Chapter 35
“If you actually shoot one of us, you’ll make this a lot fucking harder on everyone, McMurphy.”
I skidded into the room, tucking the chip away, blocking out everything from the other room. I reached for my gun, drawing it without a second thought, and stopped short of my unit, giving myself space to aim. My body screamed to ensure everyone was unhurt, but my eyes locked on the threat.
Four suited bodies stood at the entrance, their weapons drawn. I adjusted my grip on my father’s pistol, the blood on my hand affecting my grasp. I had gone for my father’s gun, not the Force-issued one.
“If you shoot at them again, I won’t stop them from defending themselves,” the intruder in front said.
The man lowered his weapon as he removed his helmet.
Black hair and tan skin came into view as Kaleo looked us all over, scanning each of us.
He smirked. “So why don’t we lower our weapons and chat like old friends. ”
I clicked off the safety, adjusting my aim. I took a steadying breath, holding it. I’d pull the trigger. I’d bear the damage for the people in this room.
“Give me a reason,” Levi ground out. I blew out my breath as Levi positioned himself in front of Tristian. My eyes flew back to my target, holding my breath out.
“You’re a shit shot, Raven,” Kaleo drawled, his body relaxed even with the number of guns pointed at him.
“But I’ve sparred with you more than anyone else. I know which side you favor, your moves. I know you, Omen,” Levi drawled.
Kaleo rolled his eyes. “You did. You don’t anymore.
Plus, your sniper in the back will make the shot with that shit pistol in her hand before you even move.
” I took another grounding breath, my heart steady.
“While she makes the shot, mine will retaliate. Then we will all die. Which I guess would be a blessing. No paperwork.” Kaleo stared down Tristian as I released my breath, refusing to give panic a foothold.
Kaleo smiled. “But then what about the supplies. Everyone in Haven will die without them. Sweet Bretta.” Ingrid went rigid. “Henderson. Though he might die anyway; he’s sick.”
“But he was perfectly healthy when we left,” Damien said.
“According to the others he isn’t. So why don’t we just talk?”
“How do we know you won’t attack us the moment we lower our guns?” Levi demanded.
“No trust,” Kaleo tutted.
“That tends to happen when you help orchestrate a coup,” Tristian almost growled.
“How did you find us?” Patrick asked.
“I’ll show you,” Kaleo offered; he stopped, shooting a glare at Patrick.
“I’m reaching for my tablet. Don’t shoot me, McMurphy.
I know you’re quick to,” Kaleo said with a grin.
“Trigger.” Kaleo’s eyes danced as he placed his pistol on the ground, shucking off his bag.
My barrel followed his movement as I continued my measured breathing.
“You’re as good as they whisper, Death’s Angel,” Kaleo complimented as he observed me openly. He had been watching me.
I didn’t respond, didn’t waste my concentration.
Kaleo pulled out a radio like the ones we used, tossing it aside, then a tablet like the one I had seen in Burdon’s office. He typed in a series of numbers, tapping the screen before turning the device toward us. A concentration of dots appeared.
“We were in the Abyss, hunting you down, when all our suits started working. I pulled this out, and sure enough, whatever you all did lit up the map, our suits, the radios, and disarmed the traps. The Abyss is on here now. Command has the location of everything. If you were planning to use your knowledge of the supplies’ location as leverage to keep breathing, Hades… I fear it won’t help you.”
My barrel shook. Kaleo locked on the movement, grinning. “You don’t like that, do you? I suggest confessing your love to him now,” Kaleo advised. “Or we can all talk. If I don’t return in three days, Burdon will send out the Force, suits or not.”
“She wouldn’t put the Force at risk going above without suits,” Tristian said.
Kaleo rolled his eyes. “You underestimate her. You always have. It has allowed her to walk all over you. Still, you haven’t learned. Look, I’ll even go first. Lower your weapons,” Kaleo told the three suits behind him.
Slowly, they lowered their guns. I didn’t, and no one shifted in our unit. A safety clicked off. A scuffle of movement ricocheted off the stones as the smallest person among us ran at Kaleo, her arms wide. Time seemed to halt as Rumi stopped directly in front of Kaleo.
Shielding him.
My barrel dropped. My heart thumped recklessly in my chest. Kaleo shook his head, even as he leaned closer to Rumi, breathing her in.
“Rums,” Patrick uttered, his pistol dropping. The name of his partner, a question, a plea, a demand, leaving something broken behind. “I don’t—I—What—Rumi.” Patrick stumbled forward. His head swung between everyone, Unit Seven’s weapons raised at one of our own.
“Lower your weapons,” Patrick ordered, distraught as he stepped into the line of fire. “Lower your fucking weapons.”
Unit Seven shifted, hesitantly lowering their weapons. Kaleo moved his hand to Rumi’s waist, its placement one of intimacy, of a lover.
“Explain yourself,” Levi seethed.
“We’re your family,” Damien muttered.
“Rumi,” Tristian said quietly as if in answer.
“How could you?” Isla demanded.
“Why?” Ingrid asked.
Rumi didn’t flinch against the questions.
Her hand simply found the hand on her waist, fingers intertwining, and Kaleo’s shoulders relaxed, accepted it.
Was this a ploy? Was she playing Kaleo? Us?
Kaleo pressed his lips to the side of her head, and Rumi’s ever-observant eyes, that missed nothing, closed.
My thoughts descended into chaos. Rumi was a snake.
I had always known that. Saw the way she watched everyone and knew everything.
Find the snake. Was this who Kumar meant?
I lifted my pistol once more, even as my hands shook.
Would I withstand the damage of ending one of my own…
I didn’t lower my barrel. My shot clear.
Fury pulsed in my veins. My anger was nothing compared to Patrick’s.
“I trusted you,” ripped from Patrick’s mouth. “Tell me this is a lie, Rums.”
“This isn’t a lie, Patty,” Rumi confessed, laying out the brutal truth. “I’ve been lying to you.”
Patrick’s hand found his cross, or was it his heart he clutched at as he shook his head. “You stayed just to betray me?”
“No,” Rumi said quickly, staring only at Patrick. “We should talk.”
“About what?” Patrick heaved. “About how I found you in that fucking building ready to end it? That you couldn’t live knowing your mom and brothers hadn’t made it when you urged them to go ahead while you stayed with Sobo.
Talk about how I sat with you for a full fucking day while you debated on ending it and every day since.
That I told you about my sister, how I hadn’t made it in time to stop her—” Patrick choked, secrets spilling as he broke before us.
Rumi flinched against the words, but she didn’t look away.
Kaleo’s hand gripped her tighter. “How I swore on my sister’s memory I’d stay with you, by your side no matter what, if you just stayed.
You—we made a promise, Rumi. You’re my fucking family, my best friend, my partner.
Was that all a lie?” Patrick was screaming, his face red as the betrayal leveled him.
My heart ached for him as I held my pistol ready.
Kaleo placed his other hand on Rumi’s shoulder.
Some might see it as comfort. My training didn’t.
My barrel shook at the placement, at the intention behind it.
Kaleo’s hands on Rumi…he could spin her, exposing his back to us.
Shield her as she shielded him. This wasn’t for show, Rumi and Kaleo.
“None of that is a lie, Patty,” Rumi said as Kaleo moved closer to her, his grip tightening. “You’re my partner and my family.”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t trust you,” Patrick uttered, recoiling from his partner. “I don’t know you.”
“Ingrid, take Patrick out of here,” Tristian ordered. His eyes did not leave Rumi and Kaleo. Did he see what I saw? Patrick stood in shock, his face devastated. He didn’t fight as Ingrid grabbed him by the arm, leading him away.
He shot Rumi a look—one even time couldn’t erase the damage of. “I will never fucking forgive you for this.”
“I know,” Rumi said, swallowing. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care,” Patrick snarled, leaving the room.
They were barely out of sight when a loud thud rang out, and a strangled noise ripped from Patrick, leaking into the room, more wounded animal than human: the sound of a heart shattering.
Rumi stood holding Kaleo’s hand, her gaze vacant as Isla whipped from the door back to Rumi.
“It seems we have a lot to discuss,” Tristian broached calmly.
“We do,” Kaleo agreed. He didn’t remove his hands from Rumi.
A few heartbeats later, safeties clicked on and weapons were put away. I held mine steady.
“Is Henderson okay?” Tristian asked.
“I think so. He hasn’t been admitted to the Ward. I think he’d die in his quarters alone before risking the Force,” Kaleo told us. Damien shifted. “But I don’t know for sure. He might be trying to play a hero and get here.”
I stared at Tristian, whose first question was to assuage his unit’s fears. Kaleo released Rumi, turning to them.
“I want the helmets off before we start,” Tristian directed toward Kaleo.
Kaleo stood with his back to us, blocking Rumi as his hands ran over her shoulders and down her arms as he curled his hulking mass around her. Her face was empty. The noises coming from Patrick in the room beyond had started to quiet.