Carissa, who’d been quiet since she’d received the message, breathed out. A small smile played on her lips as she looked down at the ground.
Anya rested her hand on Dom’s back in a show of support. ‘Dom’s right. We need to keep going. Whatever we do—stay or leave—we’re bound to meet resistance. At least here we have a shot at getting out.’
Vanessa still looked unconvinced.
Charlie shrugged. ‘Okay, we stay. What do we do?’
Dom said, ‘The sketch in Janet’s book matches up to the schematics for the Learning Centre. We don’t know if the lines correlate to corridors above ground or tunnels below, but I say we start below.’
‘You suggesting we use the tunnels to access the Learning Centre? Is that even possible?’
‘I don’t know, but we should try. The Collective appears to know less about what happens beneath the surface.’ Dom nodded at the child. ‘Frahlia is old enough to travel. June is healed, yes?’ He flicked his gaze to her and June nodded. ‘All that’s left to do is count how many active weapons we have left.’
The injured soldiers perked up and showed Dom their weapons. Apart from the revolvers and the homemade Atomiser and Disruptor Gun, they had a few Electro Guns that still had a charge. The first bunch of guns had been taken from the fallen Copies during the battle in the area outside the camp. The second lot of weapons had been taken from the fallen doppelgangers of the guard, who was listening to everything they were saying.
‘What about the Breeders and girls we found?’ asked Sheila.
‘They come with us,’ said Dom.
Jacob pointed at the prisoner. ‘What about this one?’
Dom’s lips thinned. ‘He comes with us.’
Charlie clapped his hands at everyone. ‘You heard Dom. Let’s pack up and get ready to move.’
Ten minutes later, the group gathered at the door leading to the glass viewing corridor. With them were the eight Breeders and four girls they’d rescued from the second floor.
After Quintus had made contact, Anya had expected a group of Copies to ambush them below. The fact that nobody came only strengthened her belief that Quintus was acting alone.
They could leave through the main entrance, but it could be safer to use the stairs nearest Jacob’s workshop. His space was opposite the building they needed to access.
Dom led the way, Disruptor charged and ready. Fully charged, it could steal a machine’s power after a successful Atomiser blast. Thomas carried the Atomiser. The gun could blow a hole in the side of any machine. He hitched the backpack containing all the maps higher on his back.
Anya followed him, carrying both a revolver and an Electro Gun. Her nerves jangled at the thought of ending this nightmare, of finding the place that other rebels had died to find. And that her parents had fought to protect. How many had discovered its location and actually made it there? One, ten—none?
The group moved silently along the viewing corridor. She glanced into each of the spaces. Her Copy medic had showed her this space when she’d been a prisoner. She’d tried and failed to convince Anya of her purpose here.
Nobody spoke as they swapped the corridor for a bright, white space that replayed their footsteps back in a weird echo. Ahead of them was a set of double doors. Dom pushed through and they entered a new corridor, more roughly hewn and darker in appearance, but not so dark that they couldn’t see their way. This was the route they’d used to escape once before. They’d met resistance then. Now, everything was too damn quiet. Anya lifted her gun higher.
She checked the charge in her Electro Gun. The guns fired thirteen blasts of electricity. She had seven shots left.
Jacob caught up with Dom out ahead. Naturally, Carissa fell into step behind the Inventor. Anya wondered if the Copy would come with them to the Beyond.
Jacob pointed. ‘It’s a straight run to the workshop from here.’
Anya followed the leaders and Carissa. She heard heavy breathing behind her. The walk was not a taxing one; it must be fear that quickened some people’s breaths.
They stepped through a dismantled, brick opening and entered a new corridor. Bricks lay scattered on the ground. Jacob kept up easily with Dom. Or Dom had slowed down for the Inventor. Anya couldn’t tell.
Jacob pointed to a stairwell leading up. ‘This will take us to the courtyard outside the Learning Centre.’ He released a long breath. ‘There’s no other way inside that I know of.’
Dom stopped at the base of the stairs, nestled against a flat wall of tunnelled stone. With one hand on the rail he made no move to climb. He looked back at Anya. She saw the fear lodged in his eyes. And the look that meant he was questioning his decision.
Anya lifted her gun higher and nodded.
With a soft breath, Dom looked up and started his climb. Other gun-toting soldiers fanned out behind him, pushing Anya farther back from Dom. The distance rattled her. She needed to be near him. She needed to protect him.
Dom turned to Jacob. ‘What about Rover?’
‘Don’t worry. When I call him, he’ll come running.’
Nobody breathed in the stairwell. Anya dared not look back at the others. If she saw any trace of fear her legs might not work.
Dom crept up to the top of the stairwell. Four soldiers followed him. She was fifth in the pecking order. The remaining soldiers with guns brought up the rear of the pack, protecting those without weapons.
Dom opened the door a crack and looked out. Anya held her breath. She wished it were her going first. Seeing Dom take all the risk
