Resistance (The Institute Series Book 2) (24 page)

We lead them to the last cell, the one leading down to the hidden cell block.

“What’s the code?” I ask no one in particular. No one answers. I get my gun again, placing the barrel to the back of Brookfield’s head. “Code?” I ask again.

“1, 2, 3, 4,” Brookfield answers solemnly.

“Wow. That’s secure,” I reply sarcastically. When the door opens, I push Brookfield in between his shoulder blades with my gun, “Move,” I demand and he starts climbing down the stairs.

We reach the bottom and I see Tate stand up in the corner of my eye. He’s weak, steadying himself on the bars to keep balance.

It’s okay, Tate. We’re here.

‘What’s going on, Allira?’
he asks me telepathically, in a very worried tone.
‘It’s really you this time?’

Yes. It’s really me.

“Open his cell,” I demand.

“I’ve got it,” one of the guards says. He walks over and opens Tate’s cell. He helps Tate walk when he realises just how much he’s struggling. Nina rushes over and takes Tate from the guard. I signal to her to take him upstairs.

“Your cell awaits,” I say to Brookfield.

“No. No way. I’m not going in there,” he says backing up, involuntarily jabbing himself with the barrel of my gun again.

“Going to do the press conference?” I ask.

“No,” he replies confidently.

“Then I beg to differ. You
are
going to go in there.”

“Then you’re going to have to shoot me,” Brookfield says.

“Really? That’s interesting. You can dish out this kind of treatment, but will not subject yourself to it? You think you’re better than us because you’re ‘normal’?” Brookfield doesn’t answer but thanks to Tate – who’s still within range – I can hear that it’s exactly what Mr. Brookfield thinks.

I nod to the two guards who move forward and force Brookfield into the cell.

“I’m not worried,” he says as his cell door is locked shut.

“Oh?”

“You’re not going to win. This will fail and I will finish you when I get out.”

I just nod before turning to go back upstairs. I don’t have anything to say to that because if I’m completely honest with myself, what he’s saying is probably true.

The first thing I do when we reach the Crypt floor is attack Tate in a huge hug. He’s taken aback, and because he’s so weak, he nearly stumbles.

‘You’re an idiot. A careless, stupid … brave idiot.’

“I missed you too,” I say hugging him just that little tighter. “Now that that’s out of the way,” I say, turning to look at my fellow conspirators. “What the hell was that?” I’m met with three confused faces. “How in the world did I end up leading that … that … whatever the hell that was?” The plan was for Paxton to take over.

Paxton laughs but I’m not finding it funny at all. In fact, now that I’ve had time to process it all, I’m floored. I even begin to panic. I place my hands on my knees and bend over to catch my breath.
What did I just do?

“I didn’t intervene because you were doing so well,” Paxton says, pulling me up and holding my shoulders in place. “You seriously keep amazing me with everything that you do.” He hugs me and I welcome it, I need something to lean on.

I think my body is just catching up as I begin shaking. Paxton pulls back and I look at him. He puts both his hands on my cheeks and tries to soothe me with hushing sounds.

‘Calm down, baby girl. Calm down,’
I hear him think.

‘Baby girl?’
Tate asks in an overprotective, almost aggressive way.

I pull away from Paxton and turn to Tate.
It’s not like that.

‘Uh huh,’
he thinks unconvincingly.

Seriously. I don’t know where that came from. I—

Suddenly we’re interrupted by Ty, from atop the stairs that lead to the Crypt. “Lockdown secured. ETA fifteen minutes on the arrest.”

Chapter Twenty

Paxton and I take Tate to safety, dropping him off in the hospital wing, which is eerily empty.

“Lockdown,” Paxton explains.

We place Tate in a bed and tell him to rest. I find a food cart out in the hallway and take him two trays of food.

“Eat up. I’ll be back when this is all over.”

Heading back down the hallways, we pass two staffers wearing the red arm bands. We nod in their direction and keep going until we arrive at Paxton’s office. Once we have the weapons and Ebb, we teleport back to the Crypt where Licia and Nina are waiting for us. Ebb still seems really freaked out.

“It’s okay. No one will be able to see you,” I reassure her. She nods, numbly. I lean down, opening one of the bags full of our supplies. I grab out a knife for each of us and hand them out. “Cut their restraints with this, hand them a weapon. Nina’s ability will be cloaking us and the weapons, but we have to move quickly. We don’t know how long she can hold it. I can help, but we don’t know how much by. It’s just best if we get it done, okay?” Now I’m the one starting to panic, even I can hear it in my voice. Not to mention, I’m repeating what we’ve already gone over numerous times.

Ebb leans over to me, “It’s okay. We can do this.” 

How did the tables turn so quickly?

I close my eyes, inhale deeply and tell myself that this is what I was meant to do. I’ve risked everything for this, now is not the time to be chickening out.

We divide up the weapons, putting as many as we can in our pockets and strapped to our bodies so we don’t have to keep going back to the bags that are stashed by the stairs. Nina does her thing and cloaks herself and the other two, I borrow her ability and cloak myself plus the bags of weapons on the floor.

We wait, on the main floor of the Crypt, Licia and Nina on the left side of the stairs, Ebb and me on the right. Paxton is in the wings until it’s his time to make an appearance. They start to file in, Lynch comes down first with Shilah in tow. I stifle my involuntary nervous gasp. He’s the only one who’s being escorted and I wonder where the rest of the arrest team and extra guards are. I look up at the top of the stairs and see that they have spread themselves out on the upper level of the Crypt. That doesn’t exactly work in our favour, they have the advantage of shooting from above. I just have to hope it doesn’t come to that. Some of the people up there are on our side too, I just don’t know which ones. I look for the red arm bands, but can’t see any from down here – perhaps they haven’t put them on yet.

I wait until a few more people come down the stairs before I make my move. They’re separated in two single lines which we were expecting them to do to fit everyone in here. We need to be quick, but it’s more important to be silent. Ebb said she will start from the back of the line and move forward, I start from the front of the line and we will eventually meet in the middle, hopefully not bumping into each other.

I move swiftly and cut the restraints off Shilah. Even though he was expecting it, he is taken off guard a little, stepping forward and turning his head to me – even though he can’t see me. It only takes him a second to realise what’s happening and grasps the gun I put in his hand.

I move down the line, going back to the bag when I need to restock weapons. I haven’t seen Chad yet, he should’ve been one of the first ones to come in if he was taken the same time as Shilah. I cut free and arm ten people, mainly people I have only ever made small talk with. I don’t even remember most of their names. There’s still no sign of my mother or Chad. I see Dad though, on the other side with Licia’s and Nina’s line.

Lynch takes it upon herself to go stand on one of the dinner tables that are cemented to the ground at the end of the room where the mess hall is. I continue my work of un-restraining everyone from the Resistance as she starts talking.

“Okay,” she says, waiting to get everyone’s attention. “This is what’s going to happen while you’re here…” Wow, she’s actually taking the time to explain things? I was awarded no such luxury on my arrest. “You will be housed down here for now. It’s not ideal, we know, we apologise for that. It should only be for a little while. The more cooperative you are, the sooner you get out of here and given more accommodating residences. We will be taking our time to question each and every one of you, so you will need to bear with us until we can talk to each of you separately. We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding.”
Someone is on a recruitment campaign by the sounds of it.
I’m guessing whoever cooperates with them will be asked to join their side.

I take a deep breath. It’s up to me to instigate the beginning of the takeover, but looking up at the guards above us, we’re still outnumbered and disadvantaged with positioning. While I’m thinking it over, guards start descending the stairs, I assume to start escorting the prisoners to their cells. Before they can reach the floor, I need to make my move. This is it. This is our only opportunity and I can’t let it go by.

“Now!” I yell as loud as I can, revealing myself and drawing my weapon – aiming it at Lynch still on top of the table. Everyone follows suit, drawing their weapons and aiming at someone, anyone on the opposite side.
Don’t start shooting, please don’t start shooting.
Lynch looks directly at me and cocks her head in confusion. She jumps down off the table and starts walking towards me.

“Don’t!” I exclaim. “Don’t come any closer.”

Lynch sighs. “What is this about, Allira?”

“This is about you, ordering your agents to stand down.”

“And why would I do that?”

Paxton makes his appearance from behind her. “Because I tell you to.”

Lynch turns to see Paxton approaching. “Last I checked, I don’t take orders from you,” she says.

Considering the amount of weaponry in this room right now, the amount of people, I’m surprised how quiet it is. No one is even moving let alone talking.

“Yes, that’s true – last time you checked,” Paxton says arrogantly.

“Where’s Brookfield?” she asks, her voice shaking.

“How shall I put this … he has been forcefully removed from his position.”

Lynch looks around. She looks at the guards up top and all of the arrestees.

“Doing the math?” I ask. “You know this isn’t going to end well if you don’t do as we ask.”

She deliberates. I can almost see her mind working overtime to come up with some plan of attack. “It’s worth the chance,” she says, drawing her gun.

Then suddenly, everything turns to shit. I hear a loud popping sound from above and I don’t know exactly where it came from, but all-out gunfire erupts. I hit the ground with a hard thud. It’s unclear who fired first, but everyone is in on it now. I start panicking – it wasn’t meant to happen like this. No one was meant to shoot!

My first instinct is to run, but where? People are getting shot, I need to do something! As soon as I realise what needs to be done, I’m army crawling my way along the ground, then I’m up and running. I run through the shower of bullets, the shouts, the collapsing bodies around me. Searching and calling for Nina – even though I doubt she can hear me over the gunfire – my eyes finally find her near the stairs, grabbing the bag of weapons, trying to arm more of us. I run to her, exposed as I am. If I get to her, we can stop this.

I reach her, bend down and touch her shoulder, concentrating on everyone on the main floor. I focus but no one seems to be disappearing. I’m too worked up, it’s not working.

“A little help?” I ask, yelling in her ear. She realises what I’m trying to do and suddenly everyone on the Crypt floor disappears.

The gunfire dies down and is replaced with stunned silence. Or maybe I’m just deaf after having guns going off next to my ears. I stay where I am, holding on to Nina and amplifying her ability to keep everyone hidden. Now that a few moments have past, I can hear painful groans and sobs coming from the floor. Most of the guards up top are still standing but I count three bodies lying up there, one surrounded by so much blood I don’t expect him to get up again. I’m thankful that the mess on the floor beside us is hidden. I’m too scared to see who’s left.

I need to do something. No one is saying anything and the guards up top are looking around in confusion, unsure of what just happened.

“You need to drop your weapons,” I yell. The guards all take a step back in shock, poising their guns to shoot once again. “No! Do as I say or more of you will die. Drew? Are you up there?”

“Right here,” he replies, stepping forward from the back of the group of agents.

“Everyone pass your weapons to Jacobs,” I order. No one moves. “Now!” I yell.

“Do it,” I hear Lynch say from somewhere on the other side of the room. She’s down here with us too, so she’s also being cloaked. They obey her and once the guns have been handed over to Drew and another person wearing a red arm band, I let go of Nina and people on the floor start to reappear.

So many faces are looking at me, but none of them are the ones I’m looking for. A few Resistance members are still pointing their guns at the now unarmed guards up top, so I concentrate on finding my family without the worry of the guards starting a riot in here.

I stand and start to walk through the mess. I see now that Lynch has been shot in the leg. She’s far away from the group, sitting, leaning up against one of the cells on the left. My foot hits something, a body. I don’t want to look down but I do. I find Hayden, laying there, eyes wide open but glassed over, no life left in him. Hayden.
Hayden’s gone.
My heart stops for a beat. I know I didn’t know him well but … he’s my age. He has a younger brother, Brayden. I took him away from his family. The tears start rolling down my cheeks, guilt making me feel the repercussions of my actions.

Strong arms wrap around me, lips kissing the back of my head and neck. I turn into Chad arms and he holds on tight. The relief that washes over me only makes the guilt of what happened to Hayden intensify.

“I’ve got you,” he says. “I’ve got you, you’re okay,” he soothes. I don’t know if he’s reassuring me or himself.

“It’s my fault,” I whisper. “He’s dead because of me.”

“No he’s not. He’s dead because he was fighting for what he believes in. I don’t want you to ever think any of this was your fault. You want to blame someone? Blame Brookfield, blame this government. They killed him. You did nothing but try to save him. You tried to save all of us,” he pulls away, cupping my face with his hand.

His words make me feel better, but I’m still too upset over the loss of Hayden to gain any sort of composure. I suddenly start looking at the other bodies on the ground, my heart not wanting to see any more, but I need to. I fear my eyes will land on my family, but I’m relieved when I hear my mother’s voice cutting through the crowd of stunned guards and Resistance members.

“What do you need us to do, Paxton?” she asks loudly, letting everyone know that he is now in charge. I smile when I turn and see her, unharmed, walking up and standing next to Paxton in a display of unity. Paxton doesn’t seem to be injured either. My father and brother go to join them. Dad is hobbling, I think he has been hit, but he looks right at me and assures me that he is fine with a simple head nod and dismissive wave of his hand.

“There’s going to be a few changes around here,” Paxton announces loud enough for everyone to hear.

While he starts rambling about where to go from here, ordering the Resistance to start containing the guards upstairs, I let out a sigh of relief for my family and look back to Chad. He’s studying me with a concerned expression, like he’s looking for signs that I’m about to crack. And if I’m completely honest with myself, I wouldn’t be surprised if I did lose it.

“I’m okay,” I say through broken tears. “It’s just … it wasn’t meant to happen this way.” I knew it was a possibility. Paxton drilled it into us numerous times, but I guess I just wanted to believe that no one would get hurt. Naïve as that may have been.

“I know,” he says embracing me again.

I look around at the people left standing and those on the ground. The guilt only worsens when I don’t recognise anyone else on the ground, and I find myself happy about that. Not knowing them or their history, their families… it makes it that tiny bit easier, but they were still human, and it doesn’t change the fact that I did this to them.

There are a few who are injured – I see Ebb holding up an injured Hall near the stairs – there are a few on the ground who are going to make it, but the important thing for me is that my family is safe. Chad is safe. And we’re almost at the finish line.

“It’s over,” Chad assures me, pulling me close and breathing me in. “We did it—”

A loud pop blasts in my right ear. I hear another and feel a burning in my right shoulder. The pain comes fast and hard. My arm feels like it’s on fire. Something hot and thick runs down my arm. Chad loses his balance, slumping into me. Another bout of pain rushes my shoulder under his weight. I don’t quite know what’s happening, but I do know I’ve been shot. Which means…

Oh my god, no.
“No, no, no, no, no, no,” I say as I lower Chad to the ground, his head in my lap. More gun-fire erupts but it’s brief and over with within a couple of shots. I fear I’ve been hit again, but I don’t feel any more pain, only the pain of my shoulder and the pinch in my chest as I see the colour drain from Chad’s face. “Stay with me. You can’t leave me. No.” I whisper to him.