Page 77 of Martyr
Apollo is now at the back of the pack. He closes the door behind us and moves to catch up.
“All good?” he asks me.
I nod once. He checks in with Reese, but his gaze lingers on Gabriel.
Gabriel has gone very, very still. Yes, his legs still move. He is propelled forward by Reese. But the rest of his body is all locked up.
“You’ve been down here plenty of times,” I say.
“Yes, yes.” He shakes his head hard. “Just old memories, sweet Artemis. You know.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. Iwouldknow if I let myself think on it. But I don’t. Apollo squeezes my forearm.
“Wonder if those files have donor information,” Reese muses.
Gabriel cranes back. “What?”
“There are files on everyone who went through Terror,” Apollo explains. “We have them. We haven’t gone through everything?—”
“So there could be some sort of… blackmail,” Reese finishes.
“No one cares.” I quicken my pace. “No one gives a damn about Terror. It existed under everyone’s noses for years. That’s why…”
“I tried to blow it up,” Gabriel says. “I was stopped.”
“Because the nightclub above it was full of innocent people,” Reese says.
Right. That was just at the beginning, wasn’t it? When Gabriel fought at Olympus and promised ruin, when Kade asked for the day with me to get my help with locating Reese…
“You weren’t trying to destroy Terror. You were sending me a message.” I push my shoulders back. This hallway has gone on forever, but we’re nearly at the end. Then we’ll truly be back in Terror.
One of the guys’ flashlights sweeps back and shines in our faces.
“Enough,” Kade says. “You won’t solve anything right now. Focus.”
He faces forward again, and I stick out my tongue at his back. He’s right—I just don’t like being told what to do. We’re all dressed in pseudo-military gear that Jace pulled out of a locked cabinet in the basement. The Kevlar vest is strapped tight to my torso. My hair is in two braids. The comms are wired, threaded down the back of my shirt and into a tiny pack on the utility belt Wolfe tossed at me.
I wasn’t ready for the pants Kora presented me with. Black canvas, with way more pockets than I was expecting. They’re alittle long, the hem rolled so I don’t trip, and the hips are tight. Otherwise, they fit pretty well.
I also wasn’t ready for the blisteringly hot look Kade gave me when I emerged in it, a tight long-sleeve black shirt, and the vest. I felt that look down to my toes. If we weren’t in a room full of people, I had the impression that he would’ve been tempted to do something.
Like haul me in and kiss me senseless?
Focus, idiot.
I have a handgun in a holster at my hip. A knife with a wicked blade on my left side. Extra magazines tucked in every available pocket—and there are a lot of pockets.
The true beauty is the semi-automatic rifle that Wolfe handed to me. That weapon is currently in my hands, the flashlight attached to the top of it. Jace and Apollo have them, too, which left smaller firearms for Saint and Reese.
While Kade is free, he wasn’t given a weapon.
Fine by me.
We reach the familiar, heavy door, but it’s been left open. Jace goes first, as always, with Saint on his heel. Kade moves with him, his steps fluid. He’s done this before, and the lack of weapon doesn’t seem to cause any hitch in his gait. No hesitation.
Me next, then Gabriel, Reese, and Apollo. We collect together in the hallway, trading glances.
The emergency lights are on. They buzz overhead.
