Embers & Ice

Chapter Forty-Eight

They were so close, Hunter could almost smell the fresh air and feel the hot sun burning her skin. The exit door was ahead, and Marcus reached it first, slamming against the handle.

“Locked. And there’s no security panel.” He searched the door and slapped it with his palms. “Dammit!”

Mosi passed Imogen to Will – who now had his arms free when Fearne jolted awake as they ran – and pushed through the group. Hunter felt the ground rumble with each of his footsteps. Everyone fell back.

As Mosi threw his fist against the door, Hunter felt the bite of a taser as it fired past her arm. She whirled, her heart leapt into her chest and then a fight began.

The dimness of the hallway splashed with red light made it difficult to see, and the gas masks weren’t much help. Benji zoomed between the guards, knocking them over with his speed. An explosion shook the walls around them. Hunter glanced back and saw that Mosi had caused the entire door to crumble in. But it wasn’t enough; behind the rock-solid cement, a steel emergency door blocked their path. It must have activated when the alarms switched on. They couldn’t get through.

“Watch out!” screamed Chantal.

An electric blue bullet zipped past her head and barely missed Will’s shoulder.

“Marcus!” yelled Ryo. “Duck!”

A guard grabbed her collar. Using moves she’d learnt in her training, Hunter dropped under a right-hook and twisted the guards arm behind him, taking the taser and shooting him in the back. A blow to the head sent Hunter down and she screamed in pain when someone crushed her fingers. The corridor was so packed with children and guards fighting that there was no room to move. In the red haze, everything seemed blurry.

What are we going to do, the way out is blocked!

Chantal let out a cry that made her stomach flip. Hunter rolled away from a falling guard and bumped against the wall. Ryo took a hit to the stomach just beside her, so Hunter grabbed the ankle of her attacker and forced heat into her hands. His ankle caught fire and it burned like a twig up his leg.

They weren’t prepared for such a fight. Even though their powers far outweighed the Men in White, it would be useless if there wasn’t another way out. Hunter forced herself to her feet and threw a fireball at a guard charging towards her. He screamed and ducked out of the way.

“Mosi!” Hunter shouted.

Mosi’s large form was dancing back and forth in swift movements between two Men in White. He thumped one on the head so hard that Hunter was sure his spine had split in two. The other he threw against the wall.

Hunter felt a hand snatch her hair and she fell back against the guard that held her. His grip was so tight, he would surely rip her head off if he pulled for much longer. But after only a second, he seized up and passed out at her feet. Chantal stood behind her with a taser.

“What’s the plan?”

“The only way out is up, otherwise we have to find our way to the sewers,” said Mosi.

“Then we have no choice,” said Hunter.

Benji zipped past her and skidded to a halt, nearly tripping over an unconscious guard. “I’ve been everywhere,” he said. “Mosi’s right: the only way out is through the sewer, but it’s blocked by some sort of coded door.”

“I’ll be able to unlock it if we hurry,” said Marcus. His nose was gushing blood.

“Then we’d better-”