Page 47 of Merciless
I ducked just in time to avoid Jandro's spray of bullets over my head. Blood rained down on me, the remains of my would-be attackers.
What began as such a strong attack quickly turned into us backing into a corner. We were all defensive now, our ammunition and stamina dangerously low. Our bonds were stronger and more connected than ever—really they were the only reason we covered each other so effectively, but now they were overridden with panic.
And the enemy never stopped coming.
They crept closer with every beat, every half-second we lowered our guns and paused our shooting because our hands burned and we were so damn weary.
We're not going to make it. The thought bubbled to the surface, breaking through my confidence, calm, and razor-sharp focus. I tried to shove it back down, to override it before the guys sensed it through our connection, but the damage had already been done.
Their minds latched onto that thought and fed into it, giving it more power that threatened to shatter our resolve, to make us lose sight of the whole reason we risked everything to come here.
Get Mari out of here. I didn't so much hear my guys' thoughts as much as felt them.
"No!"
I screamed the word at the top of my lungs, a final battle cry as I used my last well of strength to lift my weapon and fire at the swarm of black.
They were so close now, mere inches away. I could see their blank, empty eyes under their hoods and many had been able to touch my bike before I shot them dead. It wouldn't be long now, just moments until one of them grabbed my leg or snatched my gun out of my hand.
Calmness returned to my mind, the panic and fear subsiding. Only instead of focus and determination, I was filled with resigned acceptance. We tried our best. I would kill as many of them as I could and see this through to the end. The end which was moments away.
I'm so sorry, Reaper. Shadow. Mom. Andrea. But especially you, Reaper. Our last moments together are my only regret.
As soon as I finished the thought, I fired my last round and my gun clicked empty.
Eighteen
JANDRO
My thousands upon thousands of bullets ran out. And when my gun clicked empty, I still couldn't hesitate. Still couldn't give them a fucking inch.
On that last click, I swung my gun around and crashed the butt against the nearest zombie's face. His jaw broke, but he kept coming at me with dead, empty eyes. It was like the blow never registered. Even Shadow flinched when he took a hit, but this swarm feltnothing.
I hit him again and again and again, until I could see brain matter peeking through the bloody mess of his skull and his body finally gave out.
Killing that one took way too long. It allowed ample time for the rest of them to close the short distance and attack me from all directions. The swarm climbed over my bike, grabbing at my legs, arms, and torso.
I twisted and swung, throwing my elbows out and using my assault rifle like a police baton, trying to beat away everything that touched me. The feeling of the swarm closing in on me was amplified by knowing that Mari and Gunner were going through the same thing. If I focused on the bond, I could feel their desperation, the sensation of overwhelm and being crushed under the weight ofsomany. The mind-controlled soldiers never fucking stopped, never let up.
I was somehow still straddling my bike, squeezing the machine with my legs so hard just to maintain some higher ground. If one of these fuckers got an arm around my neck, I knew I'd be done for. It was how they got Reaper.
"Mari!"
I felt Mari's fear and panic hit a new spike through our bond just as Gunner frantically shouted her name. She had been dragged off of her bike and was now desperately kicking and swinging her gun from the ground.
Sensing her cost me a precious second of focus, and my air was abruptly cut off by an arm around my throat.
I couldn't yell, couldn't even feel the ground as I got dragged off my bike. Desperately, I pulled at the arm choking me. It didn't even feel like it belonged to an especially strong person, I should have been able to pull out of the hold with no problem, but it wouldn't even budge.
I started seeing black dots, felt my extremities going numb as I struggled for the tiniest sip of air.It wasn't supposed to be like this. How could we fail to protect Mari so badly?
If suffocating wouldn't end me here, the punches and kicks would surely do it. I barely felt the blows raining down on me, trying to disassociate so that Mari and Gunner wouldn't feel them and suffer even more than they already were.
Giving up so soon, my son?
I would have choked out a, "What?" if I could fucking breathe.
We told Mari this was out of the question, Hades mused inside my head.But you are quickly declining, and we can’t allow that to happen. As a last resort, I can make your body my vessel. I only need your permission.
