Benny barreled forward, reaching Karma. “Is she okay?” Her skin was pale, and her sunshine-filled hair splayed out over the thick mattress.
“Of course.” Faith lifted Karma’s wrist and counted her pulse. “She’s just out from the sedative. I wouldn’t attempt this surgery in these conditions if I didn’t think I could do it, Benny. You know that. Great job getting me more time, though. You saved her.”
Another explosion billowed through the night, and a fist-sized chunk of rock dropped. Benny caught it before the projectile could hit Faith’s head.
“Thanks,” she said, edging toward the door. “We should get out of here—right?”
Benny gently moved Karma’s head so he could see her face. Her pink lips were slightly pursed, and she breathed evenly. “Where’s the incision?”
Faith ducked as dust wafted through the space. “No incision. I took the device out through her nose, which was how they got it in. I’m looking forward to studying it.”
“No. Is it in the box?” Benny released Karma and reached for the box.
Faith’s eyebrows rose as she handed it over. “Of course. It’s shielded and can’t be traced in the box.”
“That’s nice.” Benny walked to the corner and set the box down, letting the device tumble out. He made sure to keep the box between it and the rest of the room. The thing had connections in two places, where it had been attached to Karma’s eye and one ear canal.
Faith opened her mouth, and he shook his head, motioning for her to stay silent and go.
Then he hurried toward Karma and lifted her, running to the door.
Double explosions erupted from two directions, and the roof began to cave in. “Run!” he bellowed. He followed Faith and Ronan through the computer room, meeting up with Garrett and Mercy, who’d shut down all the computers.
Garrett finished activating a box beneath the main computer console. “We’re ready to blow. Logan and Quade called in and are already in Tunnel B, making sure we have a clear path.”
“Let’s go,” Benny said grimly as the mountain began to fall around them.
Mercy looked over his shoulder. “Where’s Sam?”
Benny jolted. “Sam was in here with you guys.”
Garrett’s eyes swirled with too many colors to count. “No. I thought he went back out to help you.”
Benny’s chest chilled. “No. Did he even make it in from outside?”
As Garrett turned to run to the weapons room, the entire wall seemed to morph before sharp boulders heavier than a dump truck began to fall. “Shit. Double shit.”
Ronan grabbed him by the shoulder. “Check his comm.”
Garrett yanked his earbud out of his pocket and shoved it in. “Sam? Come in.” Garrett’s face contorted with irritation, and he stared at the rock wall now separating them from the weapons room and stairwell. “Nothing. Come on, Sam. Talk to me.” He frowned and bent forward as if to hear better. His face cleared, and fury burned in his eyes.
Dread made a lump in Benny’s throat. “What?” he asked, sidestepping a falling piece of what looked like pure silver.
Garrett held up a hand. “Sam? Don’t say anything and try to keep the earbud in. We’re going to evacuate through Tunnel B, and then we’re coming for you. Grunt to let me know you understand.” The youngest Kayrs warrior’s jaw hardened, and death shone in his eyes. There was Talen’s son and the king’s nephew.
Benny caught his breath. No wonder they thought Garrett would lead someday.
Garrett looked up. “Let’s go.”
Haven grabbed his arm. “Are you saying the Kurjans have Sam?” Panic colored her words, and she looked beyond Garrett to the blocked tunnel.
Garrett nodded. “Yeah. The Kurjans have him, but we’ll get him back.” He focused on Benny. “We’re going to need Karma to level with us. You know that, right?”
“Yes,” Benny said. “I promise she’ll tell us everything she knows.” There was no reason for her not to cooperate now that the device had been removed from her head. Better yet, it’d be buried in the rubble when the mountain blew, so the Kurjans would think she’d been killed. He turned and began running for freedom. They had ten miles to travel underground before emerging, then three hours of driving until they reached the helicopters that were hidden far away from here.
Then Karma would talk, whether she wanted to or not.
He set a pace that would keep her from being jostled too much but would allow him to move quickly.
Ronan ran up to his side. “Who’s going to tell Logan his brother has been taken?”
Garrett ran by them both. “That would be me,” he said grimly.
Another set of missiles impacted the mountain, and the walls blew inward. “If we survive this,” Quade muttered, easily lifting Haven into his arms so they could go faster. “It’s not looking good.”
Ronan lifted Faith and swung her around to his back. The enhanced humans weren’t as fast as the immortals. “We’ll make it.”
A missile ripped right through the tunnel behind them, spreading fire as it flew.
Benny ducked his head and ran as fast as he could. Then the world blew up.
Chapter Nineteen
Karma awoke midmorning just as Benjamin stepped out of a quieting helicopter, carrying her. Mercy paused next to them and looked up from a tablet in her hands. “The scans from the outpost came back clear, even after a secondary check. We’re all good—no tracing powder or other devices attached to you while you fought hand-to-hand.”
Karma’s head ached. “We were scanned?”
“Yep.” Benjamin strode between two majestic pine trees toward a lodge much larger than the one they’d just left. It was made of rough, hand-cut logs, and the sound of a rushing river bubbled through the air. “When we got to the helicopter, we went through a series of scanning devices before taking off. We’re good.”
Garrett reached the door before them and pushed it, hurrying inside. “We need to get a bead on Sam. Now.”
Karma tried to concentrate. Memories of the sedative and the soft bed came rushing back. She pressed a hand to her eye.
“It’s gone,” Benjamin affirmed. “Took it out through your nose, and it’s buried in a pile of rocks right now.” He bypassed a bar and entertainment area to turn left and jog down a wide hallway, following Garrett into a computer center at least three times larger than the one they’d left behind. More screens covered the walls, and bigger satellite photos were taped to a fourth wooden wall. He set her down on a rolling chair.