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“The explosion happened first,” Doug explains. “We were thrown back. Everything went dark for a minute there, and when I came to, it was like a war zone. Titch was still unconscious, so I had to grab my gun and attack on my own. There were Reapers everywhere out there trying to get in. I noticed some head down the road to the back fence line, but I got pinned down by bullets coming from all fucking directions.”
“I woke up around that part,” Titch adds. “They were hitting us hard with lead,” he points to his arm where a bloodied bandage is tied, “They pushed us back out on the street.”
“The explosion happened before they stormed the gates?” Rocco asks and they both nod.
I lock eyes with Rocco, our previous concern that we have a mole within our ranks even more evident now.
“Where was Gunner? Was he at his bike when it happened?” I ask and they both look at each other warily and shrug.
“We were more focused on the street and not what was happening in the yard.” Doug admits and Rocco growls, bracing the desk and dropping his chin to his chest.
“And you didn’t notice a fucking army of Reapers out on the street?” I snap and they both shake their heads.
“The street had been quiet all day.”
“You said they went to the back fence line. Are you saying they breached there? Jumped the barbed wire?” Rocco spits angrily. He’s not angry at them, which they know. He’s just angry at the situation.
“I didn’t see them go over the wire.” Doug admits.
Pushing off from the wall, I storm to the door and throw it open.
“Rose!”
At my sudden bellow, the women squeak in fright, but Rose comes rushing forward, eyes wide.
“Get in here.” She nods, hurrying in through the door, but before I close it, my eyes find my princess again, her blue eyes rimmed red, and her cheek already bruising.
In reassurance, I shoot her a wink, and then slam the door to address Rose.
“You managed to get some of the girls out, is that correct?”
She nods quickly. “Yes. Beth and Izzy. I’m sorry, we should have stayed and helped, but after they did what they did…” She trails off, looking down at her bandaged hand where the Reapers cut off two of her fingers.
“You are not in trouble for running, Rose.” Rocco rasps, gaining her teary-eyed attention. “We have always told you women to escape and hide, so you did the right thing. But we are trying to figure out what happened, so can you tell us how you got out and if you came across any Reapers?”
Slowly nodding, Rose bats her tears away. “We got out through the back fence through the hidden gap. I wanted to get us to safety, but I didn’t want to go too far in case more of the girls got out. So we hid in the bushes in the front yard two houses up past the back alley. We were hidden enough not to be spotted, but I had a clear view of the gap in the fence, so I watched it in case anyone got out. But no one else came out for a long time, but the Reapers… they went in through the gap.”
“Fuck.” Most of the men say at the same time, because they’re all thinking what I’m thinking.
That gap is hidden, so there’s no way they could have known about it unless someone told them.
“That explains the Reapers that attacked Sasha and came after Alana and Zoe.” I mention to Rocco, and he nods, his frown so deep that I wonder if it may remain permanent.
“Is there anything else you can tell us? Did you see anyone else? Gunner? Slayer?” I ask, because their deaths are still a mystery.
She shakes her head. “No. I only saw Slasher with Slayer afterward.” She chokes out, her gaze darting to Slasher who is sitting like a fucking zombie in the chair Rocco sat him in when they entered the room.
I excuse Rose then, and she nods, rushing from the room.
“Who else can tell me fucking something?”
“Me and Sully went out the kitchen door when the explosion happened. We were able to hit them from that side which helped hold the bulk of them back from breaching. Some got through though.” Stretch announces and I nod before looking at Slasher.
We’ve already tried to ask him what happened. Where he was when it all started, but he’s withdrawn into himself. It’ll take some time before we will learn his story.
“Uh, what happens now with the… uh dead?” Munroe asks nervously, like he doesn’t want to seem insensitive, but we get it. This is fucking hard, and we’ve never had three deaths at once.
“We will have a memorial as we normally would, for all three of our fallen.” Rocco chokes out. “We will do that tomorrow. No outsiders. Just us. Everyone needs a day to say goodbye and mourn.”
