Tested (19 page)

Missy had no idea how many people worked there, or how many innocent people they had locked up for their cruel experiments, but what she did know was that anyone who had been in that section was no longer alive. Perhaps the employees had made it out, if the initial explosion hadn’t killed them. The innocent locked away wouldn’t have been rescued though. Their lives would have been expendable, a last priority in an emergency situation like this.

Her eyes flew to the other side of the building where Tyler’s room was and she knew if she didn’t hurry, his fate would be the same as theirs. The sensible part of her brain screamed at her not to even attempt to enter the building, burning as it was. Not only could Tyler die in there, but it was quite possible she would too if she entered and couldn’t get them both out in time. Could she really just stand outside and watch it happen? No. No, she couldn’t. It could mean her own demise, but at least she would go down knowing she’d done all she could to try and save someone who had become so important to her. If there was even a slight possibility that she could get Tyler out from there, she would. Or she’d die trying.

Taking off again, Missy ran toward the building that now appeared completely deserted even from out in the streets. No sign of life seemed to come from the blackened windows. No people ran from the doors, or moved just beyond the glass. The area was eerily quiet, as though even the wind had died around the intense blaze.

Goose bumps rose along her arms the closer she got to the building. Death was here. It saturated the area like a tangible force. It seemed to suck at her, causing her breathing to become increasingly more difficult. Common sense told her it was most likely the smoke that made it harder to breathe deeply, but the more fantastical part of her honestly felt as though it was the presence of death and destruction that caused it. It was the lost souls that would now fill the destroyed halls of a place that had already been condemned before its fiery death.

Fear slithered up her spine, unwanted now when she needed to be brave more than ever. Forcing herself to rise above it, Missy stepped up to the front doors that she’d just left a short time ago and entered the building. Pulling her shirt over the lower part of her face, she made her way through the empty halls toward the man she was willing to risk it all for.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The smoke was growing nearer. It invaded his senses, clogged his nose. The sound of the building breaking beneath the blaze was evident to his ears as he paced the tiny room. This would be the end of him, he realized. The men and women who had worked here were long gone, not one stopping to release those they’d captured and experimented on.

Tyler shuddered at the memory of the screams that had come from rooms already taken by the fire. The sheer horror of it as they screamed for help, their cries dying out as they choked on the smoke alone, soon perishing to their torturous deaths – it would haunt him forever, he thought. Soon the same fate would come for him.

Slamming his fist against the wall, he let out an enraged scream. How had things gotten so out of control? From the moment he’d been picked up and shoved in the back of the white van, things had just continued to go to hell.

His thoughts went to the one person who’d occupied them for weeks now. The clearest image he had after starting the treatments was the moment they’d brought Missy into the room. His entire body had come alive, urging him to claim what was his. It had been purely instinctual, a need he could not explain.

That need to have her still pulsed through his veins. For whatever reason, Missy had pushed past the walls he’d erected and embedded herself in his every thought. Now he would never see her again. That fact would normally have been upsetting had his situation not be as it was. This was the last place he’d want Missy. Knowing she was out and hopefully in a safer place than he gave him some sense of relief amidst his dread.

He let his head hang, his thoughts a blur of past memories and regrets for all the things still left undone in his life. So lost in the whirlwind of his mind that it took him a moment to pick out the sound that was now approaching. Hurried footsteps came down the hall in his direction. Tyler stood, focusing on the sound, wondering if perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him. There couldn’t be anyone left. Unless one of the other patients had figured out a way to open the locked doors and was now escaping.

It didn’t make sense to head in this direction, however. The hallway where his room was didn’t lead to any exits that he knew of. Still, the sound seemed to be heading his way. Tyler couldn’t believe it when those steps stopped just outside his door. He could hear the person’s breathing, laboured from both running and the saturated, smoky air. He waited anxiously as they keyed in the code on the other side before the lock slid open.

His moment of relief was short lived when he saw who it was that had come to his rescue.

“Missy?” he gasped.

She smiled weakly, her face streaked with dirt and tear stains. “Sorry I’m late,” she said, her voice rough from the rancid air.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Her eyes widened at his reaction, but really what did she expect? His heart was racing at the thought that now she was inside a crumbling coffin. He gripped her arm, harder than he would normally have. “You could have been injured, or worse!”

He watched as her jaw set, her eyes taking on a stubborn gleam. “I wasn’t just going to leave you to die in here, locked inside some sort of cage. The entire ghetto is burning, Tyler. The NWO is bombing the whole eastern ghetto. Half of the building is already in ruins. You would have never survived.”

Jesus. She’d come back just to save him. How was he supposed to accept that? Running a hand down his face, he took a step away from her in the hope that he could calm himself. No one had ever,
ever,
put themselves at such a risk for his sake. As much as it elated him, it infuriated him also.

“We need to leave now,” she urged, walking back to the open door. “The fire is spreading quickly. Soon there won’t be a way out if we don’t hurry.”

Tyler nodded, gathering his wits back around him. They didn’t have time for him to dwell on what could have happened to her just by coming back here. She’d risked everything to save him, now it was his job to make sure they got out of there alive. “Right,” he agreed, “let’s move.”

Missy turned to leave when he reached out again to grip her arm, pulling her to him so that her body crashed into his. His other arm wrapped around her waist, gathering her even closer as his mouth descended on hers. She gasped, giving him the opportunity to sweep in and devour her like he’d wanted to from the moment he saw her. Her hands held on to his biceps as she kissed him back just as fervently as he kissed her.

When he pulled back they were both breathing quickly. A dazed look filled her eyes, something that would normally have made him happy, except that they didn’t have time to focus on that just now. It wasn’t the time for this, but he couldn’t help kissing her at least once before they left this room, knowing that at least for now they were both safe and alive – together.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed her hand in his and led the way out into the hall. They needed to find a way out, and from the sounds in the distance, he didn’t think there were too many options left.

They’d been running, what felt like aimlessly, down hallway after hallway. Tyler’s kiss was still tingling on her lips when at one point he stopped and removed his shirt, tearing it in two so they could wrap the fabric around their noses and mouths. Now not only did she have to stare at his bare back and chest, which were works of art all on their own, but she had his scent in her nose, invading every breath she took.

Figures that at a time when her life was literally in immediate peril, her thoughts would only involve her and Tyler, and nothing else. Shaking her head at her own stupidity, she continued to follow as closely as she could, her hand tucked securely in his. There was something extremely comforting in knowing they were linked and together, even with a fire blazing toward them.

The more halls they ran down, however, the more she began to question if he even knew where he was going. They were like mice trapped in a maze and it was starting to make her panic. The entire time she’d raced to his room, she’d been so intent on her goal, her brain hadn’t really focused on just how much danger she was putting herself in. Now that they were together, and she could literally hear the building falling apart, she realized just how epically stupid this was.

Tyler pushed open one of the heavy doors, leading them into a narrow staircase. They hurried down, Missy practically falling down behind him in her haste. Catching her around her waist, his arm was like a steel band, securing her tightly against his side.

“You okay?” he asked, pulling the fabric away from his face.

Missy nodded as she tried to catch her balance. “Sorry,” she apologized.

“Don’t apologize to me, lass. Having you tucked against me is no burden.” He smiled crookedly causing her to smile in return, despite their current circumstances. He sobered quickly. “We need to keep moving.” She nodded, readying to step back, but then Tyler drew her even closer, placing a firm kiss against her temple. He held there for a moment before letting her go, grabbing her hand again as they continued down the stairs. A feeling of warmth bloomed in her chest, her thoughts scrambled as she moved as quickly as she could.

“Where –” she gasped, trying to catch her breath. “Where are we going?”

“Lower,” he replied simply. “If we need to make a quick exit through one of the windows, we’ll be a lot safer doing it from a lower storey. The last thing we need is to break our legs trying to get away.”

Well that made enough sense, she thought. They didn’t speak again until they reached the bottom.

“How was the main entrance?” he asked, breaking their silence as they entered another hall.

“Fine when I came in,” she answered, “but the fire was heading in that direction so I can’t say the same about it now.”

He grunted. “We’ll head to the most southern side of the building then and try our luck there.”

They ran now, their hands still firmly clasped together. Their footsteps echoed around them, making her feel as though they were the only souls left in the world. What was happening outside these walls? Had the entire eastern ghetto been reduced to nothing but mere rubble, the citizens all buried beneath it?

The longer they ran, the more she feared what they were running to. What could possibly be left for them after such an attack? More importantly, had the same thing happened to the western ghetto? She prayed with all she had that her sister was okay. She had to be. Nothing could bring Phoenix down, she reasoned. Her sister was one of the toughest, most resilient people she knew.

When they reached the end of the hall, they both skidded to a stop. There was nowhere else to run. Tyler swore loudly, looking from left to right. They were going to have to backtrack, she knew, something that didn’t seem like such a good idea right then as a loud crash sounded down the halls. They both looked at one another, their thoughts the same. They were in deep, deep trouble.

“Well, lass, I hope you’re not squeamish about jumping out of windows.”

They’d been sitting around the living room when Garrett and Lake barreled through the door. Charlotte hit Pete’s head that lay in her lap to get him off her – much to his annoyance.

“Easy, woman!” he complained, sitting up.

Ignoring him, Charlotte turned to the two new arrivals. “What’s the matter?” she asked, taking in their stark faces.

“Bombs,” Garrett said, his usual bright demeanour clearly troubled.

“What do you mean bombs?” Pete asked his younger brother, standing up only to block her view. She smacked him on the ass to get him to move. He looked down over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. “That can wait till later, don’t you think?”

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Give me break,” she said, fighting back a reluctant smile. “Move so I can see properly.”