Martin swayed on his feet, his bloodied face tight in protest, and looked into the lab. “I couldn’t tell…” He wiped a hand across his face, turning to Marco. “I couldn’t tell you. It wouldn’t have made a difference.”
“I would’ve found them sooner,” Marco growled. “It’s my mother in there, you son of a bitch!”
His father shook his head, then winced. “No, you’d have gotten yourself killed.” He stepped toward the lab, but Skull shook his head and pointed at the other door once more.
Martin seemed to deflate, probably realizing there was no point in arguing now that he knew his family was safe, and looked at Skull over his shoulder as he opened the door. “You take care of them.”
“I will,” Skull said with a nod, then pinned Marco with a cold stare. “You go get some air.”
Marco shook his head, but Skull didn’t back down. “I’ll get them out,” he growled. “Go get some air. Find a car for them.”
This time, Marco turned and left without a word.
Skull expelled a weary breath, turning to Pain. “Show me.”
All around them, the work resumed. Only Daniela’s wide-eyed face peered at them from the first lab.
Ryan went after Marco, while Pain led Skull to the two gurneys in the front row. “This is his mother, I think,” she said, stopping by the unconscious Amazon with short curly hair. “And this is his sister, Alecia. I met her once.”
The young woman’s eyelids fluttered at the sound of her name. She looked just like her mother, except for the hair—hers was long and braided, countless braids spilling over the gurney.
Skull swore in Spanish, dragging a hand down his face. He walked across the room, probably to look for blankets.
“Alecia, remember me?” Pain leaned closer, touching her arm.
Marco’s sister looked at her, dark eyes dazed, unfocused. “You came to my house,” she whispered. “Of course I remember you, bitch.”
Pain chuckled, catching Jane’s surprised look.
“That’s right. We’re gonna take you to headquarters, okay? Marco’s just outside prepping a car for you.” She hoped he was doing that, and not tearing some Beast into pieces.
She looked up to find Skull on the other side of Alecia’s gurney, unfolding a blanket with a frown.
“You sure we should move them before Doc gets here?” he asked.
She shrugged. “They look all right.” Unlike that guy in the torture room. “Besides—”
“Just get me the fuck outta here,” Alecia hissed, her head lolling toward Skull. She went still as she saw him up close. “Oh my.” Then she was out again.
Pain couldn’t help but grin, and Skull frowned. “What?”
“It’s official. A girl passed out from one look at you.”
Behind her, Jane laughed, and Skull’s frown turned into a scowl.
“Go find something helpful to do,” he grumbled as he proceeded to wrap Alecia in the blanket before he picked her up and disappeared through the doors.
Pain shrugged and started walking through the room, Chad at her side. No one looked familiar to her, but all of them looked sick, their skin either yellow or gray, their faces haggard. A few of the bigger men were cuffed to their gurneys. Pain’s gaze snagged on someone, and she halted, focusing on the man before her.
It took her a minute to recognize his gaunt, pale face. “Oh my God.”
His eyelids fluttered at the sound of her voice, and when he spotted her, he smiled a weak, ghostly smile. “It really is you…” he whispered. “Thought I was hallucinating.”
“Jerry? That you?” She couldn’t believe her eyes, how small he looked, a shadow of his former self.
He gave a tiny nod.
“It’s all right,” she said, taking a blanket from the wide-eyed Chad. Her hands shook, her heart racing. “We’ll get you out of here.”
Jerry grimaced, closing his eyes for a second. “Come here, Pain.”
“What?” She put the blanket down and leaned close to him.
He drew a rattling breath before whispering in her ear, “I’m so sorry. About what I did. Please tell Peter I’m sorry.”
She pulled back, her vision blurring as tears sprang to her eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, Jerry. We searched for you for weeks! Hold on just a little more.”
He shook his head, and when she spread the blanket over him, his body seemed like bare bones underneath.
Chad pushed her aside gently, tucked in the blanket and picked Jerry up. Pain wiped her eyes and looked up to find Jane’s distraught face across the gurney.
“Come on,” Jane said, waving them forward. “I heard the chopper’s already here.”
She and Pain hurried after Chad down the crowded corridor and up the stairs. They found Doc and Tiffany bent over two gurneys right in the hall, two bright lamps lighting the space.
“Doc!” Pain called, and he looked up, training his gaze on Chad.
“Somebody take this one to the chopper!” he hollered, not taking his eyes off Jerry’s limp form.
A big man came and went, taking Doc’s patient away, and Jerry was laid on the gurney.
“Is that…” Doc trailed off as he took Jerry’s wrist. Seconds stretched on and on, then he looked up at Pain’s wide-eyed face. “No pulse.”
Her heart stuttered. “Do something, don’t stare at me!”
Doc held out a hand, and without a word, Tiffany placed a syringe into it.
He pulled down the blanket and the hospital gown, then plunged the long needle straight into Jerry’s heart. “Come on, Jerry, come on.”
Pain tapped her foot, her hands trembling. A minute passed.
Doc shook his head. “He’s gone.” She opened her mouth to protest, and Doc waved his hand. “Look at him!”
She couldn’t look at him.
She whipped around and kicked a gurney, sending it flying across the hall. The deafening bang reverberated through the walls. Chad pulled her into him, his arms tight around her.
“He was just
