Zocopalypse (Death Fields 1)

I don’t reply. She’s right. We shouldn’t be joking. We shouldn’t even be out here. We’re one step from certain death all the time and acting like fools isn’t going to keep us alive.

Chapter Fifty-One

~Now~

“Up or down?” I ask, showing Cole the options. He tugs the gray t-shirt over his head and I try to keep my eyes from wandering over his exposed skin. He’s not built like Wyatt but still very fit. Not bulky but lean muscle. I point to the wad of hair in my hand. “My hair, which way should I wear it?”

“Uh, up?”

“I don’t know.” I drop the ponytail feeling like an idiot. “Richardson’s tough. It probably doesn’t matter.”

“Well, you should probably do the one.” He pauses and rubs the back of his neck. “You know, the school girl one.”

“The pigtails?” I haven’t worn them since we’d been locked up in here. A shower and access to a mirror allowed for alternatives.

“Yeah, that one.” I pretend the tips of his ears aren’t red and fix my hair. He’s revealed a lot of about his feelings for me. I haven’t done the same. I don’t know how I feel. I’m not even sure I can feel anything other than exhaustion and fear.

We’re both fidgety when the l

ock shifts and clicks, echoing off the hallway. Breakfast time—our only shot. Cole nods. He’s ready. It’s now or never.

Per usual, Walker enters the room first while Richardson waits outside. She’s not carrying trays of food.

I frown. “No food?”

“You’ve been summoned to the viewing room.”

“Now? Why so early?” I swallow the lump in the back of my throat. Well, I try. It doesn’t budge, although my stomach twists into knots.

“Get outside.” I don’t wait for Cole, who is adjusting his shoe laces as planned, moving past her to the hall. Richardson waits with his standard bored expression on his face. It’s now or never.

“Good morning,” I say offering him a smile. He shifts his eyes down at me but doesn’t respond.

“I figured if we’re going to see each other all day maybe we should become a little more familiar with one another. How long have you been stationed here?”

Before Richardson can laugh in my face Walker’s voice carries into the hallway. “Get your ass in the hall and never, ever do that again.”

Cole comes running out, an amused look on his face, that is, until Richardson moves forward, hand on his gun. Cole holds his hands up and says, “Nothing going on, you can put that away. Everything is fine.”

“What the hell did you do?” I whisper. When he stands next to me I see him working his jaw and the start of a purplish bruise rising on the corner of his mouth. “No seriously, what the hell did you do?”

“Quiet,” Richardson commands. Walker storms out of the room, her cheeks red and her eyes furious.

I expect her to take off down the hall but she stops in front of us both and eyes us. In the most terrifying voice I’ve ever heard she says, “Do not fuck with me today. Not today. Not after everything we’ve been through to get to this point. Both of you keep your stupid mouths shut and follow directions. Every. Single. Direction you’re given. Do you understand?”

Not one bit, I want to say.

“Yes, ma’am,” Cole replies, while I nod vigorously.

“And if either of you ever touches me again, I will break every bone in your body and then toss it in the cage with an E-TR to finish off.”

“Got it,” I say with a wince.

Operation Seduction is officially dead before it even started.

***

The Drones are silent as we walk through the lab. Surely, by now the whole place is aware of the death matches in the adjoining room.