He howled in fury. She started crying—loudly, but not altogether realistically.
The girls from the bar rushed toward them, distracting the guard further, and I hurriedly punched in the nine-digit code Shanel had told me. The door opened and I slinked inside.
Clink.
I glanced backward and realized I’d been automatically sealed inside.
I’d done it then! I’d really done it. Breathe, Robins, breathe.
Trying to control my trembling, I took stock of my surroundings. I saw an empty, narrow hallway, several rooms branching from the sides. A towered ceiling with bright bulbs hanging in a line. A tiled floor. There was no sign of Erik.
Where was he?
And where was Shanel? According to the plan, she should have entered a few seconds after me. Had something happened to her? Should I go back? Wait just a few minutes more.
I nervously glanced around, this time looking for a place to hide.
Suddenly four hulking Ell Rollises emerged from the rooms, each holding a Lancer, I realized with nearly debilitating fear. Lancers were guns that emitted tiny, serrated stars that cut through skin and bone like butter. Another fact I’d gotten from my dad and his court cases.
Shanel must have given me the wrong code. And if they’d been ordered to hurt anyone who entered this area without authorization, I’d be hurt. There’d be no talking them out it.
This is what I got for being brave.
What should I do? What the hell should I do? I couldn’t fight them; they’d destroy me in seconds.
“Innocent,” I choked out. “I’m innocent.”
Their beady eyes were narrowed on me. One of them even pointed his Lancer at my chest. Blood rushed from my head, leaving only panic and fear. Run, Robins, run! But there was nowhere for me to go.
One of them fired. A multitude of glinting, silver stars flew toward me, closer…closer. They seemed to be caught in slow motion, allowing me to witness every inch they gained.
With a scream, I dove to the ground.
As I fell, one of the stars made contact, sending a stream of fire through my upper arm. Another scream ripped from me as I landed in a boneless heap. Pain. Sharp, agonizing pain branched from my arm to the rest of my body.
The Outers reached me moments later, encircling me. I turned my focus to my arm, trying not to cry when I saw the blood, the ripped fabric of my top, and the gaping wound.
This could very well be the end of my life.
My entire existence didn’t flash before my eyes. Instead, I saw the things I hadn’t done. I hadn’t traveled around the world. I hadn’t gone to college, hadn’t become an artist as I’d always wanted, hadn’t had sex.
And now I’d never have the chance to do any of those things.
Shallow pants echoed in my ears, a hollow drumbeat. My skin felt chilled to the bone, yet sweat beaded over me. A violent shudder raked me. Clink, clink. Oh God. I squeezed my eyes tightly closed, knowing a fresh round of stars had just been loaded into the barrels of the Lancers. Any second now…
I love you, Mom. I love you, Dad. I’m so sorry. I never meant for this to happen.
“Stop,” a cultured voice suddenly called from behind the Outers. “What’s going on?”
Obeying instantly, all of the Ell Rollises froze. “We find her,” one of them said. “Kill, as ordered.”
“Stupid incompetents! You aren’t supposed to kill until I’ve had a chance to question the person. Can you not think for yourselves, even for a moment? Just…move out of the way,” the voice commanded.
A shuffling of feet. A pause.
I didn’t relax. Couldn’t. I’d been given a reprieve, nothing more. You aren’t supposed to kill until I’ve had a chance to question, he’d said. Would he question me, then have them shoot me?
“Well, well, well.” That disembodied voice sounded again, closer this time. “Where’s your redheaded friend?”
I looked up, seeing Half-Mask. I was surprised he remembered me and who I’d been with. “Not here,” I managed to squeeze past my constricted throat.
“Make sure of it,” he ordered someone.
I shifted and pain once again exploded from my wound. More intense than when I’d first been shot. A whimper rose inside me, but I cut it off. If I whimpered, I’d cry and I didn’t have time to cry. I had to get out of here. Had to find and warn Shanel.
Stand up! I tried, I really did. But I was simply too weak.
I watched as one of the Ell Rollises stepped over me and exited the door I’d entered. Erik and Silver approached Half-Mask, and soon all three were hovering over me, staring, taking my measure.
“Don’t hurt my friend,” I said. “Please. She didn’t do anything wrong.”
No one replied.
I focused on Erik, but his familiar face didn’t give me comfort. He was frowning and I could see sparks of anger in his brown eyes. Would he let them hurt Shanel? He might. Really, what did I know about him? The boy I’d always imagined kissing wouldn’t have taunted me with a blank napkin.
“Please,” I found myself saying anyway.
“How did you get past the guard?” Half-Mask asked. His metallic amber eyes seemed to glow, hypnotizing me.
“I walked?” I said, the words more of a question than a statement. Right then, I wasn’t sure of anything. Dizziness hit me and I moaned. With every second that passed, I became colder and yet my arm burned hotter.
I wanted to curl into a ball; I wanted to scream.
I wanted my mom.
“I do not tolerate insolence, little girl.” Reaching up, Half-Mask removed the black material covering the lower part of his face.
When his appearance registered in my mind, I cringed, unable to stop the automatic reaction. His skin was puckered and colored in varying shades of red and black. He didn’t have a mouth, just a gaping hole, as if someone had taken a knife and sliced him open.
“How would you like this face to be the last thing you ever see?” Those manmade lips didn’t move, and it was a wonder his words were so clear, so crisp, much less understandable. “Bad little girls who sneak into places they aren’t wanted earn all kinds of punishment.”
“No,” Erik said. He sounded as pissed as he looked. “No need for that. She’s with me.”
Everyone, including myself, eyed him with shock.
“You told us you told her to leave, that her kind wasn’t welcome,” Silver said, speaking up for the first time.
Erik’s mouth edged into a tight smile; there was no amusement in the expression. “I told her to leave because I didn’t want you to know I was seeing her.”