Page 105 of Delirium
“Are you ready?” Atlas asked from behind us, making me step away from Storm.
“Yeah.” I nodded, still looking at Storm. “Remember,” I warned. “No heroics, Storm. I need you with me.”
“I know.” He grinned. “I heard you the first time.”
“Just checking.”
He kissed my cheek just before running toward the others, while Atlas led me toward the same car Storm and I came in, opening the door for me. I would be lying if I said that the fear wasn’t the only constant emotion coursing through my veins right now, but I bit down on my trembling lip, refusing to let it control me.
Fear had controlled me for so many years, and I’d be damned if it made me do something stupid right now, when so many people depended on me to stay calm. Storm wouldn’t be able to do his job if I risked my life.
The warmth of the car eased the cold that was slowly latching itself to my bones, but it didn’t ease the trembling in my body. That didn’t come from the cold. That came from the unknown surrounding us, from the fact that the man I loved was about to enter the devil’s nest, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Atlas entered the car shortly after, locking the doors as he entered, warming his hands as both of us looked at the group of our guys, all clad in black, slowly ascending the hill, where the warehouse was located. It seemed so far away from here, hidden between the trees and the fog in the air, but it was there.
“It’s showtime,” Atlas mumbled.
It was, and I hoped we would all get out of this alive.
* * *
By the endof the night, I wouldn’t have nails anymore. Hell, I think I started chewing on the skin around my nails, focusing on the radio Atlas placed on the dashboard, listening to what was happening up there.
Storm led the group straight to the front, while Indigo took the other one to the back, where we knew the second entrance was hidden, but nothing was happening so far. We could hear their muffled voices, the commands issued by Storm, but nothing that would alert us.
“Hold,” Storm commanded over the radio, my heart jumping to my throat. “Creed to the left,” he said. “Hector, right.”
“Noted,” both Creed and Hector said, while I chewed on my thumb, every nerve ending in my body telling me to get out and go up there to help.
“He’s going to be okay,” Atlas murmured, taking my hand in his, stopping me from chewing on my nail. “He knows what he’s doing.”
“I know he does,” I whispered. “But it doesn’t make it any easier.”
“I see movement at the entrance,” Creed’s voice came over the radio, and I straightened up, waiting for it to happen.
“Creed—Fuck!” Storm cursed. “Get down!”
Gunshots rained through the line, my eyes widening, looking toward the warehouse where they all were now.
“It’s a trap,” I murmured, realization dawning on me. “Oh my God, Atlas.” I looked at him. “It’s a fucking trap.”
“No, no, Ophelia,” he stated in a calm voice, but I could see how nervous he truly was. “It might not be.”
“They know we’re coming. They must know.”
“No, Phee. Breathe.”
“I can’t!” I bellowed, removing the hat from my head. “They’re going to die up there.”
“Fuck!” Storm cursed again, and I couldn’t bear it anymore.
“You have to go up there,” I said. “You gotta help them.”
“There’s too many of them,” Indigo’s voice came over the line, and it took all my willpower to stay seated instead of rushing up there. “Storm, there are at least fifteen of them waiting at the back entrance. I can’t locate the sniper shooter.”
Jesus fucking fuck.
“Around twenty here,” Storm said, breathing heavily. “Is everyone okay?”
