I kick at the dome, mainly out of frustration since there isn’t any way to break it. But my foot goes right through the glass. I pull it quickly back out, startled by the event. I swim to the surface to get some air. The suit begins to change. The material stretches down my arms and over my hands creating gloves. It creeps up my face, covering my head. I feel as if I’m being suffocated, yet I can easily breathe and see through the material. I dive back down and swim through the glass.
Rising to the surface, I grab a hold of a tree root and pull myself out of the water. The sleeves and gloves retract, as does the mask and hood. I run over to Frey, take him by the collar, and drag him through the mud to the water. I wrap my arms and legs around him as we dive, hoping the uniform knows what my intention is. It wraps the both of us up so we can pass through the barrier. I get him onto the island and go back for those I can, but I’m only able to get two more as the fire has spread to the city’s rim.
Garrett is standing over Frey when I surface with the last one. I get out of the water and I’m instantly dry. The uniform returns to its normal state as I begin checking on their injuries. Frey is starting to come around as another drone flies over our heads.
“What happened?” he wheezes.
I lean into him, placing my mouth almost against his ear. “Now isn’t the time to ask questions. Keep your mouth shut until I can get us someplace safe.”
He looks at me, puzzled. I secure my weapon, take hold of the two who are still unconscious, with Frey and Garrett holding onto my waist, and begin to loop us to the others. It takes several hours before were back inside Pentras Tower. The drones weren’t able to follow since I made sure to make my loops quickly.
Van is in the lobby with several others when we arrive. They take the two Loopers from me, placing them on the couches to tend to their wounds. Frey is fully awake now, so Garrett and I escort him to the lift and up to the forty-ninth floor. Garrett shows him to the communal showers while I secure an empty room for him and the two other Loopers.
I stand in the hallway and wait for Garrett and Frey to return. Frey is wrapped in several towels and freshly scrubbed. I open the door to his room and the three of us step inside. Garrett closes the door while I take a seat on the bed.
“I don’t get to dress alone?” Frey says, winking at me.
“I just want to make sure you’re all right,” I respond.
“And him?” Frey asks, pointing to Garrett.
“I’m with her,” Garrett answers, pointing to me.
“Well, isn’t that cozy,” Frey says, a hint of contempt in his voice.
He drops his towels, exposing himself. Garrett turns away, but I don’t.
“How did you wind up outside the dome?” I ask.
“I’m not really sure,” Frey answers, digging through the drawers and removing a few items of clothing. “We were sent to the Dead Zone by the Keepers when the Aedox invaded, but then half of us were looped beyond the dome.”
“You mean those who joined the Dracken,” I state.
He shakes his head.
“Was the place on fire when you got there?” I ask.
“No. The buildings were old and falling apart. The structures looked ancient actually. Like they were from another time period.”
“How did they start burning?” Garrett asks, turning back around now that Frey is dressed.
“Firebombs rained from the sky. We couldn’t tell where they were coming from. They fell everywhere, trapping some of the unit between collapsed structures. Some were able to loop out, but then we wound up being blocked by the dome. I hadn’t realized we were outside of it until you came and got us.” Frey walks over to me, wraps his arms around my shoulders, and pulls me into his chest. “Do you have any food? I’m starving.”
Twenty-Two
Garrett glares at Frey while he eats, his eyes full of disdain. Brink and Van join us a short time later. The other two I rescued are being treated for second-degree burns and smoke inhalation on one of the medical floors. There are several groups of us on the top floor, but Frey is the only one eating. I should eat since I haven’t had anything all day, but I have no appetite.
“What happened in Thrace Tower?” Brink asks, sitting next to Garrett.
“We were all in the common room watching round two. Each screen was dedicated to a different team, so we were constantly bouncing from one display to another. The moment Max touched Garrett’s bow all hell broke loose. The two Aedox who were stationed on our floor opened fire on anyone with a dragon tattoo. Matron Kaniz activated an alarm under the bar. Our wristbands began to glow and our weapons appeared. We fought back as much as we could, but the shields weren’t designed to block bullets.” He takes a gulp of his water, washing down the rest of his meal. “We began being looped out of the building. I knew it was the Keepers moving us to safety.”
“But the two with you aren’t Dracken,” Brink says.
“The Keepers looped everyone. I think because those two were in a group made up of mainly Dracken members, the Patrician must not have known they weren’t actually a part of us and teleported them outside the dome with the rest of us.”
“Wait a minute,” Garrett says, almost knocking the bottle of water from Frey’s hand. “Are you saying the Keepers were saving all the players, even
