Page 129 of Wicked Nightmare

"Well," I said, clapping my hands with false cheer. "Sounds like we've got a busy day ahead. Best get some rest while we can."

As we walked upstairs to our room, I caught Lakey's eye. The unspoken promise passed between us: No matter what happened, we'd do whatever it took to survive. To win. Fuck the rest.

And if that meant leaving a trail of bodies in our wake? Well, that was just par for the course, and our new friends would have to accept us for what we were.

Murderers. Vigilantes. Reapers of revenge.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Lakey

The air bit into my skin as we crouched behind a rusted dumpster, eyeing the facility. It had taken two hours to get here and another half to figure out how the fuck to get past the gates. This place could have been Area 51 for all the effort they went to in order to hide it. It looked like a hospital almost, big boring walls with floodlights on the roof. Everything was dark except for some dim lighting visible from where we hid. Guess they were so confident that no one would know about this place, they didn't bother with outside security. Amateurs.

Ants crawled up and down my legs as the blood flow slowed. I needed to move, to stretch. Kyle had become head honcho and enjoyed telling me what to do. It was pissing me off and my knives burned on my thighs, wanting to slice his tongue out of his mouth.

"Alright, listen up," Kyle whispered, rummaging around in his camo-designed backpack. I was just waiting for him to bust out an energy drink and punch a hole in a wall. "We've got motion sensors, infrared cameras, and a scheduled patrol once every hour. One wrong move and we're fucked."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but Cam was watching Kyle intently, so I forced myself to pay attention. I didn't like the way we were deferring plans to someone else, but the respect on Cam's face was hard to ignore.

"Take these," Kyle muttered, passing out gleaming pistols. The weight felt good in my hand, and yet I knew I wouldn't use it unless I had no other choice. I wondered if Kyle knew how many people I'd killed with my knives. Probably not, judging by how casually he handed me a weapon capable of much more widespread damage.

As Kyle rattled on about security protocols, I scanned the perimeter. No movement, no signs of life. Almost too easy. My gut twisted. Was Kyle leading us into a trap? I glanced at Cam. His jaw was clenched tight, eyes narrowed. He wasn't suspicious about Kyle's leadership, not yet, but that was unease on his face. Yeah, he felt it too. Almost like Chimera wanted us to find this place. If Janine was here, and if she was as important as they made her out to be, there's no way she'd be left unguarded.

So why was this all so fucking easy?

"Ready?" Kyle asked, pulling out a sleek laptop.

I nodded, cocking my pistol and checking the chamber. "Ready as a chicken for slaughter."

Kyle's fingers flew across the keys. I leaned in close, breathing down his neck. Not because I gave a damn about his hacking, but to watch for tells, any sign he was about to screw us. Nothing happened. He hit some buttons, entered a few commands, and declared it safe to enter the building.

"Once we're in, we'll have three minutes before the system resets," he murmured. "I've got the camera feedback on loop, so no issues there. I just need to grab the code to the inner lab doors and we're set. Just watch for guards that are out of place and anything that looks like a trap."

I flashed a grin. "Got it, darling. Now less yappin', more hackin'."

Kyle finished his work and we moved. One wrong move inside and we'd be swarmed, our bodies riddled with bullets before we could blink. The thought should have terrified me. Instead, it brought me something close to peace. At least death would welcome me with open arms.

"We're in," Kyle breathed. "Remember, three minutes to the control panel. Don't fuck this up."

Sarah came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered before he crushed her mouth with a kiss.

"Don't lag behind. Stay with the group," he warned her before taking point.

As we slipped into the facility, my fingers curled around my pistol. Kyle might think he was calling the shots, but if push came to shove, I'd paint these walls with his brains without a second thought. Nothing personal. Just business.

The facility's atmosphere hit me immediately. Sterile white walls stretched endlessly. The smell of bodily fluids assaulted my nose, but there was something else underneath. Something rotten. The faint hum of machinery set my teeth on edge, reminding me of the lab below St. Mary's Orphanage.

Why the fuck would Janine come here? This looks more like a private medical center than a safe house.

Kyle's hand signals guided us forward, his movements crisp and practiced. I had to admit, the bastard knew what he was doing. My eyes darted between his back and the security cameras lining the corridors, half-expecting alarms at any moment. Sarah walked to the panel on the wall, opening it for Kyle before moving past, motioning for Rose. Kyle got to work and a small beep indicated he'd done what he needed.

Step one: check.

Cam's presence at my side was a steady constant, his towering frame between me and potential danger. I could feel the brutality radiating off him, every muscle coiled, ready to spring at the slightest provocation.

"Two guards ahead," Kyle whispered, pressing himself against the wall. "Wait for my signal."

I bit back a snarky comment. Focused on breathing. In, out. The calm of incoming violence settled over me. As we waited, I wondered what kind of shit went on here. The pristine hallways felt like a facade, hiding horrors beneath the surface. Part of me itched to tear it all down, to expose the rot.

Kyle's hand shot up, signaling us to move. We darted across the intersection, our footsteps loud in the oppressive silence. Had they heard us?