Red Awakening (Red Zone 2)

Keiko’s jaw dropped.

As usual, Mace didn’t waste time with words. He just punched the scientist and lowered him to the ground, storing him in the space behind the podium. “That should keep his big brain safe,” he said.

“Is he alive?”

“Would defeat the purpose if he died. But trust me, he’s safer unconscious. It’ll keep him out of trouble until this is over. Come on, princess. It’s time to go.”

With one last look at Rueben, she shrugged and followed Mace. Her eyes rested on Abigail’s body, and she fought the urge to rush to its side and say her farewells.

“She’s already gone,” Mace whispered.

“I know.” She turned away from the sight.

The fighting had calmed down, seeing as most of the combatants were already dead. The smell of blood mingled with smoke to form a stench that Keiko would breathe in her nightmares.

They hugged the sides of the pergolas that were randomly situated throughout the terrace. Mace crouched low behind a group of outdoor furniture and handed her a gun. “Take this. The safety’s off. Point and squeeze. Fire at anything that isn’t me.”

She looked past him to the last of the fighting. “Enforcement is winning. We need to get out of here.”

He pointed to the wall at the edge of the terrace. “We’re going that way. Stick close behind me. Stay down.”

They moved out, keeping low. The screaming, crying, and wailing had faded to background noise beneath the pounding of Keiko’s heart. A blast hit the wooden structure beside them, and they threw themselves flat on the terrace floor. Mace signaled for her to wait and cocked his head as though listening. Was he talking to his bat? She scanned the sky but couldn’t see it. He motioned for her to come closer, and she crawled to his side.

“My team’s coming for us.” His voice was so soft, she read the message from his lips more than heard it.

“We can communicate again? The signal jammer has gone?”

“Yeah.” He stared at her. Waiting.

It took a second to realize what he was waiting for—her decision. Would she call out to Enforcement? Would she sell him out? If he had been anyone else, she would have been insulted. But this was Mace, and he knew only too well what betrayal felt like.

She reached for him, cupping his cheek. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve had enough of this building and of CommTECH. I want to go with you.”

His eyes warmed with approval as he turned into her touch and pressed a kiss to her palm. She dropped her arm and curled her fingers tight to hold the kiss to her.

“I’m going to count to three,” he said. “When I do, run for the door at the end of the terrace wall.”

“What about you?” Her heart stuttered at the thought of being separated from him again.

“I’ll follow.” He crouched up and peeked over the edge of the mammoth sofa. “Ready?”

No, she wasn’t. She was nowhere near ready. “Yes.”

He nodded his approval. “One. Two. Three!”

She didn’t wait. She ran, sprinting for the doors. Trusting Mace to not only cover her but to follow.

She didn’t make it.

A man stepped out from behind the pergola. He had a gun in his hand, and it was aimed at her head. She screeched to a halt in front of him as terror stole her voice, making it impossible to scream or to call out and warn Mace that they’d been found—by one of Miriam Shepherd’s twin heads of security.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said with a smile that ignited nightmares.

There was nothing human in this man’s eyes. Nothing to reassure her that she wasn’t going to die. She’d run straight into the arms of the devil himself, and all he did was smile as he reached out and calmly removed the gun from her hand.

“We’re going to have fun.” He grabbed her hair, pulled her to him, and leaned in to sniff her cheek. “You smell like innocence.”

The shock of his action, his words, was enough to unlock her voice, releasing her scream.