Page 45 of Shattered Love

I knew why. I was madly in love with the woman. Her pain was my pain. If only I had the guts to tell her. But I swore to myself that after this was all over, after we were headed toward the safety of the bunkers, it would be the first thing out of my mouth.

The guards led us to the large building, settling the others outside, before unlocking the door. I braced myself to step inside, not prepared for the mess, but they had been as busy as us the past few weeks.

There were no signs of the dispute that had happened inside. The bodies were moved, the desks cleaned, and everyone back to work.

Immediately, two men stood from their post, their guns raised.

“Hold your hand,” the man in front of me barked and immediately they listened.

A slender woman, around middle age and with a sleek brown ponytail, stepped into our line of sight. “What is this about? There are no civilians allowed inside.”

I presumed she was Vex’s replacement based on her sharp stare and stern posture. I opened my mouth to deliver my spiel once again, but the guard beat me to eat.

“Cut the shit. When were you going to leave?”

“Why would I leave?” She asked, jutting her chin higher into the air.

The guard clambered over to her, shrouding her size, but I had to give it to her, she never cowered.

“To get on the train and head to the fancy bunkers.”

The poised woman stuttered over her response. “What are you talking about?”

The man glared at her and she tried again. “How in the world do you know?”

If my words hadn’t convinced the man, hers sure as shit did. Anger painted his face red, his chest puffing, the weapon in his hand raising. “You’re going to show this man where the radio is. And then you’re going to step aside.”

I could tell the woman wanted to argue. She glanced to the men and women at the computers, people that obviously knew the truth, trying to find backup. But there was none to be found. Apparently, not everyone was okay with mass murder.

I mean, sure, they weren’t actively killing these people. But they were complicit in allowing their deaths when there was another option.

The woman finally gave in to defeat, her shoulders slouching, and her head bending in remorse. “Follow me.”

Warner and Sasha at my back, we followed the woman upstairs and toward a locked room. We had passed it the last time we were inside, but it wasn’t a priority to break inside. There was too much going on.

She unlocked the door and I stepped into what could only be described as a computer nerd's dream. Screens upon screens dotted the walls, surveillance of the entire camp. I noticed the video from the front of the camp and I sighed in relief when I saw the others walking through, unharmed. Fuck, we had really done it.

There were also monitors coming through of coded memos and in the corner, the radio we had been desperate enough to reach.

The woman waved a hand at the setup. “I have no clue how to use it. I wasn’t exactly prepared for this position.”

Because it had been Vex’s. I didn’t know exactly what happened to him. We had all heard the gunshot. And when I asked Alessia, she simply said, “he can never hurt me again.”

Smiling widely at the woman, my chest lifted with pride. “That’s alright, I know exactly what to do.”

Sliding into a chair, I sat before the radio, beginning to fiddle with the controls, only one thought on my mind. Mom, I hope you still listen to the radio every single day.

“What happened to ‘I know exactly what to do’,” Sasha mocked at least ten minutes later.

I was still fiddling with the controls. I had figured out how to receive messages, but I was still struggling with how to send one.

Throwing a glare over my shoulder, I said, “It’s not as easy as it seems.”

Sasha leaned over my shoulder, eyeing the different buttons and screens, pointing to the small microphone. “Seems pretty easy. Press the buttons, speak your little heart out into the microphone, send it to the world.”

“I agree with her. Pretty straightforward,” Warner added and I let out a heavy breath, trying to keep my patience.

Why couldn’t I have been with the other group? Instead, I was stuck with the two sarcastic assholes.

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