Page 18 of Ravage

"Arthur has finally left the facility."

I look up at Leighton and Jemison, giving them a brief nod of acknowledgment while my chest tightens.

It's time.

I'm not afraid for myself. I know without a doubt that everyone would be happy to see me dead. But death doesn't scare me—it's coming for all of us, it's just a matter of when.

It's these people I'm worried about. I could be leading them to their end. Whether that's a casket, prison, or into the hands of the people downstairs, I don't know. But regardless, it's a lot to have on your shoulders.

I have to give them credit though. If any of them wanted to back out, I wouldn't blame them. But they are willing to go.

Especially Grey and Ashwood.

That's the hold that Avery has on us. We'd all walk through fire and broken glass to save her. What a strange turn of events.

I glance over at Grey, perched down in the corner of my room, watching as he springs to his feet. There's no hesitation at all—he's ready to fight. Nearby, Theo kicks off from the wall, staring at me with silent questions.

"Alright," I start, giving them both a little nod. "Jemison, head back to the others. I need you to be our eyes and ears. Work with Byrone and Jillian, and keep the upstairs guards occupied. Leighton, you'll come with me."

Leighton murmurs his understanding back, reaching for a mask on my bed. I follow suit, motioning for the others to do the same.

We've had these outfits ready for months now. I had just hoped that we never needed to use them. For a while there, it seemed like we were in the clear. Months have passed since any experiments have been conducted. I thought we had scared Arthur and his team off. But it was a bittersweet short-lived victory.

We were so close last time. Just a few more minutes and we could have saved them. The downfall was finding out that they may have survived after all. It was our intrusion that escalated things. The doctors panicked, distracted by our unsuspecting attack. If we were faster, maybe we could have stopped it.

But we didn't.

And now those deaths still weigh heavily on me.

I won't let that happen again. That's why we need to be quicker this time with our approach. We can't give them the opportunity to hide and cover their tracks.

Grey covers his face with the mask, the last of his skin hidden. It's a nice change from the poor quality, gray material we are usually forced to wear—donned in black sweatpants, shirts, and hoodies. I meet Grey's eyes through the red skull mask, barely visible through the darkened sockets. I can see it in his eyes though, the fire and determination. Blood is going to be spilled. He's not my normal playful friend right now—this is the man who slaughtered his own father in cold blood.

Ashwood quickly shoves his own mask over his face, body tense. But it's easy to tell it's not from fear. Truthfully, I don't think anything rattles the guy. He's ruthless, cold—a true companion to Grey's darkness.

I guess that's what makes the three of us unique. People like Avery, they make mistakes. They end up in Lilydale because of their trauma, forced to fight for their lives. But us? Humanity doesn't exist in situations like this. It's revenge and retribution, the fuel to our souls.

They will be expecting us. The question is: what will happen once it's all over?

There's no plan B here. The only plan is A—and that stands for Avery. I don't care what happens afterwards. As long as we get Avery back safe, I'll fight Arthur and my father.

It's not a common reaction for them either. Arthur has been uncharacteristically quiet about it. Usually, he puts on a big song and dance about a disappearance. We knew immediately when others had been taken. But with Avery, he's said nothing.

Without a doubt, it's because he knows we're going after her. He tried so fucking hard to keep her from us, but there's nothing we won't do to stop him now. If he thought we were strong before, he better realize there's a category five hurricane coming.

I can only assume his silence is uncertainty. If he tells people she's dead—it will lead to too many questions if she comes back. Their public cover would be blown. The moment he makes an announcement, the facility is ready with the PR team. He's trying to keep this under wraps. But why? Why target Avery at all then?

Simple. He's trying to piss me off.

He knows that she means something to my society. It's a high-risk, high-reward situation—one which has been fueled by his ego. It was a stupid move, but he's desperate to exude power.

I'll make him regret that decision.

I lead them out of the room, down the corridor. It's eerily quiet and no one speaks a word. When we enter the main hallway near the library, Jemison disappears to find the others.

The remaining four of us head toward the stairwell, the key card poised between my fingers. I shoot a quick glance back at Grey, checking for his card as well. It's there, and when he notices me checking, he holds it up.

"They will probably know we are on the move," I say to the others, glancing through my mask to the little flashing red light in the corner. "It appears the cameras are still online. Move quickly."

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