“It’s incredible,” I hear Zavy say and look at the shock on her face. “I can hardly believe they’re real.”
“I know, me either,” I unclip my water bottle and take a few sips of water. The nerves inside me are threatening to make me lose what food I’ve managed to eat today.
Mio starts to explain our next steps, “We’re going to have to run out to that building.” He lifts his finger and points out to the closest of all the buildings. This one is a bit shorter. There is colorful paint sprayed on it and yellow caution tape wrapped around the base of the building. This must be the abandoned factory Cooper was mentioning.
“We can’t risk getting seen by the guards that patrol this side of Sard,” Mio continues. I look out and catch the hint of a guard on top of a building a little to our right and another on a building to our left. They pace the roof of the buildings back and forth looking from the mountains to the ocean and then back again.
“We will run in pairs right when the guards turn the other way. When you get to the building stop outside and look back. I will let you know if the guards saw you or not. If they did, well then we have a problem on our hands. Just whatever you do, if the guards see you do not go into the building because you’ll risk exposing the rest of the group,” Mio says coldly.
“So what do we do?” I hear Toby ask.
“You’ll have to fend for yourself. Remember the only person who has to get to Libertas is Adaline.” The group falls awkwardly silent as everyone drops their gaze from mine. Mio continues, “Cinder and I will go last. Cooper and,” Mio pauses, scanning his eyes around the group until they land on me. “Cooper and Adaline will go first. Why not get the only important one out of the way.”
I try to bury the fear creeping inside of me. I shrug my shoulders and take another sip of my water. I close the bottle and clip it back to my bag. “Let’s go,” I say, and even I believe I’m not the least bit nervous.
Cooper’s at my side and we turn to face the abandoned factory. We stand ready and watch the two guards pace along their buildings waiting for them to turn around.
“You know I can just use my gift and put us there,” I say to him as we look out at the building. “I mean I could try to.”
“That wouldn’t be a good idea,” Cooper says.
“Why?” I ask, turning to look at him.
“King Renon is on to the fact that people with gifts are fleeing to Libertas and traveling through Sard. He’s put a force field sort of device around Sard. It won’t stop you from using your gift, but it can detect when the gift is being used. Kind of like an alarm system.”
“Seriously?” I ask, hardly believing what he’s saying.
“Seriously,” Cooper says. “One of these buildings is where King Renon is having scientists constantly researching gifts and how to get rid of them. The alarm is still new, but they’re supposed to be putting one around Garth soon. Mio came down here a couple of times to see what advancements have been made.”
“That’s crazy,” is all I can manage to say.
“Ready?” Cooper asks and we look back out and see that the guards have turned their backs to us.
“Let’s go,” I say and feel my legs push off the ground. My heart rate instantly doubles as we sprint across the clearing. One foot in front of the other. My tattered old shoes from the bunker fly through the yellow-green grass. I can see Cooper out of the corner of my eye. With his hair blown back, the intricate cut swirls stick out. The muscles in his neck bulge with each breath. My legs shake, but I keep pushing. My brother and I, together again.
When we reach the building we push our backs up on the side and hold our breaths waiting for Mio to give us the all clear that neither of the guards saw us. Mio’s face comes into view and he gives us an approving nod. Cooper and I both let out a sigh of relief.
Cooper slides into the building first and I follow behind him. The sounds of the howling wind increase when we walk into the building, echoing through the deserted place. There is debris piled up throughout the room. Piles of dusty rock and metal grow from the floor, towering up to my shoulders. In the rubble of the building there are pieces of paper scattered over the floor, signaling whoever was here left in a hurry. I assume the collapse of the building wasn’t planned, and I wonder if anyone was injured in its destruction. It seems as though it’s been empty for years. I guess they have been using this as an entry point to Sard for
