Page 79 of Glitter Rose
My breath catches in my throat.
“Three. Two. One.”
Nothing.
“Should have happened by now,” he mutters. “Something’s wrong.”
Suddenly, the ground rocks us from the left, the sound of an explosion hitting us a split second before. Alarms follow with a constant blare.
“Right on time.” Knox grins. “Keep watch while I cut.”
We cross the final stretch of open ground to the fence, and he crouches down, searching for something in the grass.
Was this the plan? “What?—”
“Fence cutters.” He holds them up, before attacking the chain-links, snipping one after another to create an opening. “Looks like Ramirez really does want to help us.”
Shouts and boots pounding on concrete join the siren, all heading away from us.
“Almost there,” Knox grunts, enlarging the hole. “Get ready.”
Freedom is three snips away when a slow clap echoes behind us.
Ice crystallizes in my veins as I slowly turn.
“Bravo.” My brother stands ten feet away. Next to him, a guard holds Miller at gunpoint. “Quite the production. The explosion was a nice touch.”
Knox moves in front of me, fence cutters gripped like a weapon. “Back off, Green.”
“Or what?” Gabriel’s eyes sweep over him to lock with mine. “Hello, little sister. Going somewhere?”
Every nightmare I’ve had for four months solidifiesinto this moment. Gabriel finding us, stopping us, dragging me back to that prison, and the most horrible one, killing Knox.
“How did you—” I start.
“Dr. Miller was kind enough to inform us of your plans.” Gabriel nods toward the trembling researcher. “Though not willingly.”
“I’m sorry.” Miller’s eyes flick between us, a thin trickle of blood running from his split lip. “They caught me at the supply shed. I tried?—”
“Shut up.” The guard jams the gun hard against Miller’s temple.
Two of them, armed. Two of us, with fence cutters and a hidden blade—Wait. Knox’s sidearm is holstered at his hip.
“What now, brother?” I force my voice to remain steady, shifting closer to Knox. “Going to drag me back to my cage?”
“I prefer to think of it as a suite,” he says. “And yes, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. You’re not leaving.”
“Did Dad know what you’d become?” I take another small step to the side, lifting my hand. “Or did you wait until he was cold in the ground before you started cutting people open?”
Gabriel’s perfect composure cracks. “Father would have understood the necessity.”
“And if it kills me?” Paris, you can do it. It’s just a gun. You never used one, but you have to hold it up. Look threatening.
“If anyone can survive this, it’s you. And if not…” He shrugs. “Then at least your sacrifice will mean something. Father saved you once. Now you can save everyone else. What kind of brother would I be if I let sentiment override that responsibility?”
“Yeah, real brotherly love.” I snatch the gun free. “You just want to save yourself.”
“Paris—” Knox warns, but I’ve already stepped forward, arms extended like I’ve seen in movies.
