The Last Mission of the Living (The Last Bastion #2)(108)

Torran trailed behind her, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. The aerial drone had been right about the low infestation level, but Torran was well aware that a shriek from a Scrag would awaken all the others in range. Then again, Franklin’s terrorist cell had purposefully chosen a platform of the upper city with a low infestation level, but he refused to be grateful. Though Lindsey hadn’t said anything, Torran noted that Franklin’s body had been missing. Which meant she’d become a Scrag. To Torran, it seemed like a fitting fate.

The Scrags inside the monorail waiting area stumbled toward the glass walls. They were in much better condition than those wandering outside in the elements. Though the creatures were obviously shrieking, the soundproof construction muted the terrible sound.

Darting onto the tracks, Lindsey sighed with relief. “We made it.”

Torran gestured toward the communication tower in the distance. “We have a ways to go.”

“Yeah, but that was the harder part, right?” Lindsey waited for him to join her, then together, they started along the elevated track. “We need Teeny to join us. I’m calling him back.”

Torran nodded, rotating about to make sure the Scrags were still trapped in the station. They were. On the feed, Teeny ditched Franklin’s helmet and the mannequin before swooping out over the river and rising toward the platform. Its job was done.

Though Lindsey had devised a way to hide their wristlet signal from the Gaia Cult, the one she’d created for Teeny allowed the drone to track her. Of course, walking along the monorail line was a risk. Both the Scrags and the Cultists could spot them on the elevated track. Hopefully, they would make it to the communication tower before that happened.

“So, we escaped the Rescue Hub, made it to the monorail track, and our aerial drone killed a good chunk of the Scrags,” Lindsey said. “That’s not bad for an early morning start.”

“We just have to reach the communication tower, somehow start up the generator, transmit a top secret message to the commandant, and save what’s left of humanity.”

“Sounds like a full day’s work,” Lindsey decided.

“Just the same old, same old. Save the day. Go home. Make love to the girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend? Is that what I am? We actually never agreed to titles.”

Though they were both obviously nervous, alert, and always checking behind and ahead of them, Torran loved every moment he could spend with her. It made life worth living.

“Well, girlfriend does have a nice sound to it, don’t you think?” Torran peered over the edge of the track at the road below. There were no Scrags in sight for the moment.

“Most definitely better than significant other. That sounds far too formal.”

“Lover,” Torran said, rolling the word off his tongue. “Lover sounds...”

“Sounds a bit dirty.”

“Does it?”

“Definitely.”

“So not lover.”

“Well, unless we’re naked and in bed. Then you can be my lover.” Lindsey dragged the word out provocatively.

Torran started to answer, but the track beneath his feet started to tremble. Lindsey crouched and grabbed onto the rail with one hand as the quaking intensified. A second later, Torran’s helmet lit up with an array of information streaming in from a nearby source, then was abruptly cut off. The air vibrated and a familiar sensation swept over him.

At the same time, Lindsey and Torran stood to face the squad tiltrotor cresting over the buildings of the upper city. Aerial drones flew at the two soldiers in a tight formation.

“Shit,” Torran breathed, realizing there was nowhere for them to go.

Lindsey turned toward him, a look of fright on her face.

Then they were peppered with electroshock discs and the world went black.





Chapter 31


Lindsey’s head pulsed painfully as she opened her eyes. At first, the world was blurry and surreal, then her vision adjusted. She was lying on a medbed and only clad in her black jumpsuit. Her armor, helmet and pack were gone. Swiping her wristlet, she saw it was locked down.

Across from her, Torran was still unconscious on another medbed. The room was white, sparse, and had three medbeds. The third was empty and it took her a second to realize they were not alone.

“MacDonald was hit a few more times than you were,” Dr. Curran said, stepping into the room from a small sanitation station in one corner. “He’ll take a little more time to recover.”

“Where are we?” Lindsey sat up sluggishly, her head swimming.

“It’s called the Louvre Rescue Center. We’re on the top floor. It’s secure. The Scrags can’t get through the bulkhead doors. We have roof access, which is how we got in.” Dr. Curran was still dressed in her Sci-tech uniform, and the bun on the back of her head looked a little ragged. Dark circles were under her eyes and there was a nasty bruise on her jaw.

Lindsey tried to drop her legs over the edge of the bed, but realized they were shackled to the frame. “Oh, nice.” She tugged at the heavy restraints, but comprehended quickly that there was no way she’d pry them off without tools.

“They’re not certain how you’ll react, so they’re taking precautions,” Dr. Curran explained.

Motioning at the scientists face, she said, “Is that what that is? A precaution?”