The Masked Truth(15)

“Good, then we won’t have to invite you.”

I get to my feet.

“Seriously,” Gideon says. “You’re going to let her go? That’s sexist.”

Brienne sighs.

“No, really,” Gideon says. “You set two girls free first. We’re told we aren’t supposed to do that anymore—women and children first—so I object.”

“This isn’t a democracy, boy,” X-Files says.

“I still object. It’s racist too.”

“Racist?” X-Files snorts. “Releasing the Latino girl instead of the white boy?”

“Exactly. You’ve freed two minorities in a row.”

“Um, Sandy was Italian,” Maria says.

“Is there a reason we’re listening to this moron?” Aaron says. “Go, Riley.”

I take another step, and Gideon lunges at me. I see him out of the corner of my eye, and I react. I spin and hit him. It’s not a punch. Not even a boxing jab. The only martial art I know is fencing, so my response is to swing my arm and wallop him.

Gideon stumbles. Then, with a roar, he charges me. Aaron grabs him. He yanks Gideon away and throws him aside, and when the smaller boy recovers, he’s face to face with Max. Gideon swings. Max staggers back fast, his hands up, saying, “No, no, no,” this look on his face … Max who had a gun on him earlier and never flinched, and now this boy—six inches shorter than him—is taking an awkward swing and Max reacts as if Gideon is throwing a hand grenade.

Gideon spins on Aaron, who mutters, “Thanks, buddy,” to Max. Gideon charges, and I glance over at our captors, expecting them to do something, but they’re standing there, watching, and I can’t see their faces with the masks, but their eyes look amused. No, entertained. Just standing back, chilling and watching the rumble along with everyone else. Everyone except Maria, who’s at the desk, going through the drawers. When she sees me watching, she motions she’ll be careful.

Max has moved halfway across the room, as if to make damned sure he doesn’t get pulled into the brawl. Aaron and Gideon are still going at it. It’s obvious Aaron knows how to fight. Gideon does not. Aaron is only defending himself, but I can tell he’s getting frustrated, and a few of his blows hit hard. Gideon is hopped up on adrenaline and just keeps going back for more, until X-Files finally moves forward and says, “Okay, kid. Fun’s over.” He grabs the back of Gideon’s shirt. Gideon swings, and for once, his fist actually connects.

X-Files falls back with an oomph, then “You little brat,” and I’m on Gideon in a heartbeat. I don’t think. I just grab him to pull him away, and then I see the knife. X-Files pulls out a blade and the light shines off that razor-sharp edge and … and I drop Gideon. I don’t mean to, but someone grabs me, one arm around my waist, and yanks me away from the younger boy. Before I can twist to see who it is, the hand is gone and X-Files is snarling and Aaron is running toward Gideon. I shout, “No!” but Aaron tackles Gideon, knocking him face-first to the floor. And, thankfully, X-Files eases back.

“Let him go,” I say, and Aaron gives me this look of Huh? I say, “I mean, let Gideon leave in my place. Just get him out of here. Please.”

“Is that an order, Miss Riley?” X-Files raises the knife as he turns on me.

“No,” I say quickly. “I-I’m just suggesting. Asking. Can he— May he take my place?”

I expect him to give me the same line he did earlier with Max, about not wanting to reward bad behavior, but he grunts, “Fine. Get out of here, boy. He’ll take—”

He turns to Predator, and as he does, there’s a blur behind the guy in the Cantina alien mask. It’s Maria. She has something in her hand, something long and metal, and she’s been slipping up behind Cantina. Now she runs toward him, weapon raised … and Cantina shoots her. He shoots her point-blank, and she flies back, and there’s blood, just the smallest spray, and that’s what I think about in that moment. There should be more blood.

Then I hear whimpering, and I realize it’s me, and I clap both hands over my mouth to stop and someone grabs me from behind, pulling me back, the same arms as before, holding me tight as I shake so hard I can hear my teeth chatter, a voice whispering, “It’s all right,” but it’s not all right, Maria is lying on the floor, the white lettering on her T-shirt spattered red, and she’s not moving. God help me, she isn’t moving.

I push off the arms and run to Maria. I hear a shout of No! It’s Aaron and I think he’s telling me not to go to her. Then I see Gideon jumping Cantina. He grabs for the gun, and everyone’s shouting, Lorenzo and Aaron telling Gideon to stop, just stop, X-Files yelling that Gideon damned well better stop or he’s going to get a bullet through—

The gun fires. It’s a suppressed shot, like the first, but still far from silent. Cantina jerks back, his eyes wide. I see the gun, both of their hands on it, blood spreading across Cantina’s stomach. Gideon is turning, and everything comes in incredible slow motion, sound off, their mouths opening, nothing coming out, nothing that penetrates my terror. Gideon turns, and Lorenzo runs between him and X-Files, and Gideon fires. Lorenzo goes down. Then X-Files aims and—

Arms grab me again. The same ones as before. I struggle madly. My brain fires in every direction, thoughts going everywhere, paralyzing me. Get to Maria. No, stop X-Files. Do something. Just do something.