Part 31 (1/2)

”Very impressive,” said another. Heads bobbed toward one another and spoke in low whispers. They moved slowly, almost like they were floating in air.

The soldiers moved me closer. I tried to fight. I would keep fighting, no matter what, and at least in the skull, I'd be safe for a little while. Maybe I could figure out some way to resist Paul, from in there.

The technician returned with a needle. He dabbed my arm with a cotton swab.

”Get the girl ready, too,” said Paul. ”We'll want to see if anything lights up in there.”

My hands were almost on the skull, my secrets about to be laid bare. Its glow brightened as I neared.

”Fascinating,” said Paul, watching the monitor screen beside him. ”I don't even think we'll need the electrical current.”

The needle pressed against my skin. About to break the surface...

Something pierced the air. A flash in the corner of my eye, glinting in skull light. It seemed to have arrived as a blur but was now frozen in s.p.a.ce.

”What was that?” asked a board member.

”I think we have a weak connection,” complained another.

The hands that were holding me loosened, and I looked over and saw a silver bead of light. It hung still, and I could see that it was the glowing metal tip of an arrow. An arrow, protruding from black cloth, from Cartier's chest.

Chapter 26

THE ARROW HAD COME FROM BEHIND. LILLY thrashed free of Cartier, his body spasming, and she shoved him in the back. He toppled forward, coughing up blood and slamming into Paul, who had only just started to turn around. They crashed over onto the monitor console. thrashed free of Cartier, his body spasming, and she shoved him in the back. He toppled forward, coughing up blood and slamming into Paul, who had only just started to turn around. They crashed over onto the monitor console.

The arrow protruding from Cartier's back had tricolor feathers. It was from the archery range. I looked to the doorway. Evan stood there, bow in hand, another arrow ready. As he stepped in, Marco and Aliah followed. They had weapons. Rifles. Probably from officers they'd surprised above. They were soaked, leaving wet footprints. Creatures from the deep, come back for their own.

”Nope!” Evan shouted. He waved the bow and arrow at the officers beside me. They'd let go of my arms to try for their own weapons. ”Get against the wall,” Evan ordered. Standing there, dripping wet, his shoulders tensed with the bow at the ready, he looked more intimidating than ever. His eyes caught mine, and I couldn't help wondering if he was about to finish what he'd started in the Preserve.

”Come on,” he said to me instead.

The two officers were obeying, especially with the sight of Marco and Aliah training rifles their way. The white-coated technician joined them.

Paul had rolled Cartier off of him and was scrambling to his feet. Evan spun and aimed at him. ”You too.” He motioned with the bow. ”Against the wall.”

Paul started to smile, to put up his hands. ”Now, kids, listen-”

”Shut up, butcher,” snapped Aliah. ”We know what you are.” She waved her rifle in Paul's direction. ”Just give us a reason.”

Paul's eyes narrowed, his pupils flicking coldly. ”I urge you to reconsider what you're doing.”

No one responded. Lilly was busy grabbing our bags from the officers. ”Get Leech,” she said to me.

”Right.” I stepped to the bed and started shaking Leech. He stirred, his eyes half opening. ”Hey, we're leaving, come on. Can you get up?”

Leech winced and started to sit up. ”Yeah,” he said groggily.

His fingers fumbled at the electrodes on his head and under his T-s.h.i.+rt. I helped him pull them off, then I hoisted him up and pushed him toward the door.

Paul had joined the officers along the wall. Lilly stood before them. ”Guns and phones, please.” She took the officers' gear and handed them to Marco and Aliah. ”I'll take this, too,” she said, pulling her Nomad knife from an officer's belt. She shoved Paul's phone into her pocket. ”Thanks,” she hissed. Then, she turned and grabbed the skull.

”Listen,” said Paul, ”all of you, there's another way to do this-”

Lilly uttered a teeth-clenched growl and spun. She had the skull in two hands, and she slammed it into Paul's temple and jaw. His head cracked back against the wall and he collapsed to the floor. Lilly looked down at him. ”That's enough from you.” He rolled onto his back, one of his eyes shooting sparks.

We moved toward the door. I pa.s.sed Evan, his bow still drawn. ”Thanks,” I said.

”Yup.” He kept his gaze on the officers.

”This way,” I said to Leech, and we squeezed through the pa.s.sage and back out onto the platform.

Lilly had started left with Aliah and Marco, heading for the stairs.

”This way!” I called to her. ”We're taking the craft.”

”What?” She looked at me like I was crazy.

”Trust me! It will work!” I tried not to show that I maybe thought it was crazy, too, that I barely knew what I was doing. I ran around the platform and down the stairs, Leech trailing behind me.

”What's this?” he said, like he was looking at a piece of junk.

”You draw maps,” I said. ”I fly this.”

I saw Lilly hugging Marco and Aliah, then Evan. ”Be careful!” she called to them over her shoulder as she ran around and joined us. We crowded into the little craft. Lilly uncinched her bag and stuffed the skull and the knife inside.

”This thing looks like a rowboat,” muttered Leech. His att.i.tude bothered me.

”Owen... ,” said Lilly. She pointed up. The officers were emerging from the skull chamber, supporting Paul between them. They glanced at us but headed up the stairs.

Above them, the CITs were nearly to the top. ”They'll be fine,” I said.

”Yeah, but what about us?” Leech asked.

”Watch,” I said. I held my finger over the tiny gold b.u.t.ton. I looked again at the little razor-edged ring in the center of the fingerprint shape, its hollow middle, then at the tiny copper tube leading down through the bottom of the hull.

I looked up. From here, that copper umbrella hid the giant marble ball in the ceiling from sight. The officers and Paul were just reaching the top of the staircase.

”As soon as they get out of these tunnels,” said Lilly, gazing up with me, ”they're going to send the whole complex after us.”

”Yeah,” I said. I put my finger to the b.u.t.ton, felt the sharp edge. ”The key is inside me,” I repeated, hoping the siren meant this too. I jammed my finger down. White-hot pain shot up my hand, but I kept pressing. It would take time for the blood to drip down the tube....

”What are you doing?” Leech asked, sounding unconvinced.

Everything began to rumble. The craft shook. Dust sprang from the walls.

I looked up. ”You figure, with all those tunnels we took, that we're somewhere under the lake, right?”