Betrayed ✔️

Chapter 21: "Try harder!"

JAY

THAT DAMNED ANALYST hasn't come back yet.

It's getting dark. Did she get caught?

I wouldn't be surprised if she did.

Did she manage to find Ezra at least?

I scowled and kicked a stone, watching it skitter across the road and hit the black car I hijacked. If Ezra is still alive, I'm gonna be first in line to kill him.

A loud shout grabbed my attention and I watched in horror as a swarm of children and young adults flooded through the doors. Some were limping, some were being carried, but all of them had a spark of rage blazing in their eyes.

"What the–" I mumbled, stepping back in shock as I watched Wilson command these children like they were her personal ,ini army.

A flood of men and women followed the children, brandishing various weapons. I scowled and picked up one of the bottles of alcohol Wilson asked me to get. As part of our training, we had to learn to quickly fashion weapons from as few materials as possible.

I set the Molotov cocktail alight and- channelling the power from all the years I played cricket- hurled it over the fence, directly into the path of an attacker lunging for Wilson. Unfortunately, it also set the dead autumn leaves alight and caused a blaze to sweep over the land.

"Carter!" Wilson screamed, clutching a young dark haired girl to her chest, shielding her from the harsh warmth of the flames. "Quit throwing bombs, and open the fence you idiot!"

"With what?" I screamed, already bending down to try to force open the gap by pulling at the corroding metal. I winced as the rust dug into my fingers, and tried not to think about the numerous injections I would need if I got cut on this.

"I don't know, just open it!"

"I am trying!"

"Try harder!"

She was getting closer and, by the fury in her eyes, I was more scared of Wilson than I was of the axe wielding murderers behind her.

I studied the barbed wire, scanning it for even the tiniest weakness. Dullness crept over its edges and it felt rough to the touch. My fingers brushed over the piece of cloth torn from Wilson's shirt. I took out the penknife from my pocket and flicked the switch, a serrated blade popped up. I hacked away at the wire, glancing up every so often to see Wilson and the others gaining distance.

Finally, the hole was big enough for the kids to squeeze through. I held it open, helping the smallest kid through first. My heart clenched painfully at the scars that littered her body as she collapsed into another older girl who held her tight.

Wilson would have scars like this too.

Now why did that thought make me want to burn this place to ash?

The guards- no, monsters- were too close. By the hungry gleam in their eyes, I knew they would spare no mercy in their punishment.

I locked eyes with Wilson. A single thought flowed between us.

We cannot let them take these kids.

As if the universe had heard our thoughts, engines revved and sirens wailed in the distance. The monsters lurched to a stop, stumbling back a few steps. Their fear of getting caught was greater than their need to catch their prey. Like startled mice, they scattered and sprinted towards the prison where I was sure they would warn their boss.

My eyes widened and I tugged the next child through with more force than needed and whispered a frantic apology. If that was the Agency, then we would have to hurry. The kill order was still in place over us.