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Suddenly a string of bullets cut through Caryn’s path. She skidded to a halt, twisted her body, and pushed off in a different direction. Onnika followed. So did the others, all except Baker, who had sprinted several lengths ahead, paying no attention to his crewmates. Onnika knew his intention was to outrun the others in hopes of saving himself.Good luck with that, dick.
Lungs burning, she sprinted harder after Caryn, trying to come up with a plan. The militia would soon be upon them.
The vehicles broke off, the first following Baker, the second following them. She chanced another glance to see Baker brutally gunned down, his lifeless body crumpling in a heap.
With its prey down, the vehicle circled back, targeting them once more. More shots cut in front of their path. This time, Caryn didn’t change direction. She kept going, as did everyone else.
“Batta?”Tag questioned when he saw they were headed toward a ledge that overlooked a wide chasm. A dead end. No turning back.
They skidded to a stop at the edge and turned to face the gunmen. Onnika and Caryn clasped hands. Ajay and Rice looked terrified. Tag was furious, but what could he do now but accept his fate like the rest of them?
Both vehicles ground to a halt in front of them, kicking up a plume of dust. A man leapt out and sauntered toward them. His ruthless grin identified him as the leader. He surveyed the group one by one, as if trying to decide who to kill first.
He raised his gun.
Knowing they were about to die, Onnika and Caryn held each other in a tight embrace, burying their faces in each other’s shoulders.
A loud crack rang out. The ground shifted beneath their feet. Onnika peeked one eye open. Everyone stood frozen…then the soil at their feet gave way. Gravity took hold. Suddenly they were falling…no, sliding down an incline, surrounded by thick sand and dust. It coated Onnika’s mouth and lungs, the taste of it sour. She was blinded by a heavy cloud of the stuff, barely able to breathe. Bouncing off a series of large boulders, Caryn was torn from her grasp, Onnika’s hand clutching empty air. She grappled for purchase as she rolled and slipped over sharp rocks and stones that sliced her skin. Finally, after what felt like ages, she rolled to a stop, coughing and hacking and spitting up grime.
“Caryn?” she choked, her weakened arms struggling to lift her body off the ground. Sharp pain radiated along her right shoulder and left thigh. She felt the heat of blood leaking out from various wounds. When she received no answer, she called out louder.
“Oni?” Caryn’s raspy voice broke through the dust cloud, thank the gods! “You okay?”
“I’ll live. You?”
“I think my arm is broken.”
A masculine groan interjected. “I’ll break more than that when we get out of here.”
Tag had survived. Oh, goody.
The dust cleared enough that she could make out movement. Caryn stumbled forward, clutching her arm. Tag was half buried under an avalanche of rock, his torso and one arm visible. Above, a handful of shadowed militia peered over the edge of the cliff, trying see through the fine debris in the air. Onnika and Caryn ducked behind a boulder. Moments later, their engines roared to life and then grew faint as they drove away. A temporary reprieve. It wouldn’t be long till they found an alternate way down.
“Where’s Ajay and Rice?” Tag asked.
Onnika glanced around. “I don’t see them.” For all she knew, they’d been buried under tons of stone. As he struggled, something fell from his pocket and rolled to a stop at her feet. She bent down to pick it up.
“Son of a bitch! Get me the fuck out from under here.” He used his free hand to uselessly shove at a heavy boulder that pinned his other arm.
Onnika drew closer to stand over him. His glaring gaze met hers for a brief moment and then dropped to the glittering Tranzinite in her palm.
She gave him a cruel smile. “It’s been real fun, Tag, and by that, I mean eat shit and die.”
“Onnika, don’t you da—”
The heel of her boot met his face.
