Escape from Eden (Original Series book 2) (24 page)

His mouth tightens. "They’re calling him, aren't they?"

"Who is he?"

"He runs the resistance in the West."

"They have one?" I ask incredulously. We rarely hear what is happening to the west side of the country as the Institute controls the media. Even travel to the other side is restricted to a single train that requires special permission from the government, or really the Institute, to board. As far as everyone on the East is concerned, the West is just another country, one you never hear about anymore.

"Their resistance is much bigger than ours," Colt answers. "They've taken over entire cities from the Institute's control."

I stare at him, wide-eyed. "How many are there?"

"In the northwest, they have dozens of free cities. They lie just outside Aurora, one of the country’s biggest cities."

"I've never heard of it," I say.

"You wouldn't have, but to those in the West, Aurora is the new capitol. They don't recognize Washington D.C. anymore."

I drop into a nearby chair, stunned. "How long have you known about this?"

"About a year ago Rafe made contact with your father. He heard of HOPE and wanted to join forces, but our side was nowhere near ready. Too many Primes believed in what the Institute was trying to do, but then you came along and everything changed. You made me believe there was hope for our future. That we could change, or more specifically, that I could change."

"It wasn't me," I whisper.

He finally glances away from the darkness. "It was you."

It's my turn to look away. "I have changed things, but not for the better."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's my mother…" I begin, but then the door opens.

"How much longer?" Tank asks.

Colt glances down at the control panel. "We're about thirty miles out. Maybe ten minutes."

"Can you go any faster?" Tank leans over his shoulder as if to check for himself.

"I'm going as fast as I can."

"Stop!" I say, my voice louder than I intend, but I can't lose my nerve. They need to know what I did.

Both men turn to me.

"I have to tell you what I did." My head aches something fierce, but I continue, "Eden's in trouble because of me. I'm the one who gave away the location."

Tank tenses, and Colt's brow furrows.

"I don't believe it," Colt says.

"You betrayed us?" Tank growls and steps toward me.

"I— I didn't mean to," I stutter and slide the chair backward. Tank has never looked scary to me before, but he's so tall and wide, with muscles flexed tight like he wants to smash through the window that I can't help but cower.

Colt slams his open palm onto a button, then jumps to his feet to stand between me and Tank. "I'm sure there's a really good reason. Sage would never betray Originals, especially Max, so back off and let her explain!"

They turn to me and wait for an explanation.

Pain racks my chest so hard I think my heart might break. My mother beat and killed Originals. She betrayed me and sent the Institute after Eden. She let me cry on her shoulder while I spilled everything.

"What happened, Sage?" Tank asks, his tone threatening.

I blink back tears and tell them everything. They will be angry, but I deserve whatever wrath they choose to give me. "My mother. I saw her. She was one of the people in charge of Enfield, and she rounded up all the Originals to look for me. When they didn't know anything, she whipped one of them. I thought they were making her do it, and if she didn't, they would punish her. I couldn't stand to watch what she was doing, so I called out to her. She took me to this amazing house people only dream about, and then… and then… she was hugging me, and I had thought she was dead all this time, but suddenly I was back in her arms, safe and loved. Before I knew it, I was telling her everything and how we would save her and take her away from that place forever." I rub the heal of my palm against my chest. "Then she let me go, packed her things, gave an order to terminate the program with the Originals. She had a guard grab me and follow her to the hangar. She wanted me to go with her, but I got away."

I look up at each of them, hoping to see some kind of understanding in their eyes. "I didn't mean to… I would never deliberately hurt anyone."

Tank's breathes hard through his nose. "I suffered through unimaginable torture to protect Eden's location!"

Colt turns to him, surprised.

I jump to my feet. "So did I, remember?"

Tank steps toward me. "Then why did you give it up so easily?"

I don't know how to answer him.

"None of this matters now," Colt says. He presses the same button he pressed earlier and lowers into the seat, his hands resting on the yoke. "It happened. All we can do now is save whoever's left. Go check on the men, Tank. We're almost there."

Tank gives me one last look before he leaves. The pressure in the room is almost suffocating. I tilt my face up so it lies directly beneath the stream of cool air.

"I'm so sorry, Colt," I whisper.

"Oh no," he says, his tone changing. "No, no, no."

I lower my gaze. "What is it?" I step to him and peer out the wide window. A wide plume of smoke billows up in the distance. My legs grow weak. "Tell me that isn't Purgatory Island."

He presses and holds a button and says, "Tank, send Jess up here now. I'm bailing early."

He slams the hovercraft into autopilot again and rushes from the cockpit. I hurry after him, my heart pounding.

"What's going on?" Tank asks him when we reach the center of the ship.

A tall Prime walks quickly by Colt toward the cockpit. Colt calls after him. "Hey Jess! Lower the ramp as soon as you get in there."

Jess nods and disappears.

"Purgatory Island is on fire," Colt says to Tank and several other Primes who have all gathered together. "I'm going to go investigate. When this thing lands, prepare to fight."

"Take me with you," I say to him, but he's already opened the hatch leading to the lower bay and moving down the ladder.

I scramble after him. When I reach the bottom, I say, "I'm going with you."

He stands shirtless with his back to me, staring into a raging storm as the ramp lowers. Cold wind and rain rushes in and twists all around us.

"Colt!" I yell. "Take me with you!"

He glances back at me. "I can't risk you getting hurt too."

He sprints down the ramp and jumps from the plane in a dive position. His black wings explode outward and lift him out of my view. I'm half tempted to jump from the plane too. I know Colt would catch me, but he's right. I’d slow him down or somehow prevent him from saving Max and the others. I cry out in frustration.

A warm hand presses down on my shoulder. I turn around. My father stands in front of me, brows drawn together and eyes brimming with tears. It's an emotion I haven't seen in him in a long time. By his expression, I know he's feeling the same hopeless feeling as I am.

I throw my arms around him. He holds me back just as fiercely. Wind roars through the bay, twisting my hair up and around.

"He's going to be okay!" he says loudly.

He continues to hold me as the ramp rises back into position. In that small moment, I feel the love from him that I thought was gone. And in return, the love I have for him blooms once again.

A few seconds later Tank and the others descend the ladder. My father lets me go and reaches behind his back for something.

"Just in case," he says and hands me an older-looking handgun.

It feels heavy in my palm.

"You remember how to use it?"

It's been a long time since I've shot one, but I haven't forgotten. I nod my head, the weight of the gun heavy in my grip.

"How did they get to Eden so fast?" I ask.

"I'm not sure, but it's worrisome. It's like they had an army waiting."

This thought scares me. What else don't we know about the Institute?

No one says anything as the craft lowers. The tension in the room is palpable. Several of the Primes are shifting their weight back and forth and opening and closing their hands. There are no windows down here to give us an idea of what we're about to face. My heart races. I roll my shoulders back and try to relax. I need to stay focused. Fortunately, I'm too worried about Max to have any sort of a panic attack right now.

The craft jerks a little when we land, and the ramp begins to lower. An orange haze glows. Fires are burning, lots of them despite the rain, which means the Institute is using some kind of fire exhilarant. That's not even the most alarming part. The sounds filling the bay are worse. Screams, gunshots, flames burning. I stumble backwards.
What have I done?

"Go!" Tank yells before the ramp is fully on the ground.

Primes explode from the ship at full speed.

"Come on!" my father says to me. "We have to find Max!"

He pulls me forward until I find my legs. Both of us stop just outside, shocked by what we see. Eden is entirely engulfed in flames, including many of the wooden buildings. Their metal roofs have collapsed inward. Rain only makes the smoke worse.

People are fighting everywhere and not just against each other. Several Institute guards have surrounded a giant Tortiz and are attempting to kill it. Other creatures have also breached Eden's wall and run freely, either attacking people or running from others. In the distance, there are three Institute hovercrafts much larger than ours. In one of them, giant Titans are herding Originals onto a ramp while other guards have guns pointed outward protectively. Tank and the others attempt to work their way over, but half of them are busy warding off the island's creatures, while the others are in a firefight with Institute guards.

Wiping water from my eyes, I search the skies for Colt, but the clouds are too dark and the smoke too thick.

"This way," my father says and pulls me behind the craft and toward the tree line where we can move undetected. It seems like the obvious thing to do, but it may be more dangerous out there then near all this fighting. I'm thinking specifically of my encounter with the shadow creatures that killed Layla the last time I was on this island. It was night then, but all of this noise and easy prey could draw them in, exactly as Jerry said it would do. I search the grounds for an alternate route, but find nothing promising.

As soon as we reach the edge of the forest, I stop my father.

"What are you doing?" he whispers. "We have to keep going!"

"Quiet!" I order.

He frowns, probably because he's not used to me ordering him around, but remains silent.

I listen closely, trying to hear over the sounds of yelling, gunfire and the storm. Twigs are snapping nearby, and I think I see a shadow dart behind a tree. We're definitely not alone. My father hears the sounds too and straightens.

"What's out there?" he asks.

"They don't have a name," I say. "But they are smart and deadly. Just keep your eyes on the trees and stay quiet. Move quickly." I take his hand and step side-to-side, my back toward the fighting, and my eyes on the forest.

I take a quick second to glance behind me toward where Institute guards are rounding up Originals. We’re getting closer. Just before I look back, I spot Colt and it makes me stop. He is in a downward spiral, cutting through thick smoke. He snatches one of the guards by the shoulders and lifts him into the air until they disappear. A moment later the guard falls from the sky. I don't see him land, because I'm awestruck by Colt. He's already diving through the air again to capture the next guard who is attempting to shoot up at Colt, but Colt is too fast. The image is terrifying! If I didn't already know him, I would think he was the angel of death coming to destroy us all.

"Watch out!" my father's voice yells.

I duck, but not quick enough. Razor sharp claws cut through my left shoulder, and I cry out. My father fires a gun, but by then there is nothing to fire at. The shadow creatures are too fast.

"Hurry!" I say and run forward, trying hard to keep my footing on the muddy ground. I near the tree line, but a sudden, stray bullet whizzing by me has me moving deeper into the forest. I turn around. Two shadows are right behind us. If we slow down at all, we're dead.

"
W
e have
to get out of here!" my father yells.

Through a gap between several trees, I spot one of the Institute's smaller hovercrafts just up ahead. Maybe we can hide behind it from the guards while also be more in the light where I don't think the creatures will go.

"Follow me," I say over my shoulder and veer right down a small ravine. I nearly trip, but my father catches me and pulls me along.

Blood runs down the top of my arm and to my fingertips. I will have more scars. Constant reminders of the mistakes I've made.

The edge of the forest is close. We’re almost free when one of the shadows hisses. It's followed by the sound of flesh tearing. My father grunts and falls forward, knocking me to the ground. I quickly roll onto my back and point and fire the gun blindly. The shadow jumps to the side, just missing a fatal wound.

Still sitting on my bum, I tug on the top of my father's jacket. "Get up. We have to keep moving!"

"My leg," he moans. "It's damaged."

He attempts to get onto all fours, but falls back down. That's when I see it. The back of his leg, from his thigh to his calf, is ripped open. Blood pours from the wound.

I quickly fire one more shot, then roll my father over while also keeping a tight grip on the gun. I loop my arms under his armpits and pull him to my chest, barely feeling the wound on my shoulder. After digging my heels into the wet earth, I scoot backward, grunting loudly. My father attempts to help me with his good leg, but it's a slow process. He keeps his gun pointed forward.

I glance behind me. We’re almost there. In the distance, a Titan has Tank in a headlock. The sight has me pushing and pulling faster.

My father fires a shot catching one of the creatures in the leg, but it doesn't slow down. He pulls the trigger again.

"Sage!" he yells.

I glance to my left. Another shadow is attempting to cut us off before we leave the forest. I let go of my father and swing the gun to my left. Three shots join the many others. The shadow falls face forward in the mud, its head nearly reaching me.

"Hurry," my father says.

Clutching him again, I drag him the rest of the way out until our backs are pressed against the metal of the hovercraft. We both fix our guns toward the forest, but nothing comes after us. Enough light must be on us.

After a few breaths, I lower my gun and quickly remove my jacket. I wrap it around my father's leg as tight as I can.

"You're going to have to leave me, and go find Max," he says. "Do you understand?"

I nod a little. "Whatever you do, don't lower that weapon. I'll be right back."

Leaving him is excruciating, but I have to know if Max is okay. I scurry around the side of the craft, trying to block out the pain in my arm, and peer around the corner. There are about a dozen Originals left, all being shoved into an already crowded bay. Many of them are on the floor, some being stepped on, but still they don't move.

I wonder how they got there, but then I see Brutus, the Techhead who had taken care of me before I left the island, try to fight against a Speeder who is loading him into the bay. Lightning quick, the Speeder jabs a Taser into his side, shocking him until he passes out. My heart sinks into my gut as the Speeder tosses him next to the others. I look past him, searching the many faces. I don't see Max, but I do catch sight of Link's brother and father.

My hands tighten into fists when I also spot Stella crowded among them. She's staring straight ahead, seemingly unnerved by everything going on around her. Everyone else is crying, cowering or fighting, but not her. That's when it hits me. She's taken eDNA. An anger burns in my chest as bright as the flames in the distance. Did my mother force her to take it? Was Stella one of her test subjects?

In the distance, Colt is still diving toward the guards, but often has to retreat when too many bullets fly in his direction. He's going to get hit if he keeps this up.

Tank has somehow broken free from the Titan, and, along with the others, is getting closer to the Originals. Their progress is not only slowed by the Institute's weapons, but also by two tortizes that appear enraged with everyone's presence. Their heads and tails thrash at anything that moves.

I continue to search the grounds, my heart lifting when I don't spot Max anywhere. Maybe he got out. If they had some notice, Jerry could've got many of the Originals off the island and to the safe house. This thought has me looking for Jerry, who I also don't see. Thunder cracks over head rumbling deep into the ground, but I seem to be the only one who feels it.

Because I don't see Max, I decide my next move should be to help the others. I raise the gun and aim it where I think it will do the most good. I focus it on a red-headed Titan who's looking up at the sky with a weapon drawn, most likely searching for Colt. All I have to do is pull the trigger, and the Titan will fall.

I steady the gun and point. It shakes in my hand. This feels different from killing a creature that is more animal than not.
Pull the trigger!
I grip the gun harder.

All of a sudden something smashes into my side, and I'm lifted into the air, the gun flying from my hands. I crash onto my back. I barely manage to sip a breath before the tail of a tortiz comes toward me fast. I roll out of the way just as it crushes the earth. I scramble to my feet, ready to bolt, but Tank has caught the beast's attention and is luring it away from me.

I frantically search the ground for the gun, but it must be buried in mud because I can't see it anywhere. I should've grabbed a wind blaster, even if it can only hold one charge. And then, as if I'd conjured one up with just my thoughts, I spot one lying on the ground not far away. If I'm quick and stay low to the ground, I should be able to reach it.

After making sure everyone is distracted, I scurry on all fours out into the open and toward the blaster. I snatch it up, loving the feeling of it in my hands despite it being heavier, and point it toward the red-haired Titan. There are a couple of Originals behind him who will most likely get hit too, but it doesn't stop me. They will survive.

I pull the trigger, but nothing happens. I slap it a couple of times, but still it doesn't work. Either it's already been shot, or the Institute has remotely deactivated any electronic weapons. It's probably the latter, because everyone seems to be using older mechanical weapons.

I'm about to crawl back to my spot to rethink my plan when I hear a familiar scream followed by, "No! Put me down!"

I turn my head slowly. A Titan is rushing back to the bay with my brother flung over his shoulder. Max is beating his small fists into the giant's back.

"Max!" I yell.

He stops thrashing and looks toward me. "Sage!"

I jump to my feet and sprint toward him. Bullets whiz by me, but I don't stop. Behind me, Tank yells, "Cover her!"

More bullets rush by me, giving me a clear path to Max. The Titan carrying him sees me chasing him. As he passes by a metal sheet that must've once been attached to the compound's roof, he picks it up and swings it through the air toward me. I barely manage to dive out of the way before it slices off my head. I scramble to my feet and keep running.

Max's eyes are locked with mine. His hands are out stretched toward me, his mouth open as if he's screaming, but I can't hear anything over the sound of my racing heartbeat in my ears. For a moment, he's like the voiceless Old Max.

I'm almost to him when my feet are knocked out from under me. My body flies forward and slides along the wet, muddy ground. I barely manage to sit up before a strong arm wraps around my neck from behind and jerks me to my feet.

"Ebony has a price on your head dead or alive," a man's voice says so close that steam from his breath warms my ear. "Dead is so much better."

The arm pulls in tight, cutting off my air supply, while his other hand clasps the top of my head. The way he's holding me makes me think he's about to snap my neck…all while Max watches.

I kick backwards as hard as I can, and swing my fists, but it's like I'm hitting a brick wall. By his height, he can't be a Titan, which means it's probably a Rhine by his incredible strength. Any second and I'll be dead, but I don't stop fighting.

All of a sudden, I'm tossed to the side when the Rhine falls to the ground. Colt stands tall over us, his great black wings extended behind him. His expression is twisted into animalistic rage. He lifts a gun in his hand and points it at the Titan. The gun fires.

But the Rhine doesn't fall like expected. Instead, he's standing while Colt falls. Colt's angry expression has changed to one of surprise. The red-haired Titan I had failed to kill moments before is poised behind him, a smoking gun raised in Colt's direction.

"No!" I shout and rush to Colt, but before I get there, the Rhine, who had nearly killed me before, appears next to me swinging a fist directly into the side of my head. I collapse to the ground, my vision exploding into blacks and reds.

"Sage!" Max voice cries. "Sage!"

He continues to call my name, his voice growing more distant with every cry. By now, he's probably in the bay with the others.

Get up!
I try to move, but it’s like I'm paralyzed. My body simply won't respond, so I lie there in the mud under the pelting rain.

Colt is sprawled face first in front of me, blood running down the sides of his bare back from a gunshot to his lower shoulder. His wings are folded tightly to his back. At first I think he’s dead, but then I notice his fingers claw into the ground as if he's trying to get back up. Before he can, the red-headed Titan scoops him up and carries him toward the others.

"This time I will kill you," the Rhine's voice says. He presses his big boot onto my head and presses hard, squishing the side of my face into the mud. The pain is instant, and I cry out even as wet sludge fills my mouth. Just before I lose consciousness, I spot Tank barreling down on us. It's the last thing I see before the whole world goes black.