Chapter 180: A Silent Death (2/2)

No time to waste. ”Please… can you lead us there?” I whispered. ”You don't need to go inside. You can tell us what happened. We'll save them all, okay?” I promised. But I didn't know if I could make it happen.

She sniffled and nodded.

My body moved on its own accord. I picked the girl up and ran back to the car. I placed her inside and slid into the front seat.

”Go go go!” I yelled.

The girl was a blubbering mess, but I could piece together a story. I clenched my wrists together as I heard the girl speak.

Stupid Evie.

Brave, beautiful, loyal Evie.

What was I going to do with her?

Throwing herself into the fire. Eating extra drugged food to save others. Did she not fear that she would overdose? Or had I misunderstood? Was she still looking forward to a silent death?

I shook at the thought. I wouldn't allow it.

”Was she okay the last time you saw her?” I choked out.

The girl sniffled but nodded.

”She asked me to hide behind the metal door and stood in front of me so that even if I was exposed, I wouldn't be hurt.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. ”They… they had guns. All of them. Evie took a gun from the woman, but she… she is probably going to get up.”

The memories must have hurt because she cried louder.

I saw the ambulances catch up with us.

”There are injured people. With bullet wounds,” I squeezed out. I didn't have a gun. And I doubted these policemen would go in when they knew people inside had guns.

They wouldn't die to save others.

”Is the SWAT team coming? They have guns.” A lot of guns.

”Yes. They will be here ten minutes after we arrive,” the driver announced. ”I just received a message from the station,” he added.

We arrived, but there was no way I could go in.

”There are floors. We were down below ground in a room. A short staircase leads down into it,” Gene said when questioned.

”Dr. Butler, we have to wait until the SWAT team arrives. There is no way we can go in without the robot,” the older office announced.

”We can start with asking them to come out, right? Proper procedure?” I exclaimed.

The officer nodded.

The microphones were brought out and the warnings made. There was no answer. These buildings didn't have a view inside, and I could only see the gaping front door. The limited view inside told me that there was nobody on that floor. But they could be hiding and out of sight.

Every second felt like a lifetime, but the ambulance was on standby and the SWAT team arrived faster than expected.

”We broke a lot of laws to get here!” the captain yelled. The robot was sent inside and with the help of Gene, it made down the stair. I didn't need it to go all the way down there to see the blood and the bodies.

I cried out, my body out of control. I think I heard people calling me, but I was sprinting into the building. I had seen Evie lying there. She seemed to be writhing in pain, but I hadn't heard a sound from her. The other man who looked to be moving was slowly starting to stir.

I heard footsteps behind me, and I jumped stairs until I reached the end.

The bleary-eyed man in white looked at him, his eyes unfocused with pain. I sprinted to him, my sole purpose was to kick the gun as far away as possible.

But it didn't end there.

With the gun sliding away, I found myself consumed with rage. I said words I didn't remember. I kicked him in the stomach where blood pooled in his shirt.

”Dr. Butler!” someone screamed. I heard the sole unscathed figure in the room cry in fear, but I paid them no mind.

This was the end. There was no escaping. There was no way he would get away with just a bullet wound. I wouldn't allow that.