Page 49 of Collide
Dropping into a low crouch, I press my back against a half wall. My breath is ragged with the danger of being caught, my fingers twitching around the trigger.
Then I spot him.
His damn white shirt, still glowing under the UV lights like a beacon, giving him away.
Rookie mistake.
He’s behind a barrier, only the edge of his shoulder peeking out.
I grin, positioning my gun, lining up my shot.
And then, I fire.
Again. And again.
His vest lights up in flashing red, signaling a kill.
“Ha!” I laugh, a raw rush of victory bursting in my chest.
Alex lets out a low, sharp curse as his vest powers down.
Five seconds.
That’s all I have before he’s back in the game.
I scramble away, crawling behind a shattered corner, my hands shaking from the rush. Even though I won this round, I know one thing for sure.
Alex isn’t done hunting me yet.
I manage to kill him twice, I think. But take a few hits of my own. My vest powers down, but I don’t stop to check, narrowly escaping him on multiple occasions.
My heart slams against my ribs as I maneuver through the maze, weaving between barricades, trying to create distance.
I spot him.
Backed against a column a few meters away.
The space between us crackles, my palms slick with adrenaline, my breaths coming in short, excited bursts.
I line up my shot, aiming for his vest.
I fire.
Bullseye.
Alex sees me as soon as I pull the trigger, and in a split second, he moves.
Fast.
Too fast.
I try to stumble back, but I barely get a step in before?—
Strong hands grab my waist.
A yelp rips from my throat as he lifts me clean off the ground, my body weightless.
“Gotcha,” he growls.
