Page 156 of Trapped Truth

“No!” Ember looks like she’s ready to implode.

From across the corridor, I watch Blaine meet her stare and mouth I love you. Even watching the exchange is fucking unbearable. It can’t end like this. I’m not losing anyone else.

Their first few steps back are tentative. Nolan’s testing the waters. When he sees none of us move to pursue, at least not at first, he inches farther away. I’m frantically searching around for something, anything. A single chance to attack him without guaranteeing Blaine’s demise.

Edging closer to Ember drives an anguished dagger into my chest. She’s limp in Hyland’s arms, too exhausted to fight now that no hope remains. Even his expression is shattered, while Axel watches with a hand resting on his gun’s handle.

“What do we do?” Axel whispers.

In despair, my shoulders slump. “I don’t know.”

“We can’t let them leave.”

“What else can we do?” Hyland hisses.

In his arms, Ember shifts slightly, inching a hand downward. “We don’t give up.”

“Em,” I caution.

“I told you. Everyone comes home.”

By the time I realise where she’s headed, it’s too late. Her grip fastens around the pistol tucked into Hyland’s holster. I lunge to subdue her right as she draws the weapon and drives the butt straight into his side.

The impact causes Hyland to bow, his grip slackening for a moment. Ember takes full advantage. She tucks and twists, bringing the gun up to smash into his face. I try to grab hold of her before she can flee the crimson spill created in her wake.

“Em! No!”

“I won’t lose him too!”

Everything moves in a blur. Grappling hands. Screaming. Shouting. Ember slips through my fingertips then throws herself after Blaine, the gun lifting to point at Nolan Madden. Just as his weapon pivots from the back of Blaine’s neck to train dead centre on our girl.

As slow motion hits in real time, my movements are akin to swimming through thickened tar. I can’t move quickly enough. Not to chase after her. Not to lunge for her legs, hoping to tackle her into a wall. And not to halt the blast of a fired bullet escaping its chamber with a small puff.

BLAST.

Distantly, shouts vie to outbid one another. Axel’s racing at full speed. Blaine falls towards the ground. Angela screams with the ear-piercing force of a rabid banshee. And the woman I love… she goes down. Hard.

BLAST.

A second shot flashes across the corridor, streaking towards the bastard with his maniacal grin. As carpet burns my body from a fast skid, chaos ensues. But all I’m focused on is where Ember hits the floor, a hand slapped over her chest, gun falling aside.

“EMBER!” I screech at an ungodly volume.

She’s down.

Lifeless.

Oh, please. Fucking please. Whatever God is out there, if anyone is listening… don’t take her from me. Not after all we’ve survived.

I’m only half-aware of our team streaking past to subdue Nolan. Everything revolves around Ember, quaking as I tug her limbs into my arms. My hands are fumbling, practically useless. I can’t find any blood. It must be coming from somewhere—I heard the damn gunshot.

“She’s alive!” Hyland gasps in terrified relief.

“Blaine.” Her murmur is barely audible.

Chancing a look up, I find him crawling towards our trio. “Where are you hit?”

“Ch-chest.”