Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
I’m too out of breath and exhausted to try to quiet her down.
Satya’s still chasing. I don’t know what her plan is. I’m getting close to the forest edge and the path isn’t far. Once I reach it, I’ll be able to pick up my pace and maybe start yelling for help. It’s a miracle Mass’s people haven’t come to help me already.
But I remember what that staff member said. He’s in an important meeting. Gabe seemed to think he was distracted.
Medved must've attacked. He must've done something suitably vicious and important enough that Mass and his resources are focused somewhere else.
Which leaves me running from that crazy old woman.
“Don’t make me kill you, Allie!” I look back over my shoulder. Satya’s looking grim as she draws a gun from her sweater. She holds it like she knows how to use it. “I don’t want to shoot. I don’t want to hit the baby. But I will if you make me!”
Oh, shit, oh, fuck, oh, God—
I sprint left, changing direction. The forest is right there. I’m still fifty paces away from the path, but that’s not a good option anymore. Neither is stopping to negotiate. I have a feeling Satya will just drag me back to the boat with the gun pointed to my head.
I hit the grass and underbrush, going way too fast, and nearly slam into a tree. The gun goes off, shockingly loud, a ruthless crack through the air. A bullet smashes into the trunk right next to my head.
Rosie cries out in terror, clinging to me.
I clutch her tighter and change direction again. I zigzag into the forest strip as Satya shoots again. She barely misses, blasting leaves from a bush on my left. I keep going, gasping for air, jumping over tree roots and nearly losing my footing a dozen times. If I go down, we’re both dead.
More gunshots. But they’re getting less accurate. I weave and sprint, a surge of adrenaline pushing me forward. The path is up ahead and the lights of the Fortress aren’t far, but one bullet can end this, one bullet can ruin everything I care about—
“Stop it!” I hear screamed behind me. It’s Satya shrieking now.
I look over my shoulder for one risky moment.
And stare as Gabe kicks the old woman roughly in the chest. He throws the gun away, looking wild with rage. “Run!” he shouts.
I don’t see more. I turn and sprint into the darkness, moving as fast as my legs will take me, gasping for air and too shocked to understand what just happened.
“Help! Help me! Please, someone help!” As soon as I burst from the tree line into the garden, I start screaming. After a few seconds, a whole squad of guards comes hurrying toward me from the house.
“Ma’am, what’s wrong? What are you doing out here?” The guard in the lead is a tall white guy with a shaved head.
“There are people, they were chasing me.” I stop myself, taking a second to gasp for air.
If I direct them back to Satya, they might also catch Gabe.
But my brother saved my life. If he’s working with Medved, he clearly doesn’t share Medved’s goals.
“That way.” I point in the opposite direction. “Two of them. They were on a boat.”
The lead guard sends several of his men to check it out. “Please, ma’am, come with me. I’ll make sure you get home safely. We’ve already sent an alert to the Dragon.”
“Thank you.” I’m shaking as we walk together back into the house.
Lights begin shining. There’s a siren wailing in the distance. Lady’s voice comes through speakers hidden in the walls the second we’re inside. “Warning. Security alert. Perimeter breach. I repeat. Warning. Security alert…” She says it over and over again.
We reach the elevator, but the guard doesn’t take me onto it. Instead, Mass comes striding from a side hall, heading straight for us.
He looks tired. His eyes are bleary and there’s more stubble than usual on his gorgeous face. My mouth hangs open and I try to summon the words to explain all this, but he speaks first. His eyes snap to the guard, his face hard.
“Take her to holding room six, please. Make sure she’s comfortable. Give her whatever she needs. Don’t take the child from her.”
I’m completely taken aback. “Security room? What are you talking about?”
Mass ignores me. When the guard doesn’t move right away, he practically snarls. “Was I unclear?”
“No, Dragon.” The guard moves closer to me. He doesn’t quite touch me, though. “Please, ma’am, right this way.”
I don’t move. “Mass, what are you doing? Mass, hold on!” He walks straight past me and doesn’t look over like I’m invisible.
“Ma’am.” The guard’s touch on my elbow is gentle. “Please.”
Tears clog my throat. I want to break down into ugly sobbing.
Instead, I hold my chin up, try to calm my baby, and follow the guard.