64. CHAPTER 64
Kira
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
Warmth blanketed the still air of the night, a gift as Kira and Zayne quietly crawled through the grass of the prison yard. A tall wall blocked the large yard, with guard towers every twenty feet. Bright lights flooded the perimeter, spotlights cutting through the darkness.
The journey out of the prison hadn't been as frightening as Kira expected. Zayne timed each move perfectly so they walked and paused to avoid detection, relying on the cameras he took over to navigate.
Outside proved more challenging. They crawled through a natural ditch to a security door at one of the guard towers.
Zayne said any other path might catch the spotlights or too much of the natural moonlight.
Crawling across the ground, especially in a soggy ditch, exhausted Kira within a minute.
She also worried about the movement waking Pumpkin, even though she didn't stir on Kira's back.
Zayne kept pace beside her, nudging her feet with his when she forgot to use her toes and relied too much on her knees, or encouraging her to lower to the ground if she rose too high.
It made sense that soldiers spent all that time on exercises crawling because this was brutal.
Her shoulders burned so badly as she continued.
If she wore the pack and gear Zayne did, she wouldn't have made it more than a few feet.
Her arm brushed Zayne's as she dragged herself forward another foot, working hard not to breathe too loudly. Still, the door looked so far away.
He put a hand up and paused. “Rest,” he whispered.
If they were going to continue to end up in these situations together, then Kira needed some serious training.
The break felt incredible on her sore muscles.
She wanted to groan when Zayne started crawling again.
As she pressed her toes into the ground to move, he grabbed her arm and dragged her a full foot forward.
He continued like that for a minute, crawling and dragging Kira alongside him to give her an extended break.
Her eyes caught his. “Thanks,” she mouthed.
He gave a smile she hardly caught in the dark.
They continued crawling together, resting again once Kira breathed too heavily. Once again, after the break, Zayne dragged her beside him, saving her from grueling yards of a low crawl that her body had never trained for.
When they finally reached the wall, she melted into the ground. Never again. No more crawling. Even her toes hurt.
Zayne motioned for her to stay and then unlocked the door, closing it behind him. How did he have the energy to walk after that? It was probably easy for him, but Kira couldn't imagine it. Definitely time for her to work on her endurance.
She pressed her ear against the door, hearing Zayne talking. He asked a question about whether the guard saw anything unusual. But it was interrupted by a grunt and scuffling. Then quiet.
The door opened, and she held her breath until she saw Zayne, unharmed.
Inside, a soldier lay unconscious on the ground. Or at least, she hoped he was just unconscious.
Oh, good, he must have been because Zayne stuffed his mouth and cuffed him.
Zayne sat down at the computer and typed. The exterior door made a clicking sound. He lifted the radio next. “Sensor alpha 329 picked up a possible bird. Check and report back.”
“Copy.” Came the call.
“Let's go,” Zayne said. “Stay quiet and close.”
He opened the door, checking before he stepped out. Kira remained at his side, walking briskly with him into the trees.
“A mile southeast, Brock will meet us with a van. That'll take us to the coordinates where the United will pick us up. All we need to do is make it there. We have the area cleared and are controlling the communications.”
“So that's it?” Kira asked. “We just broke out of the most heavily guarded prison in the empire?”
“It wasn't as easy as it looked. Without my clearance, we wouldn't have made it out of your hall. Everything was about timing. It still is.”
The fear lessened as they rushed through the woods together, more distance growing between her and that oppressive prison.
“Half a mile to go. We're making good time.” Zayne pulled a branch back for her.
So tiring. Her muscles were sore from crawling, still.
Kira stepped over a log when Zayne caught her arm and pushed her toward a tree.
Her fear spiked. She remembered the soldiers trying to kill her and how quickly it all happened.
The round light of a flashlight shot right into her eyes.
“Freeze,” a man said.
Kira squinted to see a gun aimed at Zayne, while his fingers only brushed his weapon. This couldn't be happening. Everything was going so well.
What could she do? How could she help?
The light lowered some while the man walked closer.
“Sergeant Riven?” the soldier asked.
Zayne's expression dropped. “Graves?”
The gun still pointed right at his chest. It was all Kira could see.
“I heard there was an intruder. A soldier and a prisoner.” The light rose back up to Kira. “A prisoner with red hair...”
Someone found them and shared it over the radio? But Zayne said they were in control of all communication.
“You're aiming a weapon at me. Are you insane?” Zayne stepped away from Kira without moving any closer to Graves, simply opening up distance from her.
Kira gripped the capsule in her pocket. If she used the Pixi Dust, it might distract him. But he might get scared and shoot. Her fist tightened, trembling. What should she do?
Graves' gun tracked Zayne. “Just hold still.”
He glanced at Kira and toward the trees. She didn't want to hide and leave him exposed. But this was his world. Guns and war and terror he apparently no longer felt because he looked so calm. Biting her cheek until she tasted blood, Kira very slowly stepped closer to cover.
“You've had a hard time since Bluehaven. We all have.” Zayne lifted a hand toward him, and Graves flinched. “It can make us paranoid.”
“I'm not paranoid. I heard the radio call. I'm really sorry, sir. I'm sorry for pointing a gun at you, but this is protocol. I need you both on your knees, with your hands up. We'll get this sorted.”
“That's fine.” Zayne stood ten feet away from Kira now, and a little closer to Graves if she wasn't mistaken. “I'll cover for you with my father. He's not going to like this, and I don't want you looking bad after the Bluehaven report.”
“That's… I know how I looked. I know I panicked. I'm not panicking this time.” He breathed harder than a minute ago. “Is this a test? Is that what's happening? You all want to know if I can stay level-headed and stick to protocol?”
“No.” Zayne sounded cold as ice again. “I'm carrying out an important mission for the Phaedra, and you're interfering.”
The light was shaking. Graves' words came faster. “Just give me a minute to think. I was told the intruder is armed and dangerous. Shit. Shit!”
Kira gripped the capsule. That soldier was definitely panicking, and his gun still pointed at Zayne's heart. They needed to do something now.
Who warned him on the radio, and why didn't other soldiers rush them?
A sick feeling twisted her stomach. If Kira scared him, the chances were too high that he'd fire on Zayne.
She needed to do something, but right now, staying calm and quiet was the safest option.
Fear built inside of her until she almost screamed Zayne's name.