Page 108 of Us Defiant Few

“Let us out!”

“Please!”

But the Chief didn’t answer.

Winnie and Derek started coughing violently, and she heard a loud thump. Khalani turned as Winnie fell to the floor, unconscious.

“Winnie!” She tried to lift her up, but Winnie was dead weight in her arms.

Khalani’s eyes watered as she coughed, covering her mouth. Smoke filled the windowless room, and in the next moment, Derek slumped to the ground as well.

“Derek!” she cried.

Takeshi rammed his shoulder furiously against the metal door. He punched and kicked. But even with his incredible strength, the door refused to budge. When her wails hit his ears, he immediately ran to her.

In one swift movement, he pulled his shirt over his head and covered her mouth and nose. His warm scent brought momentary comfort, but smoke ravaged her throat and chest.

“Try not to breathe it in, Kanes.” He coughed as well, but his focus was solely on her, not himself.

He gathered her into his arms and pulled her to the corner of the room farthest from the canisters, but by that point, her vision was starting to blacken.

“No, no. Come on.” He tapped her cheeks, his eyes frantic. “Stay with me.”

She wanted to stay with him.

God, she wanted that more than anything.

But her mind and body were slipping, and she was helpless to stop it. The last thing she saw was a tear rolling down his shadowed face before darkness swallowed her whole.

* * *

“Khalani, dear.”

The soft voice, like a distant melody, drifted to her.

“Wake up.”

Her eyes snapped open. She was sitting on the floor of a cool, dim room, a single lamp dangling over her head precariously.

“Winnie?” She blinked, searching for one ray of hope in the darkness.

“Over here.” Winnie’s voice came from the other side of the room, seated in front of a pole.

Khalani immediately shifted forward, but her shoulders were jerked back. She winced and realized she was chained to a pipe just like Winnie.

Takeshi and Derek were nowhere to be found.

She scanned the small space for an exit, and when she spotted the rickety staircase, Khalani groaned, banging her head back against the bar.

“What is it, Khalani? Do you know where we are?” Winnie desperately asked.

“When we first came to Desert Spring, they interrogated us in here.”

“What do you think’s going to happen?”

“I don’t know. We need to get out of these chains and find the others.” She pulled on the bindings again, gritting her teeth as her shoulders twisted painfully.

They had to escape.