Page 25 of N8
“And if we don’t?”
“I’m not going to feel the least bit guilty about what we’ve done,” she told him. “Neither should you. At least, I hope you don’t.”
“Why should I? Cydney, I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“I’m glad to hear that, because the feeling’s mutual, Mr… N8, do you have a last name?”
“Not that I know of. Why?”
“Because out here in the real world, you’re going to need one. Be thinking of what you’d like to be called. Oh, and you won’t be able to use N-eight for a name.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not the way people spell their names. But you could use N-a-t-e. That spells Nate, and would sound the same.”
He kissed her once more, no longer able to resist the need to rest. “I’ll sleep on it,” he promised, and let out a deep breath. He was unconscious before he finished.
It was still dark outside when a loud banging on the side of the car awoke them. A multitude of flashlights shone inside, illuminating and blinding them. Groggy, N8 held up a hand to shield his eyes, when a gruff voice loudly ordered, “Thought you could run away from us, huh, you little punks? Get the fuck out of there, and do it slowly!”
14Infiltr8
Two men kepttheir guns trained on N8 and Cydney as they crawled out of the back of the car. The other two went to join their comrades, who were rousing the rest from their rooms. One man snickered as Cydney struggled to redress. When she leaned back inside to retrieve something, one of them remarked, “Leave it, whatever it is. You’re not gonna need it anyway where you’re going.”
“I’m reaching for my bra and panties,” she scathingly shot back.
The man deliberately aimed his pistol at her. “I said forget it.”
She cast N8 a sorrowful look and pulled her t-shirt over her bare breasts. After she zipped up her jeans and slipped her feet into her sandals, one of the men moved around to where he was behind them. “Now move.”
It was a no-brainer these guys were from the facility. They were dressed in the same dark brown one-piece jumpsuit, with the bunker’s logo over their left breast pockets. Only one of them had a name badge that read COXWELL. Judging by the man’s attitude, he had to be the leader.
“I’m sorry, N8,” Cydney started to whisper, when the man behind her gave her shoulder a hard shove.
“I said tocan it!” Coxwell snarled.
N8 knew what she was trying to say. She was apologizing for bringing them here. For her mistakes in not covering their tracks as she’d thought she had. Apparently, these men had been following them ever since he and the others had escaped. All those thugs had needed was for them to stop and give them the chance to catch up.
K8, F8, and the others were waiting out in the parking lot as the other four guards kept them encircled. N8 noticed the plastic pieces of rope around his friends’ wrists. At that time, his own arms were lifted for him, and his hands were similarly bound.
“Get ‘em in the van,” Coxwell ordered. A second guard gestured for them to follow, and they obediently went with them.
Their chance at freedom had been brief, but now it was over. They’d be punished when they got back to the complex. How was anyone’s guess, but they knew it wouldn’t be pleasant. Nor would it be just the one time. The doctors and scientists would probably have a field day devising all sorts of new ways to make their lives more miserable, now that they were aware of the truth. Of the years of lies they’d been made to swallow.
One at a time they boarded the van. At least no one objected to him taking a seat next to Cydney. Everyone remained silent as the vehicle pulled onto the road and headed back the way they’d come a few hours earlier.
None of the guards spoke, but they continued to keep their pistols trained on N8 and the others. Coxwell took a stance beside the driver, making N8 wonder if they’d hesitate to shoot if anyone tried to escape again.
Feeling a pressure on his shoulder, he glanced over to see Cydney laying her head against him. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was so soft, he barely heard it.
“Don’t be.”
“Hey! Shut the fuck up!” a guard seated two rows and across the aisle in front of them barked.
N8 glared at him. “Shove it! I’ll talk to her if I feel like it.”
The man got up from his seat and advanced toward N8, when Coxwell snapped at him. “Can it! Siddown!”
N8 continued to stare at the guard, who dropped back into his seat. The man wasn’t happy with the order, but he knew to obey.
