Page 200 of Chosen Beta

I hear the sound, and then I see Marianne being thrown backwards like a ragdoll by the bullets as they tear into her limbs. She screams as she crashes down at the back of the couch.

I dart to Brooke, terrified of what I’m going to find.

When I hear her sigh, it’s the sweetest sound ever.

“Brooke, are you okay?” I look at her head, but I can’t see any blood.

“When did my asshole father change gender?” She groans. “My head hurts, but I think I’m okay.”

I look up, ready to thank a security guard.

I find myself looking at Pete with a gun.

“We realized Marianne could be the ninth name when Owen went to pick up food and she was acting weird. Are you okay?” he asks, concern in his gaze.

Ezra and Kellan appear behind him in the doorway.

When Kellan sees Brooke is hurt, he rushes to her side.

“What happened?”

“You’ll never believe it,” Brooke tells him.

“I’m a doctor,” Ezra tells her. “Let’s get you checked out in the medical wing.”

“What about her?” Brooke asks. “Is she dead?”

“No. I just shattered an elbow and a kneecap. Hurts like fuck, but she’ll live.”

“Good,” I murmur. “Because she’s not the one who tried to kill us.”

Pete frowns at me. “She’s not? Do I have to shoot someone else?”

“No. I’m guessing Warren’s back in his body in his cell by now,” I tell him.

“Yeah,” Brooke agrees. “That was definitely him. I’ve seen him reading weird books before. I didn’t think astral projection was real, but I do now.”

“That’s terrifying,” Kellan mutters.

“Yeah. Okay, let’s get Brooke to the medical wing. We can send someone up to get Marianne before she goes into shock or something.”

I leave Brooke with Kellan to go take the knife out of Marianne’s hand.

I put it in the sink, and then I pick my keys and phone off the counter before I slip back into my shoes. It’s been a pretty wild night, but everyone survived.

“What happened to the security guard?” I ask as I usher everyone out of the room.

“He’s passed out,” Pete says. “I don’t know what she used, but we should get him to the medical wing, too.”

“Okay,” I tell him. “We’ll get the doctors on call to organize that. Let’s just make sure Brooke doesn’t have a head injury.”

We head down the hall and down the stairs.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Lana

Friday Afternoon

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