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He pushes open the exterior door. Sirens are coming from the other side of the building. In sharp contrast, it’s calm and a little dark over here.

“I was hoping it’d be you.”

I freeze at Zach’s voice.

“Run,” Jack says, releasing me and crashing into Zach. I hesitate to leave him alone. Just for a second before I turn and run into a chest. I stumble back and lift my gaze to meet Tanner’s vicious smile.

He grabs my arm and laughs. “Not so fast, Harper.”

I jerk against his hold and reach my free hand to my hair. Just as my hand gets close, something pricks my arm where he holds it.

My eyes widen as he tosses the syringe away.

“What did you do?” I whisper, already feeling blackness closing in on me.

“We have plans for you, darling.” Zach’s words make me turn. Jack is on the ground behind him.

“Jack!” I try to pull away from Tanner to get to Jack.

Zach chuckles. “Don’t worry. We’ll bring lover boy. We can play with Jack too.”

CHAPTER 18

The Pin

Nico

It’s chaos as students pour out into the parking lot, but I don’t see Harper and the others. Someone else takes the door from me, and I make my way off to the side where I can hopefully have a better view.

My crutches are annoying as fuck as I do what I need to do.

Everyone escaping the gym is drenched.

Not knowing what’s going on inside the building is driving me nuts. Harper is safe with the others, but I wish I could help more. Be there for her the way they’re able to because they didn’t get injured.

But we all have our parts to play, and mine is to make sure we all get out. And keep from getting hurt again. Luke made me promise. He even pulled the Harper would worry more if I was part of the fray card.

That doesn’t mean I can’t take out any guys that escape. But we don’t know who all is involved. None of the basketball guys who attended the dance have come out yet. I had my eyes on them during Sidney’s little tantrum.

They moved off to their table and were watching their phones. When Ashley won, one of them pulled out a bag from underneath the table. I told Jack and he moved to where he could help protect Harper while I got to the door in case we needed a way out. We have a few other options in case things go sideways.

Most of the students were fleeing out the doors into the hallway when the first flash went off. But then the smoke bombs triggered the sprinklers. I had my eyes on Eli and Harper until the lights went out.

That’s when I opened the doors to the outside to help the remaining students get out. Now I’m just in a holding pattern. If I go back inside, someone will have to help me instead of helping Harper. So being out here makes sense. Even as frustrating as it is.

It gives us eyes on the outside. Students gather under the portico. Most of them are soaking wet. The voices are a constant hum and I can’t tell what’s happening inside.

Suddenly, the doors slam shut. I turn and see a few more students who must have just stumbled outside.

I make my way over and see the guy I left in charge of the door. He’s bent over with a girl stroking his back.

“What happened?” I ask.

“Guy in a mask...” The guy draws in a ragged breath and straightens as best he can. “Gut punched me and shut the doors. He had a chain.”

Fuck. I turn back to the doors and jerk on them, but they don’t budge. I slap my hand against it and let out a frustrated growl. Fuck.

Other ways out. I need to find another way out and hope my friends realize they won’t be able to come out this way. We don’t really have a notification system. They wouldn’t have time to check a text anyway. But we all have a job and a detailed plan with contingencies.