Page 31 of Hollow State

He inched toward the far SxS and the thick brush, keeping his back to the group. The air was cool and tasted like wet vegetation. It was as if he were stuck in a jungle, and he couldn't breathe.

"I brought weapons," Coulter said. "Let's get you armed, and we can discuss a plan of action."

Darwin threaded his fingers through his hair and paced between two large bushes. Every time he stopped moving, he saw Prewit on the pavement. His shirt soaked with blood. Elis bent over him. Kane's hands on his knees while he sucked in oxygen.

He shook his head and stared at the ground. Mud clung to the bottom of his shoes. His damp clothes pulled across his shoulders. Soot covered his sleeves, and Prewit’s blood had dried into the lines of his hands.

He curled his fingers into his palms.

“You all need to hear this," Quinn said.

Darwin stopped and turned.

Quinn had the tablet in his hand, and everyone had inched closer, except Scout. She still held her post in the rear but had turned her body about a hundred and eighty degrees.

“My office, specifically the Chief Superintendent out of Surrey, has made an official statement about the incident at the institute.” Quinn tapped his finger on the device. "I'm watching the video now."

“That was fast,” Coulter said. "I'm a little surprised RCMP got involved so quickly."

"I'm not." Zadie rose and brushed dirt from her knees. She glanced at Quinn. "I'm only surprised they released so much information."

"I've only met Chief Superintendent Hank Burn when he's given out commendations, and I've never had a conversation with him that lasted more than a handshake. He's been our Officer in Charge for the last ten years. He's got a decent reputation. Hard but fair. I'm guessing either he had pressure from someone higher up, or something happened that I haven't heard about, yet."

"He's following a narrative that's already in play." Zadie pointed her finger toward the tablet. "I'm sure there's some pressure there."

“Can someone just tell me what was said or show me the video?" The numbness in Darwin's system began to lift like steam from a river. He'd worked hard for the last few months to keep the deep-seated rage he held toward Finch from bubbling up and taking over his emotions. It did him no good to let that kind of anger control his actions.

Quinn lifted the tablet, keeping his focus on the screen. “Authorities are searching for Dr. Darwin Oswald in connection with the explosion at Elysium Neuro & Spinal Institute and the suspicious death of its medical director, Dr. Prewit Howell.”

The words settled in Darwin's mind like sparks of fire landing on skin. Hot and painful. But they quickly faded into nothing. This was knowledge his brain and heart already had—knowledge he was still trying to process.

"I can't believe they phrased it like that," Wynn said. "That seems a little over the top."

"Agreed," Neve said.

"It's a fine line when law enforcement addresses something like this," Quinn said. "But Burn goes on, and I quote, 'Oswald is already wanted for corporate espionage and is responsible for the death of a security guard at Hyperion, his previous employer, as well as injuries to others. Oswald is also suspected of kidnapping an unnamed patient.' And that puts things into a different context." Quinn handed the tablet back to Zadie. "Besides the new charges and manhunt, Burn mentioned Darwin had help, and an eyewitness described Wynn in some detail."

“That means that Finch has a physical description of one of our teammates,” Neve said.

“And soon, he might have a police sketch of her,” Zadie added. "If he puts together who we are, that changes everything."

"I'll have access to whatever my department, or any other law enforcement agency has, so I'll be able to get that to you," Quinn said. "We might be able to get ahead of it. Or maybe Zadie and Gideon can work some of their magic."

Scout shuffled between two of the SxSs. “Did they say anything about what caused the explosion?”

“I haven't read the internal reports," Quinn said. “And this isn't my case, but I did speak with one person who told me that Darwin was seen entering the emergency wing carrying something maybe ten minutes before the explosion. And witnesses reported that he, a woman, and a patient ran toward the employee parking lot."

Darwin turned and kicked a tree stump. His toes buckled. He hopped, grabbing his foot as the pain registered through the rest of his body. “Finch knew I was there.” Darwin wiggled his toes before setting his foot on the ground. “We played right into whatever plans he has for me. Maybe that bomb was meant to kill me. Who knows. But I'm so tired of this war. I didn't ask for it.”

“None of us did,” Wynn said.

Darwin stared at her. Water had dried along the ends of her hair, leaving several strands stuck to her cheek. Dirt marked one side of her scrub top and a bruise had darkened near her elbow.

All because of him.

Everything that had happened started with the red tape he hadn't wanted to wade through. The moment Finch offered him a faster way to make the compounds and get them into the field, he’d jumped at it without ever thinking—or believing—that Finch would possibly use them for anything other than their intended purpose.

Finch wanted him to pay for his betrayal. Not the team. Finch didn't even know they were alive. At least, he hadn’t until Wynn put herself at risk today. The only person who walked out of Hyperion and into the fire besides Darwin had been Gideon. But Gideon wasn't a wanted man. Darwin was, and he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he turned himself in to the authorities.