Infection Runs Deep

CHAPTER THIRTY: TEST RESULTS

Mar flinched back at my wave of tears, looking to Siles. He was too involved in his conversation to notice. She ran a hand over my gross hair, trying to comfort me. I had missed this, craved the human touch. The comfort. It reminded me of my mom. I just cried harder.

Siles started forward, his face red and teeming with anger. Mar flashed her eyes at him and told him to keep his distance. He didn't listen. I knew that I wasn't getting out of this. I just had to hope that Warner and Leo could. That my sacrifice would mean something.

A car started outside and everyone whipped their heads to the window. Siles screamed at the mercs, sending people after their escapees. Mar released her hold on me, and I rushed to the window.

Warner sat in the front seat of a sleek black Mercedes convertible, a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose. He honked the horn a few times. "Let's go, Elizabeth."

The mercs realized a moment after I did what Warner meant. Jump.

I slid over the glass shards, embedding them in my skin as I hopped over the ledge. It was a two-story drop. I could do this.

"Warner," I pleaded. "I can't." The mercs were right behind me. I didn't have a choice. I closed my eyes and jumped.

I had the sensation of

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until I landed with a hard splatter on the pavement driveway. I screamed in pain, my ankle bent at the wrong angle.

"Fucking hell, Elizabeth." Warner jumped out of the car and rushed to me.

The guards had made it downstairs and were rushing outside. We were screwed. They had guns and we were fish in a barrel.

"Leo, get ready to drive," Warner commanded, picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder.

"I can't drive stick," Leo yelled back.

"Goddamnit," Warner muttered, his breaths labored. Not so gently, he tossed me in the backseat and jumped the driver's side door. With a loud roar, he slammed on the accelerator and released the clutch, sending us flying down the driveway.

Everyone was screaming. My broken ankle was jostled in the aggressive maneuvers. Leo feared for his life. Warner yelled in exhilaration. Siles screamed out orders to fire, fire, fire.

"Get down," I shouted, ducking below the seats.

The convertible was a terrible decision. We were completely vulnerable. Shots rang out, clanging metallically against the body of the car. Near misses shot my heart rate up. I was shaking, terrified.

Warner gained some distance, leaving the house somewhere in his rearview.

"We lost them," he said breathlessly. "That was a hell of an adventure."

"Did you get the files?" I said, gripping my ankle as it throbbed relentlessly.

"Leo, hand 'em to her," Warner said, taking wild turns way too quickly through the suburban neighborhood. Breakneck speeds and no idea where he was going. Sounded like a great combination.

Leo whirled to face Warner. "I thought you had the files." Warner slammed on the brake and threw me into the back of his seat.

Leo rubbed his forehead and pulled out the files. "Goddamn, I was just messing with you."