Page 106 of Delirium
Murmurs came over the line, muffled by the sound of the gunshots in the background.
“We have to do something, Atlas,” I said. “We have to help them.”
“We can’t,” he croaked. “God, I wish we could, Phee, but we can’t.”
I looked frantically at the warehouse, the lights from the gunshots illuminating the night. Before I could think about it, I unlocked the door and started pushing it open. Atlas pulled me in, stopping me from going there.
“No, Atlas! They’re going to die!”
“And so will you if you go up there like this. Calm down.”
But I couldn’t calm down. The shouts and grunts over the line were getting louder, filling the small space of the car, and I couldn’t do a thing to stop it.
Storm’s voice still kept issuing commands, but they were powerless against these people if they knew we were coming. They were sitting ducks in there. I opened the window, trying to hear better, letting the cold seep into the car, but the only thing I could hear were the gunshots and the shouts of the men on that hill.
“They’re going to die,” I cried out. “They’re all going to die.”
“No!” Atlas barked. “They’re not going to die.”
I wanted to believe him, I really did, but it was getting harder and harder with each passing moment.
“Felix was shot,” Indigo said over the line. “We gotta take him away from here, Storm. It’s bad.”
“I know, dammit. I know.”
“What do you want us to do?” It was Freddie who asked this time, and a small bout of relief washed over me, knowing he was still there with Storm. “We can’t keep hiding behind these barrels.”
Silence ensued for a second, and I waited with bated breath to hear what Storm was going to say. Hell, I wanted him to retreat, to come back here. Fuck it all. I just wanted him to be okay.
“Cover me,” Storm instructed, shattering the temporary illusion of mine that they were going to retreat. “Freddie, at my six. Creed, take out the man on the roof.”
“No,” I breathed out. “He can’t.”
He would be out in the open, vulnerable. “He can’t do this.”
“Shhh,” Atlas instructed.
“Now!” Storm shouted and all hell broke loose.
Gunshots, shouts and the deafening silence followed shortly after, while my heart kept jumping in my chest, trying to get out. Trying to get to him.
“I can’t listen to this,” I murmured, leaning against the seat and closing my eyes. “It’s too quiet.”
“Wait, just wait, Phee.”
“No,” I shook my head, feeling the first tear roll down my cheek. “It’s too quiet,” I sobbed. “Too fucking quiet.”
“Ophelia, listen.”
The line kept breaking, followed by someone’s heavy breathing.
“I’m in,” Storm suddenly said, and my eyes flew open, my hands immediately going for the radio, clutching it to me.
“I told you.” Atlas smirked. “We’ve done this many times.”
“Shut up, Atlas,” I mumbled, waiting for Storm to say something else. I didn’t want to bother him right now, I didn’t want to burden him with my worry, but just hearing his voice gave me more hope than anything else.
“He’s okay.”
