Page 79 of Shadowed With Fear

“Grayson Williams you better fucking answer me right now or so help me God,” the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard screams into the radio. I chuckled.

“Right here, sweet girl. I’m okay.”

I can hear her sigh in relief and then Brahm speaks again.

“Adam?”

And it’s silent.

“Adam, can you hear me?” Brahm asks again, urgently.

But there’s no response.

“Adam!? Adam answer me!” The smoke begins to clear and from across the room, I make eye contact with Alex as he calls for Adam over and over, eyes wide, gripping his radio frantically.

“By—By the stairs,” Adam gasps and we all move.

Staying in the dark created by the industrial lights overhead, we stick to the walls, maneuvering around the guards.

Lying behind a pile of what looks like old palettes and metal scrapes, Adam is clutching his leg, breathing deeply.

“Adam!” Alex shouts running to him.

“A— “I’m cut off by the new wave of bullets raining down upon us. The three of us dive behind the pile next to Adam.

“What are we going to do?” Adam asks me through shaky words, and hissed breaths.

“How bad is it?” I nod to his leg, and he shakes his head.

“Through and through. Nothing major but I have to keep the pressure,” he mutters.

I nod, looking at Henry and Alex.

“You guys have to cover me. We’re gonna get out of here. Brahm?”

“What do you need, Grays?”

“Exits. We’re at the West Stairwell. Adam’s shot and he can’t walk. Where do we go?” I look around the hazy room, the outline of about six people barely visible.

“There should be a hallway to your right. Go down that hall and turn left. There’s another loading bay. You should be able to get out there.”

“Okay. Alex, you got me?”

He nods, pulling out a gun and handing it to Henry. Henry scowls at the heavy weight in his palm but gives his brother a small nod.

I kneel beside Adam, watching his pained expression as his hands begin to tremble clutching his thigh. “Can you stand at all, or do I need to carry you?”

He looks at me pleadingly. “I’m sorry, man.”

I shake my head sharply. “No. Don’t worry about this shit,” I thumb behind me. “Can you stand?”

He’s quiet for a moment before muttering a shaky yes. “I think so. But I can’t put any weight on it.”

“We’re getting you out of here— “

“Shit.” Alex mutters. I glance at him seeing he has his phone out. Not the mission phone, his real phone. “Incoming. Two minutes tops.”

“Fuck. Okay. You ready?” I ask Adam whose face is paling rapidly.