Page 47 of Revenant

It’s imperative we leave before then.

I refuse to allow anything else to happen to Rue.

Not on my watch.

Never again.

Chapter Eighteen

ELLIS

As guards escort us to our new accommodations, I remain glued to Rue’s side, never straying more than a step away. While I might be the slimmest of the group, that often leads to others underestimating me.

The rest of the guys are tucked close, but they maintain their distance in case they need to fight. If anything happens, it’s my job to whisk her away while they cover our retreat. I mentally map our route, memorizing the face of each guard we pass, noting the dozens of cameras covering every angle, and casing the exits at the same time.

From the lack of windows and the heavy hum of the furnace, we must be underground. Chilled air permeates the space, something that seems to radiate from every surface. No matter how advanced, nothing can disguise the smell of dust and musty dirt that lives only beneath the earth.

I am on edge, unable to place my unease. My system is flooded with adrenaline that usually hits right before a fight, but my body feels uncalibrated. I can’t seem to regulate myheartbeat. My chest feels too tight, my head too small, while the lights seem a little too bright.

It’s not claustrophobia, panic attacks, or even a migraine.

Which leaves only one option—I’ve been drugged.

I grit my teeth in annoyance, cursing myself for not realizing before now that they must have put something inside our IVs. I mentally run through the signs, hoping to pinpoint what type of drug they administered.

My muscles tremble and spasm, sweat slicks my hairline, and my mouth is so dry that my tongue feels clumsy and two sizes too big. No amount of swallowing produces any extra saliva. Sharp electrical jolts spark under my skin, the prickling sensation just shy of pain.

None of the symptoms add up.

The only reason I recognize the signs of being drugged is because my parents diagnosed me with ADHD at an early age. They used to slip pills into my food, claiming they wanted to help me focus on my studies. My focus wasn’t the problem—it was me they wanted to change. They wanted me to follow in their footsteps and become a surgeon, like everyone else in my family.

According to them, my dream of becoming a computer programmer was completely unacceptable. It didn’t matter that my skill level bordered on genius or that the top colleges across the country were trying to recruit me at the age of fifteen.

When I refused to take the drugs they prescribed, they discussed sending me to a private school, determined to bend me to their will by shipping me off to somewhere I could be hidden away like an embarrassment.

It was the last straw.

I disappeared the next day. They virtually disowned me, forbidding me from returning unless I came to my senses.

I cut ties that day and never looked back.

It took months for my body to acclimate without the drugs, and I’m pissed that I have to go through the hell of detoxing again.

I observe the others and recognize the same symptoms.

A muscle in my jaw ticks as I struggle to hold back the curses threatening to blister my tongue. If Rue discovers that the doctor didn’t keep his word, I fear how she will react.

She won’t hesitate to throw herself in danger if she thinks it would keep us safe.

No, we must make a plan.

Reacting blindly will only lead to disaster.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I concentrate, it’s a struggle to think when my skull feels like it’s being split open.

The guards lead us up another level of stairs, and we emerge into a hallway that could have come from any cheap motel dated thirty years ago. Hicks brings up the rear, and I’m surprised the assholes don’t hurry him along with a well-placed shove, but they’re careful not to touch us.

Following orders?

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