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I toss him the keys, running up beside him, and that’s when I see them. Huddled against the wall, beaten, and broken, but alive.
They’re alive.
Chapter thirty-nine
Zeke
A key turning in the lock makes me nearly jump out of my skin, and I can’t help but start to freak out. They can’t be back for more already. I can’t handle it. Cole can’t handle it. The metal bars slide open, and two men rush inside. Without even a second thought, I immediately throw myself on top of Cole, shielding him from the men.
They won’t fucking touch him. Not this time.
Cole groans when my weight rests on him, and his body shakes. He’s officially nearly on fire now. One of the men reaches out and grabs my arm, but this time I’m not going to take it. This time I fight back.
Whirling around to face our captors I cock back my fist and slam it into the face of guard number one. I must have stunned him because he doesn’t hit me back, so I fling my entire body at him, throwing my fists over and over again, determined to get the upper hand and get us the fuck out of here.
“Stop!”
“Fuck you!” I scream, straddling the guard I hit him again, this time in the ribs. “You can’t have him!”
I swing and he blocks me.
I swing and connect.
“You can’t fucking have him, leave him alone!!” my strained voice comes out in a sob, and I just keep swinging.
“Zeke, stop. Zeke, it’s me!”
Me? What?
“Zeke, it’s us!” another voice cuts in.
Us? What?
“Zeke!” The guard beneath me rips his mask off and it’s dark, it’s so goddamn dark, but that voice. “It’s Riot. It’s me and Travis.”
For a brief moment I’m too stunned to speak. I can’t respond. I find myself wondering if I’m even awake, or is this just another dream like the girl who spoke to me.
“Shit, he’s burning up, we gotta get him out of here,” Travis’ voice comes from behind me and when I spin around, I see his figure hovering over Cole’s.
“No!” I yell, jumping to my feet. “Don’t touch him, don’t fucking touch him.”
“It’s ok, it’s just us, we have to get him out of here Zeke.”
“I’ve got him, just… don’t fucking touch him,” I cry.
Bending down, I scoop Cole into my arms and hold him close. He’s barely conscious at this point. He hasn’t woken up in what feels like days, and hasn’t spoken in longer. He’s meek and broken, and needs to be protected from everyone. At all costs.
Holding him close to my chest, I hesitantly step out of the cell.
It’s real, it’s really happening.
“Wait, th-there’s a girl… I think…”
“No, Zeke, I’m sorry. No one else.”
“But Riot, I -”
“Hey!” a voice echoes down the hall and I recognize it as one of the guards who assaulted Cole. Suddenly a bullet whizzes past my head and I let out a scream. Before I can take off running, Travis takes aim and shoots, and the guard drops dead. I wish it were my hands that took his last breath for what he did to Cole, but all that matters is he’s dead. He’ll never hurt another living soul.
