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“Do it,” I took a step back, keeping the scalpel at my jugular.
Reluctantly, Ursmeve unhooked the device and slid it toward me.
“Now close the door.”
After she obeyed, I bent down and picked up the weapon. Now I had another way to defend myself. I rolled my shoulders back to ease the tension knotting up in my back. I must have gotten turned around up here, but I couldn’t leave. Not when Xaden and so many like me and him were trapped here.
I needed to find the control room. But which way? Xaden and I had talked about how to get out of here the fastest way, not how to make mass pandemonium. He’d said one of the two Angelimirs had escaped by opening the prison cells on his level, but Xaden had been in the lower level. Well, I’d do one better, I’d let every fucking prisoner out of the whole damn place, and I had a few other surprises to ready for the Roulex as well.
22
Riley
The best way to find where the main server room was situated, was to follow the lines of wires. But none of them were visible from where I stood in the hallway.
I had to get somewhere where I could get easier access and stay hidden at the same time. Now I needed to get back to the elevator without getting spotted. Nerves triggered along my spine because I knew if I got caught again there would be no way for me to escape. The Roulex would keep me under constant observation and probably chained 24/7. I inhaled a shaky breath, making my way down the corridor, my gaze darting right and left.
Distant voices sounded louder with every second and my heart pounded in my chest. There was nowhere to hide. I raced back, my throat constricting so hard that tears welled up in my eyes. If I ran into anyone or if the Roulex behind me caught up to me, I was done.
Please, please.I pressed myself against the stone wall. Even though I did have the tractor beam, I didn't want to have to use it and give away my position. I wanted the Roulex to think that I was trying to get to the stairwell and to the shuttle so they would concentrate their efforts on finding me there. But I would do whatever I could to keep my babies and keep Xaden's people safe too.
My hands trembled as I looked at the tracking device to figure out how to turn it on. There was a small black button that slid up and down like some kind of dimmer switch. Good to know. A door creaked open and I held my breath. The voices faded and I inched forward back toward the elevator.
Outside the metal elevator doors, stood angry-looking Roulex guards. I bit my lip ducking back behind the corner trying to figure out how to distract them. There was no way they were going to leave their post without a huge reason. And I, unfortunately, couldn't be in two places at once. I needed them to leave.
Behind me, a guttural yell of outrage and something slamming against the door made me jump. Sounded like Charred was awake now. And if I didn't hurry up, he was going to get out of that room and find me standing here like a moron.
One of the Roulex guards in front of the elevator turned to the other one. "What was that?"
"No idea, why don't you go check it out?"
Yes, yes, yes,I chanted silently in my head. However, I was right out in the open here and when he came to check out the sound, he'd find me. My stomach crashed into my feet and I started to back up. The backs of my heels striking a metal door.
"Who goes there?" asked the Roulex guard.
My breaths turned into shallow pants because there was nowhere for me to go. My hand flew to my throat as I held back a cry of anguish and loss. I'd failed and the Roulex had one.
"Let me out of here!" yelled Charred. "The pregnant human has escaped."
Both of the guards came running and I squeezed myself tighter against the door. My fingers on my throat brushing against the spot where I had nicked myself with the scalpel. But then the tip of my thumb struck the metal necklace. The key! Quickly, I jerked the chain off my neck and thrust the key into the lock. Thankfully, it was one of the ones it did require a Roulex handprint on the access panel to open. I turned the knob and ducked inside.
A gasp sounded behind me and all the hairs on my arms stiffened. I spun around to find three Roulex in white lab coats and a similar layout to the last room I had been in for medical purposes.Fuck!
Xaden
I don't knowhow long I walked using the wall to keep me from falling over. But I hadn't found Riley or any of the guards. The comm I had stolen off the Roulex and placed in my ear to hear the guards' communication now buzzed with excitement. They were chasing a pregnant human, tracking her to the stairwell leading to the roof and the shuttles. Something in my heart twisted because they had to be talking about my Riley. But how did they know she was pregnant or not? If they had scanned her, then they must have captured her, but whoever this was sounded like she was evading them. Couldn’t be Riley. There were more potentially pregnant females around with the constant pressure to mate or be tortured or killed.
Or maybe it was just me and the loss of blood not being able to concentrate as I thought not to blackout. The floor beneath me tilted but I pressed on. I couldn't give up, I couldn't stop, I had to get to Riley and protect her; regardless, if she was pregnant or not. The thought of her hurt or worse sent bile rushing into the back of my throat.
There had to be a way to help her because if most of the guards had been repositioned where she was trying to get to, there was no way that she'd be able to escape. And if she was pregnant, they would not let me see her until after the baby was born for another meeting session so they could get their vile hands on our offspring.
A wave of dizziness hit me, and I paused leaning against the wall closing my eyes as briefly as I dared. I dragged my eyelids open and hauled myself forward.
Finally, I reached the elevator that Riley had taken to the upper level; it was still broken. A Roulex guard stood outside the access panel scratching the back of his head as he tried to untangle the wires and get it working again. Which meant that I could not follow her path directly. I would have to take the stairs instead. The thought of that made me want to scream in frustration. My body hurt all over and the idea of going up half a dozen flights of stairs was like a whole new level of torture. But I would do it, for Riley.
But I also needed to get past the access panel for the stairwell, however I did not have Riley's gift. I unhooked the tranquilizer gun and shot the guard in the leg. When he spun around to find out who had struck him, I charged forward with all of my strength, plowing into him before he got a chance to call out for help. I slammed the heel of my palm into his windpipe, cutting off his ability to scream. I panted for breath as my vision tunneled and watched him slide into unconsciousness. Then I stood up, grabbing his arm, and dragging him to the stairwell's access panel. I heaved up his body and slapped his palm to the silver panel. The stairwell dinged open.
I shoved through the door and started up the steps. My breathing so hard and heavy I thought my heart would burst.
