Page 144 of Blue Arrow Island
Marcus nods. “Okay. I need you to get the switching device so we can get our aromium off. And then you know where to go—don’t say it, just get there. We’ll be there soon.”
“Okay.”
“Be careful,” he says as he takes his handgun from its holster and passes it to her. “Wait until it’s safe for you to get it.”
She nods, her eyes steely with resolve. Then she takes off at a run, her blond ponytail swinging behind her.
Marcus meets my gaze, running a hand through his hair. “We’ve drilled for this. There’s a meeting point. So we should have six, including us.”
“What’s the plan?”
“We’ll go over it when we get there.” He takes my hand, his expression somber. “I need you to be my voice of reason. That’s usually Nova in these situations.”
“I will.”
A crease appears between his brows. “If something happens to me, help Nova. And if something happens to her, too...” He exhales heavily. “I know this is a lot to put on you, but I need you to take charge if that happens. Promise me.”
My lips part, shock coursing through me. “Marcus, I’m not?—”
“It needs to be you.” His tone is forceful when he cuts in. “You’re smart and strong. You’ll do the right things, even when it’s hard.”
I shake my head. “What about Niran?”
“I love him like a brother and trust him completely, but it needs to be you. There’s no time to waste. Promise me.”
I swallow, only taking a second to doubt myself before I say, “Okay. I promise.”
He releases my hand and draws the knife from the sheath at his waist. “Let’s go take our camp back.”
41
Plant pathogens can share genetic material with each other, even across different species. This sets plants apart from animals because they can quickly acquire new virulence traits or resistance to treatments. This makes them potentially dangerous and unpredictable.
- Excerpt from a lecture given by Dr. Lucinda Hollis in her Plant Evolution course
Niran’s shoulders drop with relief when he sees Marcus.
“Thank fuck,” Niran says, coming over to put a hand on Marcus’s shoulder. He glances at me and says, “Hey, Briar.”
“Hey.”
We just walked down the steep wooden stairs of a small underground bunker about a quarter mile from the shield perimeter. Its entrance door lies flush on the ground, a top layer of dirt, greenery and moss making it impossible to see if you don’t know it’s there.
I glance around the cool, dark space. It’s about ten feet by ten feet, two tall candles on small metal disks providing the only light. The walls are lined with shelves of supplies. Large metal canisters have labels like “Medical Supplies,” “Oats,” and “Rice.” Glass jars with fruits and vegetables are neatly arranged on one wall. Guns and knives take up another entire wall.
“Adele’s getting the switching device,” Marcus says, surveying the shadowed faces around us. “Tell me everything you guys know.”
Stella, Wyatt and Niran all recount the takeover. Wyatt doesn’t know much because he was training at the ring when Nova gave the order to everyone in camp to “hunker down”, which, for Command officers, apparently means evacuate to this bunker if you’re able.
Niran was at the Sub when someone radioed there was fighting near the kitchen.
“By the time I got there, it was a shit show,” he says. “Stark was dead on the ground and Ray had taken Blythe hostage. The prisoners he released were jumping the command and security people, trying to disarm them and tie them up.”
“They disarmed Nova?” Marcus’s tone is incredulous.
“Yeah, because Ray had a knife to Blythe’s throat.”
“Fuck.” Marcus looks away. “I should’ve done something about him. This is my fault.”
