Page 25 of Silent Comrade
She yelped and reared back.
The mission became bigger than simpleprotection.
Releasing what constraints remained on thevirus, Red roared as he expanded to his full height and then some.Without his conscious control, the virus flowed freely throughevery cell of his body. Bones stiffened and muscles enlarged. Hisbody stretched against his clothing, like a poorly adjustedIncredible Hulk. His extra ability to hear shot off the charts,swirling his sanity into the vortex.
Full synesthesia took over. All sensescompletely merged with his amplified hearing.Oh, fuck.Unable to think, he could only react and hope that he and viralbuddy were on the same page.
The virus. Already, Red sensed his humanityslipping away in exact portion as his strength increased.
Antidote. Now.
No. Britt first.
He’d deal with sanity later.
Her safety was all that mattered.
Faster than he could comprehend, he threwseveral hard punches, whip-hot snaps that shot the bald guy back,launching him off his feet and onto his butt. Blood wet-pennypinged on the tile and glistened, tarry black. The man reachedtoward his hip.
Red’s only coherent thoughts: Protect.Destroy.
Even as Red’s blinding need drove himforward, his sensitive hearing picked up a high-pitched gurgle thatsmelled like a burning poker lancing fire through his ribs. Hewhipped around. The thinner man had his hands around Britt’s neck.Her feet hung a few inches off the ground.
Terror rooted Red’s feet to the ground. Onewrong move and this man could snap her spine.
Britt’s eyes rolled back, even as sheclutched and clawed at the man’s arms, kicking with those Martensfor all she was worth.
Then her grip weakened. Kicks became lightswinging movements. Then her arms dropped to her sides. The manlowered her to the floor, but kept an arm around her upper chest.Britt’s chin lolled forward, teeth meeting. That small, dullclunkregistering as a thick moldy bread taste.
Red’s heart stopped.
The man chuckled and dropped a kiss on hertemple. He let go, but held onto the pendant which jerked her neckuntil the pendant chain snapped. She crumpled to the floor, herhead hitting the tile with a gut-churning thud. She didn’t move.The pendant followed with a tinkle of shattered glass.
The virus restarted his heart. His pulsehammered. “No!” The roar coming from inside of him vibrated everybone in Red’s body, rattling the metal hangers on the racks.
Lunging with a desperate, instinctive grab,he pinned the thin man’s arm behind his back. With a twist of Red’swrist, he crafted a satisfying and crispy dry-kindling snap.Ignoring the man’s howls, Red cranked back his virallyspring-loaded fist. Then let fly.
Blood spurted from the man’s nose and lip ashe flew back five feet and crashed into a square display stand.Deep moans satisfied both Red and the virus.
A spicy snick sounded behind him. Whirling,he spied a switchblade in the bald guy’s hand. Red stood overBritt, one foot planted on either side of her motionless form.Those men would have to kill Red to get to her. Period.
Heat built in his head.
Britt’s light wheezes excoriated him likerough lace against sensitive skin. Time slowed down. The movementsof the blade through air became burnt steel wool raking his ears.Rage burned a habañero path of fire through what remained of hissanity.
Kill.
Wait.
Kill.
Never had he been this close falling overthe cliff of sanity.
Britt wasn’t moving.
Red would go beyond sanity if that’s what ittook to save her.
This was no longer a mission. This wasneed.
