I blink, snapping myself out of the temporary reverie.
“I think it’s okay,” I tell them all, stepping down. The men surround me, waiting for direction. I note more than one hand twitching and know they are all eager to get up there. Our first taste of freedom.
“How far we’ve come, we can’t be more than a few kilometers from the prison, at most,” I tell them all, “I don’t hear anything, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anyone up there. We might be right outside the fucking barracks for all I know.”
I take the time to look from man to man, stopping to look into each of their eyes. I don’t know all of these men well, but I see similar things glimmering in their stares. Violence, desire and vengeance burn brightly, and I know we’ve chosen well.
“You all know what we need to do?” I ask and receive nods in return, and I impart my last parting words of wisdom. “If we die, we die free.”
Grins and nods of agreement echo my own as I step back into Brutus’s palm and push the grate. I strain against the effort; it’s probably been years and years since this was moved. I wonder for a moment how Crow managed but push the thought from my mind. Below me, I feel a few more men go to help support Brutus with my weight. Something inside me threatens to crack as I keep pushing with all my might, sweat beading on my forehead, until finally the smallest creak.
Grinning, I heave one more time and push the grate to the side letting the sunshine down into the dark sewers.
Freedom.
Forty
Ana
“Tell me about outside,” Ax asks as he watches me stir the tiny pot in front of me. I smile before bringing a spoon to my lips to taste it. Hmmm, a bit more salt.
“What do you want to know?” I reply as I grab the precious seasoning and add another pinch. I’ve never been much of a cook but wanted to spoil Ax a bit. Today marks two weeks since Cole’s death and we haven’t had nearly enough time together. I announced it my day “off” and we’ve hidden in our chambers since.
“Anything, everything,” he says vaguely. “Tell me about your favorite time of day.” He’s watching me with an easy expression. It makes my heart swell to see the contentment in him lately. I know he loved leading The Tomb, but a weight has been lifted from him and for the first time, he can be just a man. Not a leader, not the fearsome pain addict, just Axle.
“Well, I’ve always loved the time right before sunrise,” I tell him, grabbing a few bowls and making my way beside him on our small pallet bed.
“That time when it’s closer to morning than night and it looks like the sun and moon are fighting for their place in the sky. Then the first few birds begin to chirp, like they are cheering the sun on.” It occurs to me how much I miss the sounds of birds. For Ax, it’s been so many years I wonder if he even remembers how they sound, or the way a sunrise looks.
“That sounds nice,” he replies. “Thanks for the food, lijep.”
* * *
Creeping through the building I manage to take out three more guards quietly. We go up to the second level and I finally see a window.
It’s my favorite time of day, just before sunrise. My eyes fall on a small clearing of trees in the distance and a further sense of resolve fills me. I want to show Ax the trees, the birds, and the sunrise. All the things he’s missed over the years, I want to share them all.
“Ana,” Sammi whispers with urgency from the other side of the room and I make my way over to another window. I see she’s pointing in the direction of the prison and don’t realize for a second what she is really pointing at.
“Is that…smoke?” I ask, confused. It’s a pillar of smoke but it looks like it’s coming from inside The Tomb walls.
“Something’s happened.”
A greater sense of urgency fills me as we rush through the last of the building and towards the door. Most of the guards spend their nights in the barracks, the building next to this one, and I don’t doubt soon someone else will notice the smoke and the alarm will be raised.
I may be pretty badass, but I can’t take out an entire barracks of guards by myself. I gave Sammi a blade but told her to stay behind me. I don’t want her death on my conscience and the more I get to know her, the more I begrudgingly like the damn woman.
“Hurry,” I say needlessly as we rush toward the back exit. My mind is racing with different possibilities of how we can get back to the prison to help our men, but nothing comes to mind. I really don’t want to leave the area to get help, but we may have to. Maybe I can find where the sewer drain ends up, but it’s a long shot. I have no clue which direction it goes or how far and I highly doubt hanging around here looking will go over well with the guards.
We’re moving at a brisk walk, almost a jog, when we turn a corner and run smack into Dick and three more of his men.
Fuck my luck.
His eyes widen in shock before a slow and sinister smile spreads across his face causing me to take a step back. I keep Sammi behind me, gripping the blades in each hand tightly while my eyes take in the scene.
Door at their back, three men—all better armed than us, though I’m likely as well trained or better.
No guns visible, means we’re going melee.