Avenged (Altered #2)(45)

“Fields.” Jeremy reached into his pocket, without stopping, and offered the walkie-talkie that Kitty must have left there. “Check.”

The defensiveness, the hint of the chip on Jeremy’s shoulder…that had been perfect. Nick didn’t know if Kitty had done that herself or if that had been Jeremy’s attitude coming through, but either way, it worked. The other man waved Jeremy off.

“It’s fine. I don’t have time to check up on you.” He spat, and his friend laughed. As they continued down the hall, Nick listened. “Asshole.”

Jeremy had made a name for himself here, too.

They wound their way through the labyrinth of hallways in the building. It wasn’t as densely populated as he’d expected. Not as busy as the original compound, anyway. They passed a few more guards dressed in combat gear, as well as two men and a woman dressed in white jackets. Jeremy led them past a bank of laboratories and a row of mostly empty offices. The place had a packed up feel about it, like his temporary military apartments right before he moved.

A place this size should have more people. Fields must really be on the outs with Goldstone.

Kitty had been right. There was no way they would have found their way out of here on their own. He wasn’t going to ask her how she was guiding them, though, because her entire body was tight and a bead of sweat had formed at her temple.

He hated standing next to her, unable to help. He stepped closer, determined to be ready, if she needed him.

Finally, after the longest walk of his life, they reached the front desk, where two guards sat in front of a metal detector and a double set of glass doors. They relaxed. One even leaned back with his feet propped up on the desk, his hands behind his head.

“Prisoners for transport.” Again, Jeremy’s voice sounded strange to Nick’s ears. He hoped no one else knew Jeremy well enough to recognize how weird he was acting.

“What?” The closest guard sat up from where he’d been lounging and opened a binder in front of him. “The prisoners aren’t authorized for transport. Who sent you up here?”

The other guard leaned closer, studying them, his gaze becoming suspicious. Kitty’s eyes closed, and she gritted her teeth. Jeremy’s face contorted, as if he was trying to move his mouth but his lips were stuck closed.

Then, Kitty cried out, her hands covering her ears.

Jeremy was free, and she crumbled to her knees.

His heart in his throat, Nick sprang forward to keep Kitty falling to the ground and froze Jeremy and the two guards at the same time.

He’d become a damn multitasker.

They were at the door. He’d take it from here.

With a quick thought, he ripped the zip-ties from their wrists. No need to keep up the pretense of being tied any longer. He cradled Kitty against him. Her breathing was heavy, like she’d run a long way.

“Oh my.” She sighed. “That was difficult.” She sounded exhausted, and his concern ratcheted up 100 percent.

“You did a good job.” Grimly, he scanned the room. They needed to get out of here. Fast. How?

Kitty pushed away from him and shrugged off his hands when he tried to help. She wobbled on her feet before she steadied herself, then she stumbled to the door and attempted to open it. “They’re locked,” she gasped. “Any release button that you see?”

He hopped the desk, pushing the guard in his way to the side. The guy tumbled over, like a domino. Nick leaned over, running his fingers under the desk. There, under the rim of the desk, was a red button. “You think this red button is the door?”

Kitty paused, listening. “No. Alarm.”

“Good to know.” He continued traveling his fingers along. “Any of them thinking about the door?” Someone had to give them something.

She glared at them all. “It’s there.” She pointed to the wall. “The door release is there.”

“Got it.” He triggered the door, hopping back over the desk as Kitty opened it. “Thanks,” he offered to the frozen guards.

Cold air burst in. They must still be in the north. He backed through the door, keeping his gaze on the three frozen men in the makeshift lobby. “They’re going to fall as soon as I can’t see them.”

“We need to hurry.”

Nick couldn’t agree more. In his periphery, he scanned the gravel parking spaces. There was a sedan, a Hummer, and a truck. To the side, a helicopter rested on a solo helicopter pad. There was a garage to the far side as well. He didn’t think it was empty.

“Let’s go.” He waited for the door to latch closed, then he busted the lock, forcing it in with a heave of his mind. Hopefully that would jam the door, buy them a minute. Any minute counted.

He gathered Kitty to his side. She leaned heavy into him. Then, he dropped the men inside. As fast as he could, he ran with her to the Hummer. Kitty stumbled around to the passenger side as he yanked on the door handle. Predictably, it was locked. A siren began to wail from the building behind them.

Nick rammed his elbow into the glass window. The thick jumpsuit protected his skin. The window shattered inward, exploding on the driver’s seat, and the car alarm sounded. Reaching inside, he unlocked the door and threw it open. Skidding across the seat, he unlocked Kitty’s side before reaching under the wheel.

“They’re coming. I can hear them.” She crawled into the passenger side, slamming the door behind her.