Page 63 of Freedom Fighters
“I’m wearing steel-toed boots,” Carmen told them. “Try anything and I’llkickyou in the balls. My feet are working just fine.”
“Skinny bitch,” one cursed thickly.
Sheignored him and dug through their pockets, taking her time. She came up empty-handed and forced herself to her feet. “Whoever designed these uniforms is an idiot,” she said. “There’s only two pockets. Where’s the pocket for ammunition? For a silencer? For food?”
She picked up a rifle and kicked the other toward Garrett, far out of the guards’ reach, then made her way back to Garrett. She hadlittle energy left and her shoulder was on fire. “No key,” she told him. She stayed on her feet. She wasn’t sure she could get up again if she sat down.
He nodded. “You need to go.” He said it calmly.
“Go?”
“Leave. Get away. Give me that rifle over there. I’ll make sure the guards don’t make a sound. You’re free. You can step through the door and sneak out.”
“Andleave you behind?” The outrageousnessof the idea stole her breath. “They’ll kill you when they find I’m gone.”
“They could have killed us already,” Garrett said coldly. He shifted on the floor, flexing his extended shoulder, trying to ease it. “They need us for something. They won’t kill me if you go, because they’ll lose whatever leverage they think they have with us.”
Carmen caught her breath as she realized exactly what theleverage was. “I’m not leaving,” she said, trying to speak firmly. Her voice shook. “Not unless I find a way to take you with me.”
Garrett looked up at her. He swallowed. “You have to go. I have to know you’re out of this, that you’re safe.”
She lowered herself to her knees, moving stiffly. Now her head was level with his. “Not without you.”
He rolled his eyes. “Damn it, Escobedo, don’t youget it?” His voice was harsh, even though he kept it low. “I had a hard enough time sitting here watching the guards paw you when they put you in here for the medic to work on. I don’t know what they’re planning for us. I do know that was just the overture. I know it. You know it. I don’t want to live through this. Not again. Not when it’s you.” The harshness has shifted to a hoarse whisper. Hiseyes were glittering in the low light and he looked away. He was breathing hard.
Carmen cupped his face with her hand, feeling the scratch of bristles against her fingers and palm. She turned his chin so he was looking at her again. There was pain in his eyes, mixed up with old hurts.
“I’mthe leverage, Garrett. Not you. You were just a bonus. Taking you takes away the unit’s direction and motivation.I’m the daughter of the former president. I’m the current Loyalist president’s niece. They will parade me out somewhere where Nick can see me and force his hand. If I’m gone, you’re useless to them.”
Garrett’s gaze flickered over her face. “If you’re gone, I don’t care,” he said gruffly.
“Icare. I love you, Garrett.”
His breath caught. He looked at her.Reallylooked at her, instead of tryingto find a way to argue her out of staying.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she added.
“Stubborn…” Garrett muttered.
She dropped her voice even lower and moved her lips to Garrett’s ear. “I’ll play weak,” she murmured. “I’ll watch for an opening. You keep telling me if you watch long enough, there’s always a break.”
“Always,” he said. “You might have to go through hell to get to it.”
She nodded.“Hell, I can manage. It’s these assholes who are going to drive me crazy.” She looked back over her shoulder at the two guards, who were stirring, pushing themselves up on their hands. “I could just shoot them,” she added loudly.
She didn’t shoot the guards, although she seriously considered the idea for a brief moment. She doubted she could shoot straight with only one arm working. Garrett mighthave managed it, only ifheshot the guards, the retribution would be worse.
Instead, they waited for someone to come and rescue the guards, which happened a few minutes later. There was a flurry of concern over what Carmen had done to them. She pretended to be weak and useless, her head on Garrett’s thigh. No one tried to rouse her.
They didn’t cuff her, either.
No one had a cuff key, whichadded to the shambles. The hitched guards hobbled from the room in a dignity-stealing three-legged walk. A guard was placed outside the door and another in the room. This one sat on a folding chair in the far corner, his rifle on his knees, glaring at them as if he dared them to try anything.
They didn’t speak. Garrett stroked her face. Carmen drifted toward sleep.
She woke some time later andblinked in the darkness.
Garrett shook her shoulder. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered in English.
