Heart's Prisoner (Dark World Mates Book 1) Page 17

  Lana pressed a hand to her mouth so as not to make a sound.

  Nicole. Oh, god had she been in there when the raptors came? Lana hadn't even had a moment to think about her friend in all the chaos until now. Silently, she slipped back over to one corner with few people and took out her phone. She selected Nicole's number and held the phone to her ear, praying that Nicole hadn't been in the medical bay at the time. That she had been off work and in her room.

  A low ring sounded for several moments, far longer than usual. Lana was about to hang up when she heard a sharp click on the other end.

  "L-Lana," came a soft, hushed voice laced with panic.

  Lana clutched her phone tightly and turned her head toward the wall. "Nicole?" she said in a low voice. "Nicole, where are you?"

  There was a low moan, then the rough grating of metal. "I-I'm in one of the operating rooms on six."

  Lana closed her eyes. "Okay. Are you secure in one of the rooms?"

  "The door is shut now...I don't think they can get in but..." There was another low moan.

  Lana opened her eyes. "Are you hurt?"

  "I-I think so. I was running and was able to get inside before one of those things got in but..."

  "Can you move?"

  "I don't know." There was a sound of shifting and a grunt then Nicole's breathless voice. "I don't think I can. I think my leg is broken. One of the machines fell and pinned me."

  "Okay...okay. Nicole, we will come to get you, don't worry. I'm in one of the saferooms and will tell the officers to send help."

  "I-I can hear them," Nicole whimpered. "They are outside the door. Lana, oh, god, I'm sorry, this is my fault," she cried.

  "It's not. How could it be?" Lana said.

  "I knew. I knew something wasn't right with him. I should have stopped him."

  Lana frowned, biting her lip. "With your uncle?"

  "Yes. The base is compromised."

  "I know, with the specimens. I'm trying to convince them of that but they won't listen."

  "Not with just the specimens." Nicole's voice shook. "I should have told you but he forced my silence. There's something else. Something–"

  There was a loud bang on the other end and a shrill shriek.

  "Nicole? Nicole!"

  A sharp click and the line went dead. Lana cursed. She tried to call back but there was no response.

  "Dammit!"

  "Hey keep it down," someone grumbled nearby.

  Lana jammed her phone back into her pocket and made for the group of officers.

  "We need to get help to level six. They are in trouble," she said as she entered their circle.

  The tall, dark, officer looked over at her, exasperated. "How did you know...nevermind. Maam, you need to let us do our job."

  "And that is what? To wait here for orders?"

  "There is a team outside who is handling the situation," he said.

  Lana could guess which team. But Galger and his men weren't looking to help people. They were out to hunt down every non-human target they could find.

  "There has to be someone else. Another team that can help six. Can't you call someone and–"

  The officer swerved on her, getting up in her face. "Get back to the wall now, or I will have you escorted there."

  At the corner of her eye, Lana saw the guards stepping closer, ready to manhandle her back to her spot. Lana clenched her jaw and stared the officer down before turning away.

  Damn them. But what could she do?

  She slunk back over to the corner and attempted to call Jacob. It was no surprise when he didn't pick up. Lana slid to the ground and crunched into a ball, placing her head between her knees. Nicole was running out of time. She was either about to be raptor food or already was.

  Lana sat for a long moment desperately trying to think of a plan when a loud knocking started at the saferoom door.

  Chapter Twenty

  The guards immediately had their guns drawn and pointed at the door. The officers held their hands up, ordering them to wait. The knocking came again with a loud, heavy thud, waking most of the people near the door.

  Lana's head shot up as she stared wide-eyed at the entrance. She rose and peeled from the wall to move closer to the entrance.

  "Who's there?" called one officer.

  There was silence and the officers looked at each other and the guards moved to each side of the door.

  "Identify yourself!"

  A pause and then, "This is General Vearez. I order you to open this door."

  The men went still as did Lana. What was the general doing on level ten of all places? This couldn't be right. Lana hadn't been too sure but she could have sworn he was supposed to leave the base.

  The officers looked to one another again in shock and likely wondering the same but they didn't hesitate for long. One officer started for the door latch while the others stepped back. "Right away, sir," the tall officer called, waving the guards away from the door.

  Just as they were about to unlock the door, the overpowering scent of coffee hit Lana like a smack in the face. Her heart leaped in her throat and a shriek escaped her lips.

  "Don't!" she shouted, throwing out her arms. "Don't open the door! It's not him!"

  The officer about to press the button to unlatch the door froze. His eyes leaped to her then peered at the others with uncertainty.

  "What are you doing, open the door!" snapped the tall officer.

  Lana reached them and tried to block the door when two guards restrained her. "Don't do it. It's not him!" she repeated.

  "I've had enough of her. Tie her up and put her by the equipment."

  Lana cried and fought as the guards attempted to put her on the ground. By now the whole room was awake and watching but none moved to defend her.

  "Please you have to believe me! He can mimic other's voices!"

  "She's crazy. Officer Marks open that door for the general now!" ordered the tall one.

  Officer Marks, who was at the door latch, paused for only a second before slamming his palm on the button. There was the sound of grinding and a dull click and the door began to slowly slide open.

  The door stood wide open and, beyond it, there was no one. The large hall lay empty. Lana held her breath as the guards stepped out and looked around.

  "There's no one," said one guard, standing just outside the doorway. He turned to look at them. "Sir, there's no one her–"

  A spiny tail whipped out from above and hit the guard square in the chest causing him to go flying.

  The others shouted and turned up their guns and started blasting.

  The gym filled with the sounds of bullets and screams. People jumped up and began scrambling away, like a huge wave breaking out from the center. The guards who had Lana let her go in order to help the others. They drew their weapons and started firing.

  Lana crawled away then fumbled to her feet. As she straightened, she caught Ben struggling to help Dahlia to her feet while Sarah lay in a ball on the floor as the other lab tech left her behind. Lana flew over to them and took Dahlia's other arm to support her.

  "Take the elevators up to the city sector and get to the docks," Lana yelled over the gunfire.

  "We need to get to the medical bay," Ben shouted.

  "It's compromised." Lana glanced at the door and saw the guards were out of the room, firing down the hall and people were fleeing. "Let's go! Come on, Sarah, get up!"

  As Sarah got up to follow, they rushed for the door and snuck around the corner, heading toward the elevators. To Lana's annoyance, everyone had jammed themselves at the entrance, waiting to get in a car. She looked back behind her and saw the soldiers firing aimlessly into the dark hall and people still rushing away but she saw no glimpse of Xerus though she knew he was there in the fray. Desperate, she searched around until she glimpsed through an open doorway across a warehouse to the cargo elevator.

  "Come with me, come on." Lana tugged Dahlia's arm, imploring the group to follow her.

&nb
sp; "Where are we going?" Ben asked.

  Lana pointed to the cargo elevator. "That should take you straight to the docks."

  Ben didn't fight her as they made their way over. Sarah, though sobbing, followed closely behind. They hurried into the dark warehouse full of tank-sized crates and motionless robots until they reached the hulking elevator at the back. Lana let go of Dahlia for a moment so she could pull the latch and press the button for the elevator. They could hear the elevator moving down as they waited. The shouts of the guards grew closer and when Lana shot her eyes around she saw one of them go flying to land in the hall. When their elevator car came to a stop, the door slid open along with a metal slide and Lana allowed the others to step in before her. Gunfire grew louder but less frequent though the shouts never ceased. Lana could see some of the guards from the warehouse door as they backed away, some fleeing with the others into the main elevators.

  Heart pounding, Lana hit the button to close the elevator door. As it began to slide close, Xerus came into view, taking up the doorframe to the warehouse. He towered over the others even with legs bent. His head was turned to search the crowd of screaming people until he twisted around and saw her. And their eyes locked. She stared, body draining of heat, as he bent his head and his eyes tore into her, full of fire and something else she couldn't guess. He didn't bother to rush for her as the door shut completely but Lana backed away regardless, fear twisting her stomach.

  "Fuck," Ben whispered. They were all shaking. Lana took a few deep breaths then went over to the level pad and pressed two buttons. She then went back over to the others and carefully supported Dahlia once more with her body. The cargo elevator moved way slower than the rest as it was huge and heavy. It trembled underneath their feet and made a low humming sound as it rose upward. It felt like years before the elevator finally began to slow and come to a stop.

  "Why are we stopping here?" Ben asked. "I thought you said six wasn't safe."

  Lana gently grasped Dahlia's arm then gestured for Sarah to take her. They swapped positions, with Sarah holding the woman up. They all looked to Lana as she stepped to the door. "I will meet you at the docks. But I need to help a friend first."

  "You're going in alone?" Ben asked.

  Lana nodded. "I shouldn't be long. Take the elevator up to the top and don't stop."

  The elevator opened to darkness and slow flashing yellow lights. The medical bay warehouse was empty save for a few pieces of equipment. Lana stepped out and peered around but saw no movement. She turned back to them and forced a smile. "It's okay. See you guys."

  They said nothing, only looked at her gravely, as if they didn't expect to see her soon. Lana turned from them and started to walk away.

  "Lana, wait."

  Lana looked back and saw Dahlia straighten. "If you are unfortunate to see Asset T...use fire."

  Lana gave her a single nod. The doors to the elevator began to slide close.

  "And whatever you do, don't get caught."

  The door shut and Lana stood silent and still in the dark. She heard the elevator moving upward, its humming noise slipping away. She turned from there and made for the warehouse exit.

  Beyond the room, Lana saw the flickering of lights down each hall, debris and equipment scattered over the floors forcing her to weave. There was no sound save for the soft beeps of machines in some of the rooms. Lana tried to keep to the wall for balance, letting her hand slide across, trying her best not to make noise as she felt glass crunch against her feet and metal scrape along the floor. She found a pair of medical scissors on the ground. Grasping it firmly in her free hand, she crept down one hall and carefully peered around the corner.

  There was no one in sight, not even security. Lana quickly made her way down another hall and turned once, looking up at the cameras every so often to gauge their angle. When she made it to one end and went to turn another corner, she quickly jumped back, pressing herself against the wall as a blue raptor whisked by at the other end. Heart pounding in her ears, Lana checked the hall again and saw the raptor had disappeared down another way.

  "You can do this, Lana," she whispered to herself and with a deep breath, pushed herself from the wall and scurried down the hallway.

  That's when she saw her first set of dead bodies. Limbs bent the wrong way, slumped against the wall and curled on the floor, blood soaking the ground. The scent of blood made her gag and Lana clamped a hand tightly over her mouth as she stepped carefully over the corpses. Some partially devoured. She dared not investigate but continued on. Hoping she didn't find Nicole in the same awful state next.

  As she came to a larger waiting area, she spied a sign pointing her to surgery. A few Scibots lumbered about aimlessly as she passed and she could see into various rooms through wide windows. She crouched low as she went by one in particular where a few blue raptors were feasting on remains of a medical tech.

  The door to surgery slid open and Lana stepped though, recognizing the space immediately from the video feed. She went over to the door to the operation room and saw it had deep gashes down its metal front but the door remained intact. Relieved, Lana pressed on the door latch and the door shuddered open only to stop midway. Lana squeezed herself through and stepped into the dark room, it's only light a blue glow from a prep room in the back.

  "Nicole," Lana whispered. "Nicole, are you here?"

  There was no response and Lana tried her best to step lightly, her arms outstretched. When her eyes began to adjust to the room around her, she could see the operating table at the center and the medical equipment surrounding it.

  There was the sound of grating metal against the floor and Lana swerved around, scissors raised.

  "L-Lana?" Nicole cried softly.

  Lana dropped the scissors on the ground and rushed to her friend who, by what she could tell in the dim light, was pinned under some kind of large robotic machine. She crouched down beside her and took her hand as Nicole reached for her.

  "Oh, god, you're really here," Nicole breathed.

  "I came to get you," Lana said.

  "You shouldn't be here. Those creatures are still outside. And the base is–"

  "I know. But I wasn't going to leave you here." Lana gently tugged her hand away and bent down so she could examine the machine pinned against Nicole's leg.

  "I'm going to try to lift this," she said. "It might hurt. Be careful not to make too much noise."

  Nicole nodded and seemed to brace herself as Lana grasped the bottom of the machine firmly and, with all her strength, began to pull it upward.

  The machine was extremely heavy and Lana could only move it enough to give Nicole an inch of leeway in order to slide herself out. When she was free, Lana tried her best to set the machine down as carefully as possible, only making a dull thud. She could see Nicole's face twisted with pain. When Lana gazed down at her leg she could see her foot was bent the wrong way.

  "Think it's safe to say it's definitely broken," Lana said.

  Nicole laughed softly then winced in pain.

  "I'll try to carry you to the cargo elevator and we can take it up to–"

  "No," Nicole shook her head. "No, Lana, you don't understand, it's too late now. We can't leave."

  Lana frowned at her in confusion. "Why?"

  Nicole shifted, trying to get up and Lana grabbed her arm and wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her off the floor.

  "I'll explain once you get me to my office," Nicole said breathing heavily, beads of sweat forming on her face.

  "Nicole, you can't be serious."

  "I am."

  "There are others waiting to get to the docks," Lana protested.

  Nicole shook her head weakly. "They will have the ships shut down. By now they know what's happening and they won't allow anyone to go."

  Lana stared at Nicole's face and could see she was completely serious.

  "So then where can people go?" Lana asked.

  Nicole moaned, bending forward and Lana struggled to keep he
r upright as Nicole balanced on one foot. "They can stay in the saferooms but they might not be secure for long. Otherwise...I don't know."

  Lana frowned. She thought of Dahlia and the others and what they would do, but she could do nothing for them now. "Is your office safe?" she asked.

  Nicole nodded. "Yes. I have security measures in place. We should hurry."

  Lana agreed. She could hear in the distance gunfire, likely coming from the level below them. And the shrill calls of the raptors close by. She tightened her hold around Nicole and slowly walked her out of the operation room. Nicole hobbled along at an excruciating pace and Lana thought to carry her but worried she wouldn't have the strength and might hurt Nicole more. So she continued to walk along with her as they slunk down the hall, Nicole pointing her in the right direction.

  By some miracle, they got to her office without a single encounter. Lana brought Nicole over to the keypad so she could open the door. As soon as the door slid open, Lana rushed inside and Nicole quickly let the door close and lock behind them.

  "Over...to...my desk," Nicole gestured. Lana did as she asked and carefully sat Nicole down in her chair. Wiping sweat from her brow, Nicole turned on her computer and logged into the database.

  "We need to find a way to wrap your leg," Lana said, looking down at the mangled ankle with worry. "Do you have any gauze?"

  Nicole pointed at a small medical box on the wall. Lana went over and took out some wrappings. As Nicole accessed files on her computer, Lana went to binding her foot as best she could.

  "Sorry, I didn't do the best job."

  "Don't worry about it, thank you," Nicole said.

  Lana took a seat by the desk. "So the lockdown means no one can leave. I get that. But something tells me there's another reason isn't there?"