Page 76 of Sacrifice
Emil spins, slamming into me, driving us both behind a concrete pillar as bullets spark off metal and stone.
I hear one of the prospects yell, more gunfire, the screech of tires.
My ears ring from the noise, and the smell of gunpowder fills my nose.
Emil's weight pins me to the ground, shielding me completely.
His hands are on me, checking for injuries even as he shields me with his body. "You hit?"
"No, I—" That's when I see the blood. His left arm, jacket torn, red spreading fast. "You're shot!"
"Just a graze." He pulls his gun, peers around the pillar. "Van's moving. They're trying to flank us."
More shots, closer now.
Aren's returning fire from behind a car, but I can’t see Gorm.
My heart pounds so hard I can barely hear over it.
This is really happening. Someone's trying to kill us in a hospital parking garage.
"When I say run, we go for my bike," Emil says. "Don't stop, don't look back."
"Your arm?—"
"Will be fine. Ready?"
The van screeches around a corner, coming at us fast.
Emil shoves me ahead, firing behind us as we sprint for the bike.
Bullets whine past, one so close I feel the heat of it.
Another strikes the car beside us, glass exploding in a shower of crystals.
We reach the bike just as the van skids to a stop.
Emil throws me the keys. "Start it!"
My hands shake as I fumble with the ignition.
The engine roars to life just as more shots ring out.
Where's Gorm? Is Aren okay? Questions I can't stop to answer.
Emil swings on behind me, his good arm around my waist. "Go! Now!"
I've never driven his bike before, but adrenaline takes over.
We rocket forward, tires squealing, as the van tries to follow.
More shots, but we're moving too fast, weaving between parked cars.
The bike is heavier than I expected, more powerful, but it responds to how desperate I am right now.
"Left here!" Emil shouts. "Get to the street!"
We burst out of the garage into traffic, horns blaring as I cut between cars.
