Then he heard a high-pitched ringing sound, followed by the sounds of fighting.
He charged in, afraid of what he was going to see.
And there she was.
She had her sword out. She was twirling and slashing in a horrific sort of dance. Zombie body parts were flying, and some creatures looked like they were trying to retreat. Others had their hands clamped over their ears, frozen where they stood.
Nik took down another zombie and reached her.God. She was covered in blood from head to toe.
But she was alive. Gloriously alive.
“Couldn’t let me rescue you, huh?” He grabbed her and yanked her close for a second. Then he pulled back and checked her arms, her legs.
“No bites.” She stared at him. “You came after me.”
“I said I would.” He frowned. “What’s that annoying ringing sound?”
She pulled out her Sync. “It got damaged when I fell and started making this noise. The zombies don’t like it. They must have sensitive hearing.”
The Sync’s screen was cracked. The thought of her falling made his chest tighten again. “Let’s get out of here.” Not able to let her go, he tugged her back toward the other room.
Galen appeared. He eyed Nera with a hard, assessing gaze. “You’re alive.”
“Yes. Sorry to disappoint.”
He didn’t react to her barb. “You’ll have to be scanned before we board the ship.”
Nik bristled, but Nera pressed her hand to his arm. “Of course.”
“Let’s get the hell out of here.” Nik decided not to punch Galen, since he’d come to help and he was doing his job. But it was a close call.
They attached themselves to the zip lines and zoomed upward. Soon, they were navigating across the roof toward the others. Every step of the way, something dark and ugly—born in that moment Nera’s hand had slipped out of his—was growing in his chest. It pumped through his veins like poison.
He thought he’d lost her.
“Ms. Darc?” The female agent stepped forward. “You’ll ride with me.” Suddenly, the wings on her aeropack shot outward.
Nera stepped closer, busy eyeing the aeropack like she’d just been out for a quick bite to eat, not battling for her life against monstrous zombies.
The agent attached a harness to Nera. “Hold on.”
Galen appeared, holding up his scanner. He ran it over Nera’s long form. It beeped. “You’re clean. You won’t even have to spend any time in the decontamination chamber.”
“Glad to hear that,” she said.
Galen turned to Nik. “You’re with me, Phoenix.”
Nik watched as Galen expanded his aeropack wings, then attached the harness to Nik.
“Ready?” Galen asked.
“I was ready ages ago,” Nik replied. “Let’s just get out of here.”
“Done.” There was a quiet rumble from the aeropack and Galen pushed them off the edge of the roof.
They dipped at first, and so did Nik’s stomach. Then they soared upward, the wind rushing against his face.
He turned his head and saw Nera and her ride beside them. She wasn’t smiling, but he got the impression she was enjoyingherself. At any other time, on any other occasion, Nik would have been interested in the flight. Would have appreciated the bird’s-eye view of the city ruins below.
