Page 12 of Defender

They weren’t going to make it to him in time.

Ashton tried to pull the netting holding the sensors off of himself, but they just snapped back into place like they were supposed to, designed to keep from hindering any movement.

Too bad they could work that detail out but not halt the overloading of electrical voltage that was going to kill him right here on the floor.Ashton reached for the knife in his boot—almost from a distance, he could hear everyone screaming in his ears, the team, the control room, telling him to hold on—but he knew he was going to lose consciousness before he could cut the netting off himself.Not to mention sticking a metal object into live voltage probably would compound the about-to-die problem.

Damn it, he did not want to die in this simulator.The voltage amped up again and Ashton didn’t even try to stop the deep grunt of pain that fell from his lips.

Then everything fell into complete blackness.Every light blacked out, every sound stopped.

The voltage stopped, too.Had he passed out?No, he could still think.Could still feel the pain echoing through his body even though the sensors had stopped their attack.He rolled over onto his back, too exhausted to even remove them in case they switched back on.

Lillian’s voice came over the comm unit.“Main power outside completely cut.”

Now that an electronic lock wasn’t keeping the shutters closed, Roman and Liam were able to use their strength to open the one over the door.Liam held it open and Roman rolled under, shining his flashlight onto Ashton.He nodded his head toward the other man.

Roman knelt down next to Ashton, knife in hand and began cutting the netting material that held the sensors against their clothing.“Ashton is down, but alive.I’m getting these damned sensors off of him.I suggest everyone else do the same.”

“Roger that,” Derek said.“Steve has a medical team on the way.”

“I’m okay,” Ashton finally managed to get out.“I can move everything, at least, and don’t seem any more brain-damaged than normal.”

“Just sit tight,” Derek continued.“It’s going to take a minute to get to you since we’re in complete blackness out here.”

“Hey,” Lillian huffed.“I didn’t have time to finesse it.I just shot the hell out of the whole power box.I’m probably going to get fired for this.”

“Thanks, Lil,” Ashton said.Her quick thinking—shutting down all the power rather than trying to isolate the problem—had probably saved his life.

“No problem, Fitzy.How else am I going to get homemade muffins if you’re not around?”

It wasn’t long before people swarmed the training warehouse.Temporary lights were set up and a medical team got Ashton onto a gurney and out of the building.They took him back to the main Omega building where he could be thoroughly examined.

He had two noticeable burns—one on the back of his shoulder and one on his waist—and generally felt like he’d been hit by a truck, but he would live.

The entire SWAT team, plus Steve Drackett and the lab coat guy from the control room, was now crowded into the medical holding room with him.

“We’re glad you’re okay, Ashton,” Steve said, leaning back against the wall.

“What the hell happened in there, Steve?”Derek asked.“That was well beyond not having the kinks worked out.”

Steve gestured to the glasses lab coat guy.“This is Dr.Castillo, one of the main contracted developers of the training facility.”

Dr.Castillo cleared his throat.“We’re not exactly sure what happened.And it will be a little difficult to find out since Agent Muir basically decimated the power box.”

Ashton just lay back in his bed as the entire team started defending Lillian’s actions all at once.Loudly.

Steve finally shut them down.“Nobody is blaming Lillian.That was smart thinking and probably saved Ashton’s life.”

Lillian just shrugged from where she leaned against the bed.Ashton held out a fist toward her, which she immediately tapped with her knuckles.

“The truth is,” Dr.Castillo continued.“I don’t know what happened.All I know right now is that it wasn’t just one problem.Yes, the sensors malfunctioned on Agent Fitzgerald’s suit, but multiple other problems occurred.Problems that didn’t happen when we tested the facility before you went in there.”

“We’re going to need answers, Dr.Castillo,” Steve said.“As to whether this turned ugly due to human and/or mechanical error or if there’s something bigger at play.”

Dr.Castillo scrubbed a hand across his face.“Yes.Absolutely.Finding out what transpired here is my team’s number one priority.And not that it’s worth much, but we’re all terribly sorry and completely flabbergasted at the situation, Agent Fitzgerald.Please accept my sincerest apologies.”

Ashton nodded.“Just figure out what happened so it doesn’t happen again.”

Dr.Castillo agreed, said a few more things to Steve, then left.

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