Chapter 42 Emery #2
Cameron is already at my back, Damian and Gage beside him. They wrapped his knee up tightly so it’s more stable without the tendon being attached. Hopefully the cane will give him enough support to walk. My chest warms at the sight of the three of them. We made it this far.
I grin and extend the cane to Cam. He stares at it for a few seconds, considering something unknown to me, but he slowly reaches out and takes it, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Thank you, love.”
I take a few steps back and look him up and down. The cane is perfect for his height. It looks out of place with his tactical gear, but once he’s dressed in civilian clothes, it will be perfect. “It suits you,” I say warmly.
Cam shrugs. “It’s not bad.”
Gage remains on his side in case he needs the support. I return my attention to Reed, who’s ordering his guards around. He has something big planned, I can tell by the way he excitedly taps his fingers against his thighs.
Reed must feel my eyes because he turns and flashes a grin at us before walking over.
“Excellent work, Emery.” He makes it sound like I planned on crying my eyes out in front of everyone and I didn’t think Cam was actually going to die.
“My surveillance crew let me know that your dear lieutenant has finally arrived and is waiting on the outer rim of the city where Fury is to exit.” Reed’s pupils are blown wide and a manic grin spreads over his lips.
“He’s going to tell you all that you’re free and then walk you a mile out where the Ri?t Squad is waiting to execute you. ”
Silence stretches out among our group. I take in Reed’s gear again.
“What if we’re actually earning our cards out, though?” Damian says hopefully. I shut my eyes and shake my head. He knows that’s not what’s happening.
Gage looks at all of us like we’re insane. I hope he takes this well.
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Gage looks at Cameron, his brows pinching with trepidation.
“Gage, we don’t have time to explain everything, but you have to trust us on this. Erik and Nolan are planning on having the Fury Squad executed.” Cameron pauses to cough. “We need to listen to Reed.”
Damian nods silently, looking worried that Gage won’t believe us.
“Why would Ri?t just execute an entire squad? This makes no sense!” Gage fists his hair, a hysterical laugh creeps up his throat. “Who the fuck is this guy anyway?”
I gently set my hand on Gage’s forearm and give him a sympathetic look.
“Reed is my childhood friend, mentor, and trusted comrade. He’s the smartest man I know.
We can trust him,” I say firmly, staring into Gage’s eyes until I see him give in.
I leave out that Reed is a world-class sociopath and will kill anyone if it puts him in a place of power—where he wants to be.
“Ri?t is going to do whatever the fuck they’re told because they believe they’re only hunting down and executing soldiers who’ve turned and are integrated in bad shit.
The underworld,” Reed explains, kicking Greg’s slick shoe for emphasis.
“Nolan dishes out whatever list of names he wants, and then they do his bidding.”
Gage’s face drains of blood. “No questions asked?”
Reed laughs. As if any of this is funny. I glower at him.
“Think about it. Have you ever argued with your superiors? Do you have any clue whether the information they’re feeding you is accurate or not?
Or are you just doing it because you’re ordered to?
Just because you made it out of the godforsaken Under Trials you think you’re safe now?
News flash. You’re all just guinea pigs.
” Reed’s voice turns vile. I guess this stuff really does make him angry.
I knew there was good in him, even if it’s wicked and corrupt and hidden behind an agenda.
Reed pulls out a syringe and grabs Cameron’s forearm, injecting him with a clear liquid.
Cam doesn’t even blink. “This one is the anti-agent. You’d be dead in an hour without it.
You see the black veins that keep spreading through your arm?
Once that hits your heart you would’ve been dead. ” Reed sounds nonchalant.
If I never have to watch Cameron get another shot, it will be too soon.
“Where did you get that?” I ask, noticing that Cam’s already perking up a bit and the darkness in his veins is fading.
Reed lifts a brow at me, his gaze softening. “It was in your lieutenant’s vest pocket.”
Erik had it? Why didn’t he give it to Cameron to hold on to then? Why was Reed close enough to swipe it from Erik’s pocket? My blood chills. Reed is someone Erik trusts, or at least thought he could.
“He only planned on giving it to Mori if he followed through on his direct orders from Captain Bridger.” Reed’s gaze hardens as he looks at Cameron.
I flinch, looking at my broken soldier. “What direct orders?” My voice bleeds with hurt.
Cameron flexes his jaw as guilt moves over his expression. “I was ordered to terminate the squad after Greg was executed. They wanted me to be the sole survivor and to become the sergeant for the Hades Squad.”
“Hades Squad?” Gage echoes, flashing me a worried look. Damian shushes him.
“They didn’t tell me what would happen if I didn’t do it.
But they didn’t need to. I already knew, thanks to Emery and Wraith.
I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to doubt me.
” Cameron lets his head drop with a long sigh.
“But I attacked you guys anyway, killed Wraith, and now…now I’m…
” He lets his words drift as emotion consumes him.
My brows knit and I fist my hands. “You couldn’t have known you’d attack us. That wasn’t you.”
He chuckles sadly. “That can’t keep being my excuse. Do you know how many comrades have died at my hands?” His voice breaks and he looks down at his palms.
“You stopped yourself, Cam. When I couldn’t do it…you”—I have to swallow the image of his lifeless body in my lap—“put an end to yourself to keep me safe.”
Cameron’s eyes widen and relief flickers through him.
Reed interjects with a cough. “We don’t have time to hash out whether or not we’re fucked-up murderers.
We’re all guilty of that, are we not?” he asks sharply, pointedly looking each of us in the eye.
When none of us respond, he gives us a curt nod.
“Exactly, now get Gage’s tracker sealed before we move out.
We’re going to make Erik think you’re all dead and send Mori out there to end him.
Once the lieutenant is dead, it’ll be a cakewalk from there. ”
Damian sets to wrapping the signal blocker Reed gave us last week around Gage’s tracker.
“What about Thomas?” Gage mumbles, brows pinched tightly with sorrow.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I heard those shots fired at him over the radio.
We haven’t heard a peep from him since. By deductive reasoning, it’s likely that he died from injuries, but he could just be passed out.
After the miracle Reed pulled, I’m not going to assume anyone’s dead yet.
I grimace thinking about the two of them. Wraith hadn’t fully earned my trust, but he was starting to grow on me. I didn’t want him to die.
Reed taps his arm. “We should check them both, just to be sure. I’m not one for leaving loose ends.” He’s thorough, always has been.
We collectively nod. Cameron’s sad eyes soak me in. I don’t have an ounce of will to be angry with him for keeping the order he was given from me. I tuck into his side and help him move as we file out of the room.
I spare one last glance at my father’s body. This forgotten place will become his tomb. A graveless place where his reign ended.