Page 107 of Rescuing Rebel

We rush through, away from the stench of blood. Dim emergency lighting guides us along crumbling brickwork that predates the rest of Haven’s structures. The fighting seems muted down here.

“Watch your step.” Ethan’s voice echoes through the cramped corridor. We pick our way over stagnant water and foul odors, past dripping pipes and piles of sludge.

Ethan continues through the crumbling maintenance tunnels. I follow close behind, trusting him to guide me to safety.

During a lull in our frantic flight, Ethan touches his earpiece. “Charlie-One to Charlie team. Report.” His brow furrows as his team reports in. I can’t hear what they say but follow the one-sided conversation, watching Ethan’s reactions as his team reports in.

He pauses for a moment, waiting, then speaks again to his team. “Charlie-Five, status report?” Ethan repeats the hail, tone tightening with urgency. His face falls, and dread flickers through me.

“Who’s Charlie-Five?” I hate to ask, but the expression on his face tells me something’s horribly wrong.

“Jeb and Stitch.” His eyes reflect grief that pierces my heart.

“Are they okay?” I reach for his hand, wishing I could ease this fresh pain, but Haven burns and collapses around us.

“We have to keep moving.” Eyes hardening, Ethan gives my hand one brief squeeze. His tone brokers no argument, so I don’t ask again.

Rounding a tight corner, the passage ends abruptly in a wall of collapsed rubble. Ethan swears. “Cave-in. We have to double back.”

Turning in the narrow space proves difficult. A deafening groan shudders through the confined tunnel as I try to squeeze past Ethan. We freeze as dust rains down on us and cracks spiderweb across the ceiling. A support beam crashes a few feet away, punching through weakened brick beside us, creating an opening outside Haven.

“Go!” Ethan shoves me through the jagged gap. No time for stealth now—we scramble over debris, racing the destruction behind the facility.

I crawl up a banked slope, ready to crest the brink, but Ethan grabs me by the waist and yanks me down as bullets pepper the ground where I would have been exposed.

I sag against the slope, exhaustion and relief hitting me at once. We finally made it out of that hellhole.

“Charlie-One, over.” Ethan touches his earpiece, eyes scanning our surroundings. He pauses to listen, then speaks again. “We’re out, pinned down by sniper fire. No visual on transport. Request direction to rally point.”

There’s another pause while he cocks his head, listening to whoever’s at the other end of his radio. “Wilco. Any word on Charlie-Five? Has Jeb checked in?” Another long pause. Ethan’s expression darkens. He signs off and catches my gaze. Then he points down the ditch. “Time to move.”

We run hunched over. Mud sucks at my feet with each frantic step, hampering my steps.

“This way,” Ethan urges, splashing through the filthy water. I follow without question, trusting him to lead us back to safety.

Bullets dig into the dirt above us, reminding us we’re not free yet.

But we’re close.

So close.

In the distance, a transport waits under heavy guard. It’s one of those big military transport trucks with an open bed in the back.

Ethan’s grip steadies me. “When I say run, you run with everything you’ve got.” His eyes are hard but determined. “Don’t stop. Don’t look back. Just run.”

I nod, bracing myself.

Ethan’s hand tightens on mine. He says something I can’t hear. From how he tilts his head, I figure he’s waiting for a signal from his team.

Suddenly, he pushes me up the bank and shouts. “Run!”

I sprint forward, expecting bullets to punch into me at any second.

Gunfire rips through the blackness right in front of us. Ethan tackles me down as bullets whiz through the air. I struggle to control my panicked breathing, ears ringing.

Hot shell casings rain onto my neck as he returns fire at the unseen threat. Squeezing my eyes shut, I make myself as small as possible. My heart hammers wildly against the ground. I’m helpless like this, a liability, and unable to do anything to help.

All I can do is trust Ethan will shield me.

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