Frozen.
“Hey,” I say immediately, lowering my weapon. “You’re okay. We’ve got you.”
They don’t move.
Don’t trust it.
Not yet.
Lucas steps forward slowly. “We’re getting you out of here. Right now.”
One of the older boys shakes his head. “They said that before.”
Yeah.
I’ve heard that tonight.
“We’re not them,” I tell him. “Look around.”
Bodies on the floor.
Weapons down.
Control taken.
That’s the difference.
The boy hesitates—
Then nods.
“Okay,” he whispers.
That’s all we need.
I see the boy on the floor who almost died on us, the one Olivia saved. I pick him up and carry him out of there.
“Stay close,” I say. “Don’t let go of each other.”
They move.
Slow at first.
Then faster.
Trust building with every step.
Lucas keys his comm. “We’ve got six more. Moving to exfil.”
Not done yet.
Not until every last one is out.
Olivia
The light hurts less now.
Still there.
