Copper Veins(51)

“And if we don’t want to?” I countered, just to be a jerk.

“Listen, since your stunts at the Promenade, there’s a reward out for you,” Juliana replied, her eyes darting between me and Max. “All of you. Get out of here, before some bounty hunter spots you and tries to cash in.”

“What is it with you?” I wondered aloud. “Are you evil or what?”

Juliana shrugged. “Depends on who you ask.” With that, she helped Langston to his feet and guided him toward the stage. For a moment I thought Max was going to follow, then he spat and walked off in the direction of the truck. I watched as Juliana practically dragged the much-larger Langston along for another moment—no one stopped to help, which made me wonder if Langston wasn’t as loved as the PR campaigns would have us believe. Or maybe his swollen, bloody face had made him unrecognizable. Then I turned and ran after my siblings. It was past time we left the Mundane world.





21


Leaving the rally was, in a word, interesting.

In more than one word, it was something along the lines of “holy crap, I think I might really die today.”

After Juliana had convinced my brother not to lower himself to Langston Phillips’s standards, Max, Sadie, and I ran toward the parking area, intent on getting out of the ensuing commotion. Aregonda was less than pleased when we caught up to her.

“Why did you do that?” she shrieked at Max. “We planned this disruption for months!”

“Yeah, well, you never shared those plans, did you?” Max retorted. “I was forced to make my own plans.”

Aregonda’s face turned from red to purple. “Regardless of if we shared them or not, you acted out of turn!”

“Out of turn?” Sadie repeated. “Listen, woman—”

Aregonda made a grab for Sadie’s arm. “Do not doubt your betters, child.”

I grabbed the back of Aregonda’s shirt, lifting her up a bit. “Do not doubt the Inheritor, adult,” I said in Aregonda’s ear. I released her shirt, letting her fall to her knees. Max jogged up beside me.

“Thanks,” he murmured. “What’s the plan?”

“We get to the truck before Aregonda and Jerome, get out of here, then you tell us what the hell just went down with you and Langston,” I replied.

“I’m down with sixty-six percent of that,” Max replied. Based on our luck of late, those were damn good odds.

We ran toward the truck, dodging rally attendees and Peacekeepers alike. Somehow it had gone dark and it was almost impossible to see anything at a distance, but that midafternoon darkness made it easier for us to blend in with the freaked-out masses. By the time we reached the parking area it was choked with people running in all directions, screams for both Elemental rights and eradication competing for airspace. Yeah, Max, great plan you had back there. Suddenly, Jerome was in front of us.

“This way,” he shouted, and we followed him toward the edge of the field. He opened the door to a military truck, then hopped behind the wheel while we climbed into the back and he burned rubber out of there. Finally, someone with a driving style I could appreciate.

“We need to get some space between us and them,” Jerome shouted over his shoulder. “If they—”

The world tilted, and we crashed against the roof.

Once the dust settled, I found a soft hand in mine. Sadie’s hand. “You okay?” I croaked.

“Never better,” she replied in her best imitation of Max. “Let’s go.”

I mentally assessed my body—sore shoulder and hip, but nothing seemed broken. “Going. Good.”

We found Max toward the rear of the truck, bleeding, but alive. Once we had him on his feet, the three of us extricated an unconscious Jerome from behind the wheel, then dragged him and ourselves out to the road. As we debated which way we should walk, floodlights flared to life.

“Scatter!” Max yelled.

I turned toward the trees, but flashlights were coming down the slope. Terrified, I tried to sprint across the road, but the floodlights blinded me. I heard Sadie screaming, but a helicopter was suddenly overhead, its propeller making so much noise I couldn’t hear my own thoughts. The wind it generated was so strong I could hardly remain standing.

I ran, my shins aching as my feet struck the pavement, away from the noise and the wind. More Peacekeepers melted out of the trees, and suddenly the helicopter’s searchlight was on me. I swerved toward the woods, but the helicopter bore down, the wind from its propellers knocking me to the road. The last thing I remember was two sets of hands pulling me upright and a syringe piercing my neck.