!”

Something silver shot past my window and a heartbeat later, the nearest remote exploded into a huge ball of flame. Two more went up in quick succession.

A shadow fell over the hauler—a shadow that very much resembled a gunship.

More remotes exploded, and a silly grin touched my lips.

Nuri’s rescue party had just arrived.

Chapter Seven

Jonas let out of huge whoop and eased the hauler’s speed. As another gunship went over the top of our vehicle, he pressed a couple of buttons, then undid the restraints and rose from the seat.

“You,” he said, voice severe as his gaze swept me, “need to sit down before you fall.”

“Yeah.”

I slid down the wall and leaned my head back. To say I felt like crap would be something of an understatement. And while my body could and would heal from the stress of holding particle form while maintaining a light shield, I wasn’t entirely sure I had enough strength left to do so with any sort of speed. I needed sleep and I needed food, but I also needed to get back to Central as fast as possible. Now that the danger was over and we’d achieved what we’d initially set out to do—rescue all the missing children aside from Penny—that niggling feeling that Charles was looking for me was growing.

Jonas rummaged around the storage units and found the medical kit. Once he’d cleaned my cut fingers and sealed the wound, I said, “When we get to the rendezvous point, I need to leave immediately for Central.”

He frowned. “You need to rest—”

“Charles is the only hope we have of infiltrating the House of Lords. We can’t jeopardize that.”

“Yes, but surely—” He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. After a moment, he added, “It would appear I’m outvoted. Nuri agrees with you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Your connection is strong enough that she can break into conversations uninvited?”

“Yes, although for the most part she respects our set boundaries.”

“But not on occasions such as this,” I guessed. “Where the mission overrides everything else.”

“Yes. And in that respect, she very much reminds me of you. Neither of you seem aware that there are limits as to how far people should be pushed. That sometimes, the safety of one matters as much as the safety of many.”

I placed a hand on his arm. “I’ll be fine, Jonas.”

“You won’t be if you continue to push yourself.” His voice held a note of anger. “I can feel your utter weariness, Tiger. It seeps through the link between us.”

“That will have eased by the time I get to Central.”

“Perhaps.” He rose, forcing me to release him. “Rest up while you can. I dare say you’re not going to get much of it when you meet up with Charles.”

My gaze jumped up at that, but his expression didn’t give much away. “He’s business, Jonas. Nothing more.”

“I’m well aware of that. It was a simple statement of fact, nothing more, nothing less.”

Amusement touched my lips. “Meaning I wouldn’t be getting much rest if you were the one I was returning to?”

“Indeed. But my time will come, of that you should have no doubt.”

The brief but decidedly heated flash of desire in his eyes made me even more determined to survive the battle that was coming.