Page 128 of Jump or Fall
The hidden door sputtered open but caught on a jagged edge. Gordon slammed his boot into it, forcing his way through.
His wide eyes swept over the carnage.
Then they landed on her.
She must look like something out of a nightmare—blood streaked across her face, her armor cracked.
He crouched in front of her, hands on her shoulders. “Is any of this yours? Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “No.”
Gordon pulled her into his arms, his body shuddering against hers. “I shouldn’t have let you come in here by yourself.”
“I was stupid,” she whispered. “I should have just shot him.”
Her vision flickered again. The connection to the claws was almost gone, leaving behind only a dull ache.
“You’re safe,” he said softly. “That’s what matters.”
Gordon took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s show everyone he’s dead.”
Chapter 43
Mara
Mara took in the grisly scene one last time before pressing the button beneath the desk. The main door groaned open, letting in the sounds of the dwindling battle outside.
She grabbed one of Dawson’s lifeless hands, her gauntlets slick with blood, and tucked her helmet under her arm. Putting it back on would just trap the stench of him against her face. Gordon took the other, and together they dragged the body into the entryway.
One of Millon’s guards hesitated in the open space where the front door had been, then turned and retreated into the night.
Mara let go of Dawson’s hand and sank onto the floor, leaning against the wall. The gunfire had died down to sporadic bursts, swallowed by the sound of pouring rain. Thunder rolled, deep and heavy, vibrating through the ground beneath her.
She exhaled, her voice barely more than a breath. “I’m sorry for almost getting killed. And for using a knife.”
Gordon sat down beside her, legs stretched out in front of him. “Don’t apologize. If I could get my hands on my old boss…” His jaw tightened. “I don’t know what I would do, but it probably wouldn’t be quick.”
A sad smile crossed her lips. She reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his. “Do you think he was here?”
“I don’t know.” He sighed. “Probably best to leave it in the past.”
Footsteps pounded against the floor. Millon and Silva rushed in through the open doorway, only to stop short when they saw the limp form of Dawson. Kimmie pushed through them and gasped.
Silva’s gaze swept over Mara’s face, his expression tightening. Before he could speak, she lifted a hand. “It’s all his.”
He crouched beside Dawson’s body, studying the deep gashes beneath his chin and neck. “I’m surprised you managed to use his own claws against him. He always had very good control over them.”
“My chip synced to them.”
Silva shot to his feet and started pacing.
Then he froze, his focus snapping back to the blood smeared across her mouth. “Did you ingest any of that?”
Her stomach lurched. “Not intentionally.”
“The nanobots.”
She frowned. “What?”
