Page 73 of Unhinged Omega

Humiliation washes over me in a sickening wave.

All that training, all those years spent building up a resistance... and it crumbles in an instant at the sound of his voice. A small, traitorous part of me wonders if he did it to protect me from the chaos unfolding around us.

But I squash that thought as quickly as it forms.

It's nothing short of delusional.

Nikolai doesn't spare me another glance. He's already moving, barking more orders at his men before hauling a grenade launcher from a nearby crate. The weapon looks comically huge, but he hefts it like it's weightless as he takes aim at the monster.

The explosion rocks the ground beneath me, and for a moment, I think he's actually managed to drive the monster back into his prison. But as the dust clears, I see Nikolai has only managed to blow a few of the iron rods off his back. The monster buckles forward, planting both palms in the dirt as he coughs up black blood that trickles through the cracks in his iron mask.

But the monster isn't down for long before he hauls himself back to his feet with an exhausted groan that sounds strangely human. He plants one foot in front of the other—he's wearing iron boots, I notice—and starts heading straight for the tower again.

"Fuck!" Nikolai roars, already reaching for another grenade.

But before he can load it, a new sound cuts through the chaos. A deep, mechanical rumble that I'd recognize anywhere. My head snaps up, searching for the source through the lingering haze of the bark, and a grin spreads across my face as I spot it in the distance.

A tank.

And not just any tank. It's Geo's prized possession, a relic from the old world that he's lovingly restored. He spent hours every day on it while I was staying with him, which gave me ample opportunity to drape across the turret and pester him.

He even named it.

Betty.

I never thought I'd be jealous of a giant hunk of metal, but I never imagined the damn thing would save my life, either.

The massive vehicle lumbers toward us, crushing everything in its path. And there, sticking out of the top hatch like some post-apocalyptic war hero, is Geo himself.

And he looks absolutely livid.

He came?

For me?

Nikolai's jaw drops. "What the fuck?"

I scramble to my feet, the effects of Nikolai's command finally starting to wear off. At least it didn't last half as fucking long as usual.

"Daddy!" I cry out, unable to keep the glee from my voice as I wave my arms at him across the distance. "You came!"

Nikolai gives me a double take, his eyes narrowed in disgust. "The fuck did you call him?"

I ignore him and start running toward the tank, relief washing over me even though I'm still sluggish. A battered old tank is far from a gleaming golden chariot, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers.

Reinforcements have arrived.

Fucking finally.

Chapter

Eighteen

COSIMA

Ipress my forehead against the cool glass, watching the chaos unfold below like some demented circus performance. The Knight is making steady progress climbing out of his pit, and I have to admit, there's something darkly amusing about watching Nikolai's men scramble around like ants trying in vain to contain him.

They're hurling chains at him now, as if that's going to do anything. Even from up here, I can see how ineffective their efforts are. The Knight just keeps climbing, those haunting blue eyes fixed on the tower.

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