Page 108 of Raze
I duck under Jack’s arm and try to lift him, but it takes him putting weight back on his feet before I can get him standing again. It’s not just his weight, but the weight of all the weapons he carries on him. Speaking of, I slide a hand under his hoodie and snag a knife for myself to hold in my other hand in case we run into any surprises, so I’m not completely unarmed.
Technically, so long as I’m close to Jackson, I have my own armory. I’m just nowhere near as good at using them as I need to be to go up against an entire island.
“Boat…” Jackson manages out roughly after a couple of steps.
I keep us moving and shake my head. “We won’t make it. We’ll barricade ourselves in here long enough for me to get this stupid collar off and let you rest.”
The building we landed on was in the middle of the island. The docks are at least a mile away, and I have no idea which sideof the island we’re on after flying out the window.
The arm I have wrapped around his lower back is covered in blood where it’s touching him, and I panic that he may not make it at all without medical help soon. We can’t hide out for long without risking his life.
And being on a boat in the middle of the ocean? I have no idea what direction to travel to get back to land or how long it would take.
I chew on my bottom lip for any scenario that doesn’t end up with Jackson losing his life.
Then it hits me. Medical supplies. They have to have some sort of medical room or supplies here on this island if anyone were to get hurt. If I can get us there and patch him up a bit, then it’ll give us more time.
I just…have to find it. And not let them find us in the process.
His weight suddenly doubles, and I stumble, catching us both with shaking knees as I struggle to keep us vertical. “Jack! Jack, please, don’t pass out. We’re almost there. Just a few more steps.”
It’s more like twenty, but he forces his eyes open and takes another step forward. I keep pace with him, encouraging him quietly as we go to make sure he doesn’t lose consciousness.
I reach out to the door handle as soon as it’s in reach and breathe a sigh of relief when it turns. Thank fuck it isn’t locked. I help Jack inside, getting him comfortable before his eyes close, and I know he’s out.
Should I leave him here and bring back what I find? What if they find him here while I’m gone, completely alone and defenseless?
I curse and start working on barricading the door. This is the only building nearby from where we dropped, so it’s only a matter of time before they search here. It really wasn’t the best option for us to go to, but it was the only one we had where we could have some sort of defensible position.
I pull the lock-picking tools from my pocket and start feeling around the collar for the keyhole.
I bite back a scream of frustration when I find that it’s at the back of my neck. It’s a super inconvenient location for me to work on, not to mention uncomfortable. I stick the tools in anyway and get to work. It feels like I’m doing everything backward, which means the tools slip and fall out of position more often than not. The fact that I know we’re on a ticking clock doesn’t help my patience or control.
My arms ache painfully as time passes, and I’m nowhere closer to getting the damn thing removed. But I refuse to take a break. I’m our only hope, so I can’t give up or stop trying. There will be time to rest after we get through this.
Electricity buzzes through the collar in an instant, and every muscle in my body seizes. My hands unwillingly grip the collar as the shock thrusts through my entire body. It’s over in seconds, but I drop to the dusty wood floor in a heap, my body still twitching and tingling.
I’ve been shocked before, so I know instantly what this is, but that knowledge does shit-all to help me do anything about it. My body suddenly feels weak and numb, and it’s slow to respond to any direction I’m trying to give it. Not to mention that my neck feels like it’s on fire, and my entire nervous system is screaming in pain.
“Oh good, you do still have it on.”
Panic lodges in my throat, and my body freezes. It’s Gordon’s voice talking from above me. They not only found me, but they’re already inside.
Jack!
I force my arms to move. To push myself off the ground and to look at the man who single-handedly brought me to ruin six years ago. The man of my nightmares. I finally make it to my knees and look up at him. He’s smiling down at me like a master recovering his lost pet.
It brings me back to the girl I was under his control. Like I’m sixteen again and powerless against him. Small. Worthless. Alone.
But I’m not alone now, am I?
I tear my eyes away from Gordon to make sure Jackson is untouched in the corner behind me. He’s still unconscious to the world, which means it’s up to me to get us out of this.
Gordon grabs my jaw and jerks my face to look back at him with a snarl. “Look at me!” His tongue clicks as he looks me over. “You’re even more useless now than when I first had you. Might not even be worth the effort.”
“Then just kill her, and let’s get off this shitty island.” Vera steps into view behind Gordon. She looks at Jackson with cold eyes before returning to me. “The other one’s dead anyway. Kill her and leave ’em both here for someone else to clean up.”
“Enough, Vera. I’m taking her back with us. I’m sure her training will kick back in once she’s separated from the others again. I refuse to let my invested time with her in the past be a waste.”
