Page 79 of Captured By the Scaled Outlaw
Within the pale glow that surrounds the mounds of sand, a shimmer.
I break out into a full sprint toward Kinsley, the sand weighing down each step. I can barely catch my breath, the murmurs of those around me intensifying.
“May?” Lowell breathes, perplexed.
Upon hearing my name leave his lips, Kinsley snaps his focus to me with a glare so sharp it cuts through the air and into my beating chest. Rage seethes out of him like I’ve never seen before.
“What thefuckare you doing?” Kinsley shouts, lurching to grab my arm. His spindly fingers clamp on my wrists as he shoves me awayfrom Lowell, his jaw so tight, his teeth nearly shatter.
I try with all my strength, but I can’t shake him off. My feet dig into the sand as he pushes me away past the last row of barricades, piles of grains gathering at the heels of my boots. I can barely hear anything, my ears absorbing every sound without being able to interpret it.
As a last resort, I crane my head back and shout, “SNIPER! GET DOWN!”
With a flash, abangrings out through the crowd.
I break one arm free from Kinsley’s grip, thrusting myself forward to look at the target of the bullet.
My mouth hangs open as Lowell falls to his back, gasping for air. A pool of red seeps out into the sand, clumps forming as it spreads.
“What the fuck?” Lowell shouts through stuttered breaths.
Bullets begin to fire from all directions. Members on both sides yell commands to one another, feet stomping the ground as others fall from the gunfire.
Arms wrap around my chest and waist, heaving me back towards the Nilsan side.
Kinsley yells something at me, but I don’t hear it. My eyes are locked onto Lowell’s, those fiery pools of honey filled with fear.
Chapter 27
Chaos ensues. Bullets clip just above my head and a flurry of dust kicks up from the ground with each scientist that trots down the aisle.
“Get us out of here!” Kinsley shouts, sweat spilling down his forehead.
Scientists crowd us with ballistic shields, enveloping us in their shadow. I’m pressed into Kinsley’s chest as we are slowly shuffled backward; he’s shaking against me, bursting with adrenaline.
“Kinsley… what is going on?” I wheeze, reeling. The imagery of Lowell slowly falling flat hangs in my memory with each beat of my frantic heart. He looked alive before Kinsley dragged me away, but the dull pain in my chest begs me to break free to try to catch a glance at him.
I need to see him. I need to know if he’s okay.
The sound of bullets ricocheting off riot shields grows louder as we inch backward toward the horde of vehicles, cutting through my thoughts.
“Finally killing that damned monster, is what’s going on,” Kinsley replies with a breathy laugh. “We’re going to return to Nilsan asheroes.Doing what those egotistical fucks in the military couldn’t.”
My eyes go wide, nearly falling out of their sockets. “‘We’?”
We’re jostled until my back is pressed into the familiar heat of metal, a door handle embedding itself into my hip.
“Yes,we. You were loyal and allowed one of my allies to escape. They alerted me to your whereabouts — all under that monster’s nose. I could have done without your screeching about my sniper, but I suppose I should have let you know they were onourside,” he snickers, sliding past me to open the vehicle door and crawl inside. “I thought you were going to betray me once you found out, given your propensity for ‘the law,’ but I guess you really want that promotion.”
I don’t follow him inside.
“Found outwhat?” I ask, expressionless.
The poison? But I just found out about that. He can’t possibly know.
Kinsley quirks an eyebrow. “You don’t need to hide it from me anymore, May. I know you found out about my special little cocktail of herbicide and targeted corrosive acid in your research when you petitioned for an extension to the board of ethics. That’s why I had to ensure all your samples came up negative, even if it hurt your reputation. You get it, right?” He says, squinting his eyes at me in a fake smile.
Samples? Which samples? I submitted my findings multiple times and all were negative.
