Page 166 of Love Me

I take my gun and shoot their walkie talkies before they can even point their guns at me. Bullets fly around me. I roll and shoot the first guard, then duck and take the second one out. The third man pauses to reload, and seizing the moment, I knock him onto his back. He collapses to the floor with a thud.

Hunter takes care of the other two. He gazes at the bodies on the floor, an appreciative look in his eyes.

As we emerge from the tunnel, the forest opens in front of us. Armed men patrol the perimeter.

One of them asks, “Why are you wearing different uniforms?”

“We’re new, sir,” I say.

A man’s voice crackles through the walkie talkie. Bailey’s urgent tone follows, “Your cover is blown.”

We quickly take them down and Hunter and I split up, each darting around bushes for cover.

“One approaching. In three.” Bailey starts counting and I point my gun at him. After the pop, he drops on the side.

“Almost there, Kaden.”

“How many did you get?” Hunter asks.

“Three.” The asshole laughs and says, “Five.”

I hit two more, and we keep going like this until an alarm sounds around us.

A car flies out of the underground garage. I put myself right in its path, locking eyes with my father’s, whose expression widens.

Oh, you will find out who I am.

I shoot the tires, causing him to swerve and tip the car on its side. When it comes to a stop, I march over, yank open the door, and drag him out.

“Whatever you want, I have it,” he stammers.

I force back the hiss that tries to escape my parched mouth. I lick my lips and swallow, trying to quench the thirst.

“She should have cracked by now.” Frustration is thick in Felix’s voice.

This keeps me strong enough, along with the idea that my friends should be here any moment.

My mother will be safe, and I will survive this.

I don’t think of the pain that has me rolling my eyes. I either feel too much or nothing–– my brain has problems taking my senses seriously, fighting against the idea that I am dead.

I can’t be. I can hear them whining and shooting orders to increase the voltage.

A shudder ripples through me, but it must be the adrenaline stopping me from breaking down.

I’ve lost all sense of time.

Felix approaches me and barks in my face.

“We can go on like this forever.”

“You don’t have forever,” I croak.

“Who are you working with?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I’m done with this. Let’s get it over with,” Caleb says.

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