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“Way ahead of you,” I say, hauling Luka up by sheer force of will. He leans heavily on me, every step labored.
“Lead the way,” Iris says, glancing back to cover our retreat. Joy presses a spare gun into my free hand, and I take it, the cold metal an anchor in this storm.
“Exit?” I ask, trying to sound more confident than I feel.
“East wing,” Ruby replies between shots that echo off the halls. “Double-time it.”
“Got it.” I steer Luka forward, the weight of him a reminder of what’s at stake. “Keep your head clear,” I tell him, needing him to fight through just a little longer.
“Trying,” he gasps, but I can see it’s taking everything he’s got just to stay upright.
“Focus on my voice, then,” I prod as we dodge debris and fallen bodies, the air thick with the scent of blood and burnt powder. “Remember Dreamland?”
“Hard to forget.” A pained smile flickers across his face.
“Picture it—the escape, not the nightmare.” I squeeze his hand, urging him on as we round another corner, following the omegas’ lead.
“Right,” he mutters, steadier now. The gunfire recedes as we plunge deeper into the maze of the facility, searching for the freedom that seems just beyond reach.
Chapter twenty-four
Gunnar
The rain pelts us like a barrage of bullets as we disembark on the island’s muddy banks. I glance over at Oberon, his face set in stone, eyes sharp and ready. Rook adjusts his rifle, a silent promise of chaos in his grip—thankfully leaving the damn rocket launcher behind, though he’s got a combat drone hovering beside him. Vance moves like a shadow next to me, quiet but lethal.
We cut through the docks, boots slipping on wet wood, each step a potential dance with death. Vance’s grunts tail us, their uneasy breaths puffing out in the cool air. New Eden looms ahead, a picturesque village with dark secrets beneath.
“Expect trouble,” Vance says, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife.
“Trouble is my middle name,” Rook shoots back, but there’s tension in his laugh.
We push into the woodland path up to the settlement, branches reaching out like desperate hands. Leaves blanket the ground, slick and treacherous underfoot. We don’t bother with stealth; time is a luxury we can’t afford.
“Keep your eyes peeled,” I tell them, scanning the surroundings. Movement could come from anywhere.
“Always do,” says Vance, his voice a low growl.
The path begins to clear as we approach New Eden. The sound of combat greets us before we even set eyes on the colony. Shouts and screams slice through the rain-soaked morning.
“Did you send someone ahead?” I ask Vance as Rook raises some binoculars to his eyes.
“No,” Vance shakes his head, and Rook barks out a laugh.
“Bloody hell…they’re fighting each other,” he mutters. “Guess it isn’t so idyllic after all, hm?”
“Then we go in, huh?” Oberon asks.
“Attack the Eclipse and anyone allied with them,” Vance says, looking back at the grunts behind us. “Otherwise…leave the betas, the omegas. They’re prisoners here just as much as Petrov and Faye.”
“Showtime,” Rook whispers, almost to himself.
“Let’s go to work,” I say, drawing my gun.
We charge into the fray, the clash of bodies and metal ringing in our ears. Oberon fights next to me, a relentless force, his fists cracking bones like thunder. Rook finds higher ground, the crack of his rifle punctuating the chaos. His drone buzzes beside him, its camera eye unblinking, a spray of bullets flying out every so often.
“Left side!” Vance calls out, and I pivot just in time to catch an Eclipse soldier barreling toward me. I meet him head-on, my fist connecting with his jaw. He staggers back, and Vance is there to finish it, his brutality efficient as he takes the man down.
“Thanks,” I grunt, and he nods.
