Page 21 of Retribution

“I would rather us all go down than lose any of you separately,” I shot back.

“But – the baby. You aren’t thinking rationally, Liberty.”

Beside me, both Lenin and Justice’s bodies went instantly taunt. In front of me, Ellis’ eyes grew large, but not a single one of them spoke. Smart men; they knew that under the best of circumstances, calling a girl irrational was an absolute no. But while pregnant? A damn death wish.

“You will go straight on unless both of the cars can make it,” I demanded.

“Lib-”

“No. I will not risk the people I love over my life,” I clarified.

Oak closed his eyes and groaned. “Ellis, call Sterling.”

Within a minute, Sterling was on speaker. “At the next intersection, We will turn right; you turn left. Pull up to our side before we come to the section, and we will make the turn at once.”

“Why don’t you turn, and we go straight? Cause a distraction,” Sterling offered.

“I said no.” My voice was commanding, demanding that they obey.

“Look, Liberty, I understand your need to protect, but you need to think about the baby. You’re being –”

“If you say I’m irrational like Oak here, you are also banned from my bedroom for a whole week.”

“You’re so brave,” Sterling said instead. “I’ll meet up soon. If things change, call me back.” He hung up as the intersection appeared in sight.

“I do not approve of being bedroom banned,” Oak mumbled.

“I did not approve of being called irrational.”

“What does that say about us that you guys are arguing about the bedroom when that massive lump is barreling toward us at lighting speed,” Ellis observed.

I looked up, my heart pounding. It was bigger up close. Wider. Higher. More terrifying because it wasn’t just a mound anymore. It was a mound that wanted me. A mound that had something within it and was set on destruction.

The stoplight up ahead was at the same distance to the mound and our vehicle. “Go faster?”

“I physically can’t go any faster, and even if I could, I doubt it would be safe,” Oak responded, though I swore the car jolted forward at a slightly faster speed.

“And the thing in front of us is totally safe?”

“There is no perfect option here, Liberty.”

He jolted the wheel right as my breath caught, turning us down a side street. I turned, searching out the car Sterling was driving, just as a massive worm tore through the asphalt, splitting itself in two and following both vehicles.Shit, we shouldn’t have separated.They didn’t have all the power; they didn’t have as many people, as much strength.

“Call Sterling,” I ordered, and Ellis had the phone ringing before I could blink. When Sterling answered, his voice strained, panic setting in as he drove frantically, I stated, “Meet us at the manor, do not slow down until you are there.”

I hung up before he questioned me, and Oak, having faith in me for once, asked, “What’s the plan?”

“The three strongest people are in this car. We can’t yet eliminate the threat until we are together or risk their lives. If we stop now, there will be no way to protect them.”

Oak nodded, his eyes repeatedly flashing to the mirror to watch behind him. “And when we get there?”

I hadn’t honestly thought that far. I was just winging it, but Oak was correct. We needed a plan. It wasn’t as simple as getting inside our wards because who knew how long the creatures would wait, what destruction they would cause in the meantime. We needed to eliminate them, stop whatever attack, end this until after we had our lives figured out.

“We form a power ranger line.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Oak shook his head.

“We line up and defend,” I clarified lamely. “Look, separate, we aren’t nearly as strong. If we work together, I think we can do it.” I looked behind me, trying not to freak out as the earthworm monster gained some distance. “An earthworm has an equivalent of five pairs of hearts. We need to cut the function on each of them. If we cut their aortic arches, they can’t survive.”

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