Page 76 of Erase Me
“I could have handled it,” I protested.
“I told you to stay back.Follow directions.Go find a corner and stay out of trouble.”He headed for the door.“They threw more canisters in.I’ll take care of it.”
I watched him with a mix of amusement and exasperation.“Do you want me to tidy up in here?”
He was already out of earshot.
“I guess we’re not doing sarcasm today,” I muttered to myself.
He was in the living room by the time I got out there.I made a beeline for the kitchen door.
“Don’t breathe,” he yelled over his shoulder.
Oh.My.God.Obviously, I missed the ‘Don't Inhale Poison Gas’ training session.
“There’s another one in the kitchen,” I shouted.The hissing sound was unmistakable.“Throw that one in here.”
Standing by the door, I held my ground, wondering if he’d actually listen to me or if he’d think he could disable the device with a toothpick.
To my thinking, the apartment had just two straightforward entry points, which gave us a bit of an advantage.Despite a few windows, being on the third floor meant any intruders would likely have to choose between the door at the top of the stairs on the side of the building or the porch slider facing the street.The door to the right of my current position led to the outside stairwell, while straight ahead, past the living room, was the porch slider.
“Open it,” Reed’s shout reached me as he hurled the canister into the kitchen from about ten feet away.The gas grenade bounced and skittered by me, and I slammed the door.
The room tilted slightly.I’d inhaled a small amount of the gas, and it was taking its toll.
Reed stood before me.“Are you all right?”
“Perfect.You?”
He eyed the door.“They’ll be here any minute.Go to the other room.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“You promised me.”
“I lied.”
“I knew it.”Reed frowned.“Stay behind me when they come through.”
“Whatever you say.”
“I’m serious.I’m the one trained for this, and we don’t know what else they’ll throw at us.”
Sure enough, I heard the sound of boots coming up the stairs to the landing outside the apartment.“Think any of them will be armed?”
“All of them, probably.”He actually grinned.“This is America in 2023, after all.”
We were a study in contrasts, wired in our own individual way.After our whirlwind fling ended abruptly, I tried saving my family and myself with a number of lies.The move earned me his resentment, particularly when I involved his mother.Adding to the difficulties between us was the fact that I had contemplated taking him out from day one.On the other hand, Reed had the power to dismantle my efforts completely if we made it through this day alive.
Still, at this very moment, despite everything and against all odds, I found myself deeply in love with this guy.Ice ran through his veins, and honestly, there was no one else I’d want fighting alongside me.
Right then, there was a bang on the apartment, and the latch began to buckle.One more shove and that door would be ancient history.
As we moved to stop them from coming in, two men wearing gas masks crashed through the porch slider.Reed expertly elbowed me aside, positioning himself to confront the intruders.
“Need me to whip up some snacks for your new buddies?”I asked.
“Cheese and crackers would be perfect,” he deadpanned, just as the first man lunged at him.
