The Girl Who Punched Back (Death Fields 2)

“I’m sorry,” he says again. The pain in his voice is too much to bear, but I can’t absolve him of this. No one can.

“So do you want to tell them or should I?” I gesture to the group waiting outside.

“Tell them what, exactly?”

“That we’re screwed.”

Chapter 21

Wyatt assures me Davis has no clue about any of this and he’s solid. We can trust him. Same with Jude and Parker, all the new recruits were given EVI-1. Those given the second are being housed elsewhere.

Davis asks about Walker before I get a chance. Wyatt confesses that he’s not so sure what she knows, which means from here on she’s out of the loop.

Jude and Parker sit with dumbstruck faces as Wyatt, Cole, and I fill everyone in on the situation. Davis absorbs it all with the same calm façade as he always does. I understand more and more why Wyatt keeps him close.

“An army?” Jude asks, clearly still processing the information. “An army of guys like you?”

Wyatt nods.

“I have no idea what we’re supposed to do with this information,” Parker says after a period of prolonged silence.

“Run,” Jude says. He’s holding a gun in his lap and runs his finger up and down the smooth, black metal. “We should just run and hide.”

Parker nods, clearly willing to make a break for it. I look at Cole but he’s staring at Wyatt. He’s not angry. He just looks tired.

“You guys are welcome to go,” Wyatt says. “Go off the grid. It’s not a bad idea.”

“But…” I prompt.

“I can’t go with you. I’ve got to clean up this mess.”

“How do you think you’re going to do that? There’s seven of us and we’re hiding out in a bunker, for God’s sake,” Cole says, rubbing his hair with his hands, making it shoot out in every direction. “I’m with those two. Let’s get out of here.”

“Really?” I ask in a low voice. It’s what I wanted all along but he pushed back.

“Yes.” He takes my hand, fingers lacing with mine. “I have to go back and get Chloe, but she’s mobile now. From there, we go. Hit the woods. Like he said—off the grid.”

Parker’s face brightens. None of us are soldiers—proven by the fact Jane didn’t enlist us in her real army. The clinic is busy work to keep us away from her real motives.

“Paul?” I ask Cole.

“We’ll take him with us. He’s better, too.”

“You in?” I ask Davis.

He smiles but shakes his head. He is a real soldier. He’ll stick it out with Wyatt until the end.

“Okay, then,” I detangle my hand from Cole’s and stand. “We need to figure out a way out of here and back to get Chloe. Any ideas?”

I’m met with blank, overwhelmed faces until I catch sight of Wyatt, rubbing his freshly shaved chin. “I’ve got an idea.”

“You’ll help us?” I ask, already feeling relieved.

“I’ll get you out of here and into The Fort. After that, we split.” He nods at me. “Deal?”

I grimace in return but say, “Deal.”

*