Tremors ran down Reese’s limbs. “He saw…” He barely had the strength to push the words from his tongue. “He… he…”
“Hey. Don’t. You’re hurting yourself.” Seung pried Reese’s grip off his shoulder.
He hadn’t even realized he’d gouged marks into his skin until she made him let go.
“It’s okay. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Yet knowing they’d watched a madman mutilate him did just that.
And knowinghehad seen what had happened completely shattered what was left of Reese’s pride.
Seung held his hands and made small circles on the backs with her thumbs. She seemed oblivious to the blood, grime, the sweat, the bits of hair stuck under Reese’s nails and between his fingers.
He had no memory of pulling anyone’s hair, but the evidence was right there.
“Dr. Dante, I know you’re scared.”
He shook his head. “Terrified. I’m fucking terrified.”
Seung’s expression fell. “And I’m so sorry you are, but we need to get in that truck and leave before Laura Phillips catches up to us.”
Because she’d kill him.
But getting in that truck meant being trapped in there with—
“I can’t.” Reese jerked from her grip and tried to stand but didn’t have the strength. “I can’t… I can’t…”
“Frost and Johnathan won’t hurt—”
“Do you even understand what they are?” Spit flecked Reese’s lips. “They slaughtered almost a hundred people at the Utah Facility—”
“Those people were under Paul’s command, not Johnathan’s.” Seung opened the back door of the truck. “Please, Dr. Dante, I’ll explain it all when we’re somewhere safe.”
Reese wasn’t sure there was such a place, but he put a foot on the running board.
The wind shifted, carrying the scent of fertile ground and a strange spice similar to Nag Champa incense.
The scent of the dead.
And the Anubis.
He locked a hand on the door frame.
Seung gave him a push. “Dr. Dante, we have to go.”
“No…” Reese shook his head. “No. No. I’m sorry, I can’t… I can’t.”
“Get in the fucking truck, Doc.” The man with white hair and a dark beard looked at him.
Seung curled up her lip. “Frost—”
He nodded at her. “With all due respect, Seung. If we don’t leave now, we might not leave at all.”
Then she could go. They could all go. Reese yanked from her grip.
“Go on, run.” Frost put the truck in gear. “And when Nash Kelli winds up dead, you’ll have only yourself to blame.”
“He’s lying.” Reese took a step back. “He’s… he’s…” He had to be. Reese needed him to be.