She’d done it. No, Ryder thought as she looked around, they’d done it. Ryder and her friends had freed the women and children from the bunker.
They are free, and we are free. Am I free? Ryder thought for a moment. She might be free, but she wasn’t okay. She’d been bitten by a Mad, and would soon turn. “Just need some fresh air. This place stinks of the Mad. Can you make sure they get out safely?” Ryder asked.
Everyone looked at Ryder, confused. Why wasn’t she celebrating? her friends wondered.
Massimo looked Ryder up and down, and his eyes rested on her ankle and the blood stain. “Ryder, have you been bitten?”
Ryder nodded.
The color drained from her friends’ faces.
Terrier shook his head. “You…you can’t be. You just freed us.” Terrier was in shock. He felt like he’d failed Ryder; like he’d failed his sister.
“I have been,” Ryder told Terrier soberly.
She turned to her new friends. “Thank you for everything. In the last few days, I’ve lived more than ever before. Please, will you all look after my friends?” Ryder asked frankly.
“Of course. I’m sorry.” Massimo shook his head sadly. If he’d taken care of Afana sooner, she wouldn’t have had to come up here and might not have been bitten.
Ryder looked at Massimo warmly. “Sorry? You’ve got to be kidding me. If it wasn’t for your help, they wouldn’t be free. You guys are my heroes!”
Massimo smiled. “You’re the true hero.” Massimo embraced Ryder, and Carter joined them. Fluffy rubbed his body against Ryder’s legs, and she stroked his back.
“This isn’t right.” Massimo shook his head again. “I’m not letting it happen. Carter, your knife.” Massimo held out his hand for Carter’s knife.
Carter held out the knife for Massimo. “What are you going to do with it?’ Carter asked as Massimo took the knife from him.
Terrier got between Massimo and Ryder, blocking the knife from being anywhere near Ryder.
“Terrier, he’s a friend. Let him explain why he wants the knife.” Ryder stepped around Terrier so she was in front of Massimo.
Massimo wiped the blade on his pants to remove all the blood, “I’m going to save Ryder’s life. Well, my blood is going to…I hope.” He slit his palm, and blood instantly oozed out of it. “Ryder, please show me your bite.”
Ryder wasn’t sure how Massimo’s blood was going to help, but she’d try anything. She rolled up her pants to reveal her angry bite.
“Would you sit on the floor?”
Ryder did as he requested.
Massimo knelt beside Ryder and dripped his blood into the bite.
Everyone watched in wonder. “How is this going to work?” Ryder asked.
Massimo looked into Ryder’s eyes, “I’m hoping that the nanocytes in my blood that make me a vampire will stop you from getting the Madness.”
It made sense to Ryder. When they’d been walking to the bunker, Massimo had told Ryder that nanocytes were like little computers. Maybe the little computers would work? Ryder hoped so. “Do you think it will work?” she asked.
Massimo looked at her soberly. “I’m not sure,” he admitted.
Ryder smiled at Massimo. “Thank you for trying.” Ryder rolled down her pant leg, and Terrier helped her get to her feet. “I’m not going to risk being around you guys if it doesn’t work,” Ryder informed the group. “I’ll come back if it does.” She did her best to keep an optimistic tone.
Terrier’s big arms wrapped around Ryder, embracing her. When Ryder rested her head on his chest his heart was beating frantically, yet Ryder felt quite calm. She was leaving the bunker a free woman. She let Terrier hold her longer than she wanted him to, since it was for him more than her. Finally, she stepped away from Terrier.
None of them knew what to say. Carter’s eyes were starting to glaze over with tears, but Ryder couldn’t have Carter crying since it would set her off. “Carter, don’t forget to show Tightwad the toy box and see if he shits a rainbow.” Ryder headed to the exit.
“See you later, smelly,” Carter yelled to Ryder.
“Later, douchebag,” Ryder yelled back.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The sun shone down brightly on Ryder’s face. She inhaled the fresh air, and it did indeed smell a hundred percent better than the bunker. Ryder took in a deep breath and savored the sweet smell of freedom.
She’d done it. Everyone was free.
There was a patter of paws behind her. It was Fluffy. Ryder smiled as he bounded over to her. “What are you doing? I asked you to look after my friends,” Ryder chided him.
Fluffy just looked up at her with his large orange eyes and rolled them.
Ryder grinned. “Stop rolling your eyes at me, Leandro!”
She was happy for the company, and Ryder knew that when she turned he’d stop her from hurting anyone.
A few women and kids were standing outside the bunker, and they all stared at Ryder like lost puppies. Ryder smiled at them warmly. Massimo would help them.
“What do we do now?” a woman asked Ryder.
“Live free,” Ryder told her with a grin.
Ryder kept walking. Her job here was done. Leandro walked alongside Ryder as she entered the forest. She had her bow over her shoulder, and a quiver full of arrows. Ryder wasn’t planning on using it, but she felt naked without it.
She strolled through the woods, stopping when she got to Graham’s cart and the horses.
Ryder’s face lit up. “Graham wouldn’t mind if I borrowed Black Beauty one more time, would he?” Ryder asked Leandro.
“I’ll take your silence as a no.” Ryder grinned and ran her hand over Black Beauty’s silky coat. The other horse would be able to pull the cart, so she wasn’t going to leave the gang without a way to get the cart back to Pinewood.
Ryder unhitched Black Beauty and mounted the horse.
Ryder looked left and then right. She couldn’t go left since that would lead her to Pinewood. There was no way she was going straight since that would mean crossing the river. Right
