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The feel of them in my hands is menacing as I crouch behind cars, slowly making my way closer to the front of the building. Finally, I reach the first row of vehicles, settling there to wait for my cue.
Tony is talking to the others, but his voice is still being drowned out. It's like there's a constant buzz.
Placing one grenade on the ground behind the tire of the small SUV I'm crouched behind, I stare at the one I'm preparing to throw. Testing the weight of it in my hands, I repeat Tony's instructions like a mantra.
Pull the pin. Count to two. Throw.
Pull the pin. Count to two. Throw.
Pull the pin. Count to two. Throw the explosive at the backs of real-life human beings. Human beings that are waiting to shoot your family. Micah. Six.
“Lukas!” Tony's voice cuts through my inner monologue. “Lukas, where are you?!”
“I'm here, I'm here. I'm in position.”
“Well, throw the damn thing already. We're ready for you now!”
Pull the pin. Count to two. Throw.
Do it for Micah. Do it for Six. Do it for Bennet, who put himself in danger to save us all.
Everything moves in slow motion as I tug at the pin, fumbling with it before I finally pull hard enough. One. Two.
Standing, I take aim and launch the tiny weapon across the remainder of the parking lot. I'm not sure it even touches the ground before it explodes with a deafening bang. Pieces of people—limbs, blood, and debris fly everywhere.
When the ringing in my ears lessens, I hear shouting and gunshots. Bullets are pinging off the surrounding vehicles. Obviously, they've figured out that I'm here. Their voices are closing in as they get closer.
Grabbing the last grenade, I pull the pin and count, throwing it blindly towards the shouts of the other guards. This time, I'm ready for the blast, ducking and covering my ears.
Cautiously, I stand again. The bullets have ceased.
Luis, Six, and Micah come running out of the building, trying to navigate the gurney over the bodies and debris. Holding my breath out of sheer relief of seeing them alive, I run over to meet them just as we can see and hear the Medevac on the horizon.
“We need to get to the field. Lift the gurney until we can get past the debris!” I yell.
My ears are ringing from the grenade blasts.
The four of us lift the gurney and move as quickly as we can. Once we reach the grass, Micah and I each hold a side and push across the bumpy terrain. I say a silent prayer that all the jostling isn't making Bennet’s condition worse.
“Where's Jackson?!” I yell over Bennet's unconscious body as we run towards the spot where the helicopter lowers to the ground.
“He should be right behind us!” Micah yells back over the sound of the approaching rotors.
Six is struggling against Luis' hold just ahead of us, looking over her shoulder and yelling. I can just barely hear her call Jackson's name, and briefly spare a look behind me to see Jackson charging towards us. He's gaining ground pretty quickly, but then he veers off, running off in a completely different direction.
The gurney hits a rough bump, forcing my attention back to the path in front of me. The helicopter is hovering just a few feet from the ground. We are only about 20 yards away, closing in on safety.
Six screams, turning around to run back in the opposite direction, but Luis stops her, pulling her back with one arm until he can lift her and throw her over his shoulder. I spare a glance back to see Jackson tackle an armed guard.
The moment the helicopter lands, medics jump out and take control of the gurney. Luis forces a struggling Six into the cabin.
I can barely hear Micah yell over the sounds of the helicopter, even though he's standing right next to me. “Help Luis get Six on board!”
He takes off, sprinting towards Jackson.
Micah
Jackson seems to have collapsed on top of the guard, neither of them moving. I close the distance as quickly as I can, pumping my arms and likely beating every track record I've ever set.
