Playing God(92)
The ovrth flailed wildly. Lynn held on. The ovrth's eyes grew wide. Breath came in panicked spurts. Lynn was barely aware of Arron covering them both with the gun. The world narrowed down to the feeling of warm leathery skin under her bare hand and a ragged choking noise. Muscles went slack underneath her. Lynn let go.
The ovrth toppled to the ground, retching and gagging. Arron raised the gun like a club and slammed the butt down on the side of her skull. She jerked abruptly and collapsed onto her side.
Lynn eyed Arron. He panted like an anxious Dedelphi.Resaime teetered to her feet. Lynn crouched down next to the ovrth. As she did, Resaime made it to the door.
“No, Res!” Arron jumped forward and leaned a hand against the door.
Res tugged at the handle. “I've got to find Aunt Senejess.”
“We'll find her, Res.” Lynn didn't look at her. She looked at the ovrth's limp body. Her temple was starting to bruise. “Try to hang on.”
“I've got to find my aunt.”
“Hang on, Res,” said Arron softly. “Just hang on.”
Lynn found the buckles on the ovrth's filter mask. As soon as she had it loosened, she tossed it to Resaime. Res snatched it up with trembling hands and slid the mask over her face. Something small inside Lynn eased. She straightened up, rubbing her palm, which was still wet with saliva and sweat, against her leg.
Keeping himself between Res and the door, Arron eased it open and put his eye to the crack. Lynn stood on tiptoe behind him. The corridor was narrow and made of bare cement just like the cell. She thought she saw two more doors in it. Two guards stood on duty: one about three meters away, one about six meters. Both had guns in their hands.
Arron closed the cell door and turned to face her. “We've got two more guards out there.”
Lynn licked her dry lips. “Can you shoot that thing?” She nodded toward the gun in his hands.
“I can,” said Res. The filter mask muffled her voice, but it rang surprisingly strong. “My mother made sure we knew how. We can get out of here and find Aunt Senejess.”
“Res…” began Lynn. Resaime held out her hand. It was perfectly steady. Arron glanced at Lynn for a moment, then handed Resaime the gun. As he did, Lynn looked at Res's face and saw her dilated pupils and how her skin was stretched tight and shiny across her face and she knew what was happening. Fear, anger, and action had triggered the Burn. By now, Res was probably so full of endorphins and adrenaline she could have run on two broken legs.
Resaime moved to the door. Lynn stood behind her, hand on the latch. Resaime nodded. Lynn eased the door open. Resaime slid into the corridor. One explosion, two, three. Grunts and thuds and the slap of running feet. Arron leapt into the corridor. Lynn gritted her teeth and followed.
The guards’ bodies sprawled on the floor. Resaime bolted between them to the first door. Arron bent to scoop up one of the guns.
“Aunt Senejess!” Resaime hammered on the door with her fist. “Aunt Senejess!”
No! Lynn staggered forward. Arron was closer. He grabbed her arm.
“She's not here, Res,” he whispered furiously.
Res turned to stare at him, uncomprehending. “Not here?”
“No. They wouldn't keep her locked up in the same place as us. It'd be too easy for us to get to her.”
Lynn heard the gulp as Res swallowed. The Burn wouldn't let her think or stand still too long. Her skin bunched and twitched. Without another word, she ran for the exit. Arron shot Lynn a desperate glance and followed.
Lynn gritted her teeth. After a few stumbling steps, she pushed her pace into something approaching a run. For the first time, Lynn felt a rush of gratitude for the Dedelphi's lack of an efficient communications system. She heard no footsteps or voices. The alarm hadn't gone up yet. Her foot skidded in the blood seeping out of the guards. She pin-wheeled her arms and managed to keep her balance. She even managed to follow Arron's example and retrieve one of the guns. Cradling it awkwardly in her left hand, she dodged around the corner.
She almost collided with Arron, pressed flat against the wall. Resaime, on his other side, eyed the short ladderlike stairway that led up to a solid metal door at the end of the hall.
“Probably locked,” whispered Arron. “I'll go check. I can shoot—”
A thunderclap rocked Lynn back. Arron dragged her to the floor. Resaime was already flat on her belly. Another boom sounded, followed fast by a sharp bang. The door flew open and slammed against the wall. A pair of soldiers stood silhouetted against the brighter light of the upper level.
Shot through the door and then opened it. Smart, thought Lynn dazedly. The pain in her head blurred the vision in her remaining eye.