Page 161 of What Remains

Our weapons lock on him in unison.

Carter lets his rifle hang from its sling so he can hold up his hands. “They’re bringing this bunker down. We have to evacuate now.”

The man’s arm wavers.

“Where’s Julian?” Gideon demands, splitting the man’s attention.

Carter tilts his head a fraction, and that’s my cue.

I move fast and drive the mark backward. His pistol discharges, the round punching harmlessly into the ceiling as we hit the floor hard.

I wrench the weapon free, slam his wrist against concrete, and secure him with zip ties in one smooth motion. “Where’d they go?” I hiss close to his ear. “You want to live? Talk.”

He breaks faster than I expected. “Secondary corridor through that side door. Lower tunnel. There’s a secret service exit.”

“Foxtrot with me,” Gideon orders.

Carter grabs his arm. “We can find them up top. This place is coming down the second they’re out.”

“Then I better move fast.” Gideon pulls away, already moving on target without waiting.

Reed catches his wife’s wrist, halting her in place. “You’re going with Alpha.”

Hollis jerks free. “Absolutely not.”

“Dammit, for once in your life, don’t be stubborn.” He pulls her in and crushes his mouth to hers, then he turns and follows Gideon and the rest of their team through the secondary door.

Hollis curses but falls in beside me as Carter frees Zoey and scoops her lifeless body into his arms.

I grab the prick I detained from the floor, check him for additional weapons, then gesture for him to get a move on.

Once in the dark hall, I knock my NODs in place and start after everyone.

Hollis drops an unexpected tango emerging from the bend with a single controlled shot as the alarms continue to wail.

“Thanks,” I say under my breath as somewhere deep in the bunker, something heavy shifts. There’s a structural groan that doesn’t belong to machinery.

“I’m so—sorry.” A soft female voice chokes out as we move. Zoey? She’s awake?

Carter doesn’t react or respond. Just keeps moving.

“You’re out of time!” Gwen cries out, desperation in her voice. “I’m seeing power fluctuations across the grid. You have to get up top now!”

The floor trembles. Dust shifts down from the ceiling.

“Alpha, go, go, go!” Carter yells, full-on sprinting with Zoey in his arms.

Another concussion hits, closer this time. Emergency strips flash along the floor. We continue to run, careful not to trip over fallen bodies.

Hollis stays at my side, and Constantine at my left with Carter just ahead.

As we near the stairs to get up top . . . a blast takes us forward, and a pressure wave slams into us like a freight train. Gwen screams out my name just as the shockwave hits, and Zoey flies from Carter’s grip.

I pivot instinctively and protect Hollis with my body as debris rains down. A chunk of concrete slams into my shoulder blade instead of her skull.

Pain flashes white-hot as the ceiling spiderwebs.

From up top, I catch sight of Nash and Griffin flying toward us, coming back to help. Nash gets to Zoey before Carter can, pulling her into his arms just as another blast, followed by a shockwave, ripples beneath us.