Page 76 of Red Zone Awakened

Mace snorted.“I’ve got trunks filled with shit stored in my head, and I don’t plan to ever open those suckers up.As far as I’m concerned, denial’s way cheaper and more effective than therapy.”

Keiko gave him a tremulous smile.“I don’t think I can cope with this, Mace.”She whispered her confession.“I thought I could, but I’d never seen a dead person until today.I’ve never been around violence.Never been in danger.I watched my friend being murdered, and then I stood in the blood of another person who died just as violently.That’s something I can’t get out of my head.I don’t know what to do or how to behave.It feels like, any moment, I’m going to break apart completely.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

“You can’t stop it, though, can you?”

“Yes, I can.And I can do that by getting you out of here and taking you to a place where you can heal.”He took a deep breath.“Sitting around and trying to guess what might happen isn’t doing us any favors.I hate to ask, princess, but I need you to go back into the security hub, access the panel, and shut down surveillance.Otherwise, Freedom will still be able to watch us when we try to sneak out of this building.”

Keiko’s eyes widened, and she visibly swallowed.He expected protests.Screams.Arguments.Instead, he saw a flicker of determination and the bravery he’d come to expect from her.“I-I can’t walk in there again.You’ll have to carry me.Or find me some shoes.”Her voice shook.

He looked around the room, which was long and divided into two sections—the first a restroom, the second a changing area.Where there were changing areas, there were usually lockers.He stood and set her on her feet.“Are you okay to stand?”

She nodded.

“Good.Then you splash some water on your face while I see if I can find shoes that’ll fit you.”He gave her a second to make sure she was steady on her feet before going in search of lockers.

Mace found a wall of them at the end of the room.The lockers didn’t look like the metal boxes from his youth—these were cubbies built into the wall.Each with a frosted glass door secured by a palm-print lock.Mace didn’t have time to break the locks, so he used the butt of his rifle to smash the glass.

Third time proved to be the charm when he found a pair of high-tech “smart shoes” inside.They were slightly too large, but the upper part would tighten to fit and keep them on Keiko’s feet.

The bat, which still hadn’t returned to his skin after covering the camera outside the security hub, fluttered above him.

You’d better get back home before she gets mad again,Mace told it.

With a mental sigh, the bat landed on his shoulder blade and sank into his skin.

When he returned to the restroom area, Mace found Keiko leaning against the sink.There were dark circles under her eyes, and her lips trembled.

“Slip your feet into these.”He passed her the ugly black shoes.

“Wonderful, thank you.”She beamed at him as though he’d given her a diamond ring, and he felt himself blush again.This reaction to Keiko was going to get him laughed out of his team.

“You ready?”It was a dumb thing to ask.He needed her out of there whether she was ready or not.

“Yes.”Her hands shook, although she tried to hide it, and it was clear that the thought of walking past the blood and bodies again was freaking her out.

He could help with that.

Without asking, he scooped her up in his arms.

“What are you doing?I have shoes now.I can walk.”She wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Getting you past the bodies.I’ll put you back down at the panel.Close your eyes if you need to.”He toed open the door to the security hub.

“Thank you,” she whispered and settled into him.

“Don’t thank me, Keiko.This is the least I should do.I want so much more for you than the horror you’re experiencing.”

“You’ve got such a gentle heart, Mace.”

What the hell?“Don’t even think that shit.If my team hears you say that, I’ll never live it down.”

“Don’t worry.”She rested her head on his shoulder.“I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re a real badass.”

“Thanks.”Although he’d have been more reassured if he hadn’t heard her smile when she said it.