The angry swarm of drones flooded into the basement behind William.
A girl in their group stated the obvious. “Drones!”
William ran past his friends and shouted, “Follow me!”
He led them back through the steel door, the crash of the slamming metal as it flew wide into the wall. Up the first flight of stairs, they ran to the foyer and out into the moonlit street beyond. The stutter of bullets echoed in the building’s basement. The screams of dying soldiers rang even louder.
Although they continued to run away from the tower, they slowed their pace. The dogs would take a while to regroup, and the drones were occupied. They moved slowly enough for William to catch his breath. “You said the drones would go for Fury over anyone else.”
Gracie smiled and patted him on the back. “That I did. Well done, William. Well done.”
Chapter 15
The longest night William had endured in a long time. Maybe the longest night ever. And they were still hours from sunrise. He ran with the others on legs that had no right carrying his weight. Every time his tired steps slammed down on the concrete, sharp bruising pain ran up the front of his shins. He’d whacked them when he’d fallen on the stairs, but the general abuse he’d subjected his body to had left him aching from head to toe.
William ran at the back of the line again, Matilda and then Olga ahead of him. Max hadn’t been his usual self since Cyrus’ death, and this run through the city hadn’t helped. He did what the group needed of him, but his expression had remained unchanged the entire time. Blank. Distant. Dianna had kept up without complaint. Artan could run forever, as could Hawk, who would also fight anything in his path given half the chance. Olga refused to back down to Gracie’s pressure, and Matilda rarely came up short when tested. She conducted herself with humility, but she was the strongest person William had ever met.
Gracie darted through another open and windowless space into another building, shards of glass popping beneath their steps. This one had machines like the café they’d visited when they’d entered the city. Attached to the walls, they were missing their fronts, their sun-bleached multicoloured wires spilling from them like intestines.
A staircase in the corner, Gracie headed for it.
“Not again,” William said beneath his breath. “More fucking stairs.”
All the while, the pulse of gunfire rang throughout the city as the drones executed the soldiers. But screw them. Who knew what they’d planned to do with William’s friends. They deserved everything that came their way.
The upstairs of the abandoned shop had one small window. Like all the others in the city, the glass had gone from the frame. Like some less trodden paths, shards of it remained, the fine dust glistening like glitter in the moonlight.
Gracie peered out of the small window while William slumped against a wall. If he stayed still for too long, he’d seize. His body buzzed from where sweat burned his many grazes. He reached across and held Matilda’s hand, resting the back of his head against the wall. Just as he closed his eyes, Gracie spoke.
“Those marks on your map, William.”
The lure of sleep had already wrapped its arms around him. William snapped out of it, snorting with a sharp inhalation. “Huh?”
“Those marks on your map.” Gracie held her hand out to him.
William pulled the map from his back pocket before handing it to Gracie. She unfolded it on the floor. “These marks.” According to the map, they were between two communities of similar size. Both of them had orange boxes. The communities that were farther south had boxes that were a deeper shade of red. “They show how technologically advanced each place is.”
“How do you know that?” Artan said.
“This map comes from our community. It’s one reason we’re not on here. We create maps to throw people off the scent. Although,” she smirked, “I’m fairly confident that if anyone else made a map of the area, they still wouldn’t include us. We’re one of the best-kept secrets around these parts.”
“Based on whose opinion?” Olga said.
Matilda spoke before Gracie could reply. “So Fear and Fury are only orange?”
Gracie shrugged.
The white glow of a drone’s light shot past the window. Artan pointed at where it had just gone. “Drones and dogs only warrant an orange box?”
Again, Gracie shrugged.
Max’s eyes remained glazed when he said, “What does a community with a red box look like?”
Footsteps entered the ground floor of the building.
Gracie jogged on tiptoes to the top of the stairs. Hawk closed in behind her and drew his hunting knife. William reached them last, his movements stiff.
Two soldiers dressed in blue. Fear’s army. They’d entered the building from the opposite end to the group. They were clearly heading for their drones. Had they been following their flying machines the entire time? A shot of adrenaline tightened William’s stomach. Had they been on his tail when he’d lured the drones into the basement of the tall building?
“Come on, man,” one soldier said to the other. Two boys of a similar age to William and his friends. The one who’d spoken had his hand on his comrade’s back. “We need to join the others.”
“I need a piss. You go and I’ll catch you up.”
“Fine.” The other soldier ran out into the street.
The remaining soldier heaved, his entire body snapping forward at the waist. His bark echoed through the room and ended with a splash of sick hitting the hard floor.
William turned away and pressed the back of his hand to his nose. He couldn’t blame the boy for his nerves, but he didn’t need to smell it.
Gracie spoke in a gentle whisper. “He’s probably a rookie. No doubt this is his first taste of battle. He’s probably shitting himself. Not that I blame him. Life as a soldier in this city ain’t easy. Especially when you’re dragged into
