Page 147 of Glitched Fates & Stolen Mates

“Or someone in the cells. All units to Cell Block C.”

On the camera feeds, guards rushed towards the distraction from every angle.

Rory stared at me. “God, you really are brilliant, aren’t you?”

I gave him a look.

“We’re still burning the place down later, right?”

“Are you ready to listen to my actual plan?”

Rory nodded, and I quickly outlined what we were going to do—the route splits, the timing, which doors led where. His face grew more serious with each instruction, but he never questioned the plan.

Activating the pre-programmed camera loops, we watched as the corridors we needed to travel began showing empty footage on repeat. How long until someone noticed?

Through the tablet, we could see a single guard still near our entrance—not directly by the shutter, thankfully, but down the corridor a bit, perched on a metal seat.

I opened the shutter door.

The metal groaned blissfully quiet as it rolled up, revealing concrete walls beyond. My body disconnected from itself as we stepped through—we were actually doing this. I could die at any moment. My family would never know what happened to me. Shit, why didn’t I think of texting Lily one last message, at least?

Rory moved like a predator, all the combat training Kit had given him suddenly evident. The guard never saw him coming. One moment the man was checking his radio, the next Rory had him in a sleeper hold.

“We’re killing him, yeah?” Rory whispered as the guard went limp.

“What?! We’re not just killing everyone!” I hissed.

Rory rolled his eyes. “Fine, but we kill when we need to.”

“When we need to,” I agreed.

We dragged the unconscious guard to the nearest door—a storage room filled with winter gear, skiing equipment, and other supplies for anyone venturing back into the mountain wilderness. Perfect for hiding a body.

Rory whipped out zip-ties from his pocket, similar to the ones he’d used on Wren. He secured the guard’s hands and feet, while I grabbed the man’s access card, along with his radio and taser. Rory snatched up the firearm. I didn’t have the faintest clue how to use it.

“Ready?” I whispered.

“I think you and I were born to be partners in crime,” Rory said, and despite everything, I smiled.

I rattled off directions—second corridor, third left, through the double doors. Rory repeated them back perfectly.

“Go,” I whispered.

We split off in opposite directions, my tablet clutched in one hand as I controlled the camera feeds and monitored our routes. My new snow boots squeaked against the polished floor as I moved through the sterile corridors, following my own set of directions.

The facility felt endless—white walls and fluorescent lighting that hurt my eyes after the mountain darkness. Every door I passed could contain soldiers, scientists, wolves that would rip me to shreds.

I pulled up the camera feeds again, cycling through them frantically as I walked. Where was Kit? The medical wing had multiple rooms, and I needed to—

My steps faltered as I found the right feed.

Kit on an operating table, restraints around his wrists and ankles. A figure in surgical scrubs leaned over him, scalpel glinting under harsh lights. Blood trickled down Kit’s neck.

My vision blurred as panicked tears assaulted my eyes. They were cutting into him. Right now, while I was still corridors away.

Move faster.

My destination grew closer. Second level, through the security checkpoint using the guard’s card, past the laboratories with their reinforced glass windows.