Page 54 of Mercy & Her Devils

“Any chance you didn’t hear that?” Antonio whispers.

I shake my head.

“Here’s some truth bombs,” Antonio says, returning his hand to the scruff of my neck and pushing us to a large steel door even faster, “Broks are usually fucked up. They often die in their first heat. The types of packs who buy them don’t do it to help them survive, understand? The right pack would do. My pack will protect the shit out of you. But it’s why you’re not wearing those ugly Rej accessories on your wrists. The Government don’t think that you need them. Because of the whole thing about only being able to survive with scent matches anyway. The fated mates myth.”

“Fated mates?” Lark and I both splutter at the same time.

What the fuck?

“You didn’t know about that? Wow, I really am dropping those truth bombs today. Forget about it. For now, let’s focus on the positives.”

“There’s a positive buried somewhere?” Lark mutters.

“Me, of course! Because you’re not wearing Rej bracelets, I can rescue you, and you can’t be tracked.”

Having reached the steel door, Antonio lets go of our necks.

I stumble, as my knees buckle, and Lark steadies me.

Antonio twirls past us to study the security pad at the door.

Anxiously, I glance around myself.

This is a floor up from the basement that I was locked in and appears to be a quiet part of the Institute with doors leading off into storage rooms.

I can see why Antonio chose to take us this route.

Has he been studying the plans of the building for an escape?

How long has he been plotting this?

Antonio hunches over the pad.

“Do you have clearance to open that without setting off the security alarm?” Lark asks.

“Partly, but I want to do it without telling the system where I am,” Antonio answers. “It’s probably hard for an old man like you to understand, but that’s no problem because I’m a hacker.”

“Of course you are.” Lark sighs.

I tap my foot with nerves.

It’s taking too long.

Is someone coming?

Suddenly, the door clicks open.

Yes!

Antonio pulls on the heavy lever on the door and swings it toward us.

For the first time in weeks, I find myself looking outside the Institute.

Excitedly, I take a deep breath, waiting for the fresh air to hit me. Only, it doesn’t. Instead, I gag at the smell of motor oil.

I can’t see the sky, but instead, the back of a van, which has been left with its doors open, facing the exit.

Antonio truly did plan this.

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