Page 27 of When Monsters Rise
“Rue?Rue?Ican’t hear you.You’rebreaking up.Over.”
“DoorcrackleMichaelcracklecelestialscrackleFuck!”
Panicheats my blood. “Rue, where are you?Over.”
Thestatic starts and cuts off quickly, remains for longer, then cuts off again.Apattern.
Morsecode!
“Bastian, what is it?”Tumielasks.
“Hush.”Ihold up a hand to silence him and listen carefully to the intermittent static.Theblood quickens in my veins as each word is deciphered.
Theradio dies, andIbreak into a sprint.
* * *
RUE
Theradio died as reception cut off. “Fuck!”
“It’sokay,”Beesaid. “Wegotta hope he got theMorsecode message.Let’sget back to the door.”
Wehurried through the tunnels, down a flight of steps and into the tube that led to the red door.
Mychest fluttered with anxiety.WhatifBastianhadn’t picked up on the code?Whatif he wasted time searching the mall for me?Howmuch longer before the sentinels descended on this place?
Wherethe fuck wasMichael?
Thered door burst open, andBastianstood in the frame looking like an avenging angel himself.
“Rue, what the fuck?”Hiseyes were wild as they went from me toBeethen back again.
“Yougot the message!”Ithrew myself at him and hugged him hard.Hegave me a squeeze before pulling away. “Wehave to tell the watchers.”
“Tumielis on it.”
“Whatare we going to do?”Beeasked.
“We’regetting the hell out of here,”Bastiansaid. “Allof us.Now.”
* * *
Children’sscreamsechoed off the walls as we took the broken escalators two steps at a time.Peoplestood scattered around the central chamber, wide-eyed and frightened, their stunned focus onShembeating the shit out ofMichael.
Hisfist connected with the celestial’s face again and again.
Michaeltook the punches, not bothering to fight back.Hehad what he wanted now, after all.
Theupper hand.
“Enough!”Sarqgrabbed hold ofShem. “Hecan’t give us information if he’s unconscious or dead.”
ShemreleasedMichaelwith a growl of disgust, and the celestial slumped to the ground, bloody and bruised. “Howlong?”Shemdemanded. “Howlong do we have?”
Michaeltucked his chin in.Muteand unresponsive.
“Damnyou,”Shemsaid. “Ishould never have trusted you.”
