Chapter Nine
“You’re not serious,” Gemma said. “We can’t leave him here.”
“Then, by all means, stay with him,” Colton snarked.
Christian shook his head. “We’re not leaving Gemma by herself to protect Alfie.”
“Then you can stay too.”
“Okay, stop,” Hawk interrupted. “That’s enough. This is obviously a team-building exercise, and we are failing miserably. So, here’s what’s going to happen.”
“Who put you in charge?” Imara cocked a hip.
“Just let him talk.” Christian rubbed his forehead.
“Thank you.” Hawk smiled at Christian before turning his attention back to the group.
“Gemma obviously knows medical stuff, so we do need her to stay here and keep Alfie alive. Christian, you’re the best shot, so you stay here and keep them alive.
Colton, Imara, and I will go find this stupid flag and end this blasted test.”
“See,” Colton drawled. “That’s exactly what I said. I should be in charge.”
Imara glared at him.
“How will we know when you’ve got it?” Christian asked.
Hawk shrugged. “Either the test ends, or we’ll meet you back here.”
Gemma sighed. “Fine. Just . . . nobody else get hurt or die, okay?”
“Aw, she cares about me after all. So sweet,” Colton said, smirking when Gemma flipped him off.
Rolling her eyes, she stormed off to check on Alfie.
After gathering more ammunition and supplies, Imara, Hawk, and Colton began their trek across the decimated field. Gemma shook her head, sighing heavily as she slid down the stone wall.
This is a terrible idea.
Christian crouched in front of her, opening a circular metal bottle that he must’ve found in one of the black supply bags. “Give me your hands.”
Gemma hesitantly obeyed.
He poured water over her palms and tore a strip of fabric from his trousers’ leg to wipe away Alfie’s blood.
When he reached for her rings, though, Gemma snatched her hands away. If he misplaced her poison one, everything would be over. All the plans she and Reymond had made over the last three years. All the hours of work she’d spent in the mines.
Redemption for her sister.
“It’s all right. I won’t lose them,” Christian said, his hands raised. “Just figured you didn’t want Alfie’s blood caked under them.”
Gemma took a deep breath and tried to still her racing heart. We’re in a simulator. Her real rings were on her real hands. She could allow him to take care of her the way she’d taken care of so many over the course of her life.
Her head sagging against the wall, she let Christian remove both her fibroglass and poison rings and work meticulously to clean as much of the drying, sticky blood off her hands. He was so gentle, taking his time to make sure no residue was left behind.
“Family heirloom?” He’d finished with Gemma’s hands and proceeded to clean her rings.
She shifted her position, her scalp prickling. “Something like that.”
Gemma watched closely as he switched out one ring for the other, and she almost sat on her hands to keep from pouncing at the jewelry, despite knowing they weren’t real.
He set the fabric down, picked up Gemma’s hands, and slipped both rings back onto her fingers, pausing to brush the back of her hand with his thumb before letting go.
His light touch helped Gemma relax, and the ill feeling in her stomach dissipated.
She glanced at Alfie, who was still unconscious but breathing despite his blood loss. If Hawk, Imara, and Colton found that flag soon, they might pass this test after all.
Christian rinsed off his own hands before finding a spot against the wall next to Gemma. He lay his rifle across his lap and leaned his head back against the stone.
The atmosphere around them was so quiet now; not even a whisper of wind passed through the rubble. She was so used to noise that the silence was deafening.
“How’d you learn to shoot like that?” Gemma asked, needing to break the stillness.
“I was on the hunting team.”
Impressive. They were the people responsible for the scarce bits of real meat flowing through Perileos’ streets.
Gemma tipped her head. “But I thought the hunters mostly used traps. Aren’t guns illegal in Perileos?”
“Yes.”
“Then how are you so good at shooting?”
The muscles in Christian’s jaw flexed. “It’s a long story.”
Gemma pursed her lips. She shouldn’t care about her teammates’ skills and histories. It was none of her business, just like her past was none of theirs.
Christian looked at her, anticipating her next question, and the setting sun illuminated the gold flecks in his hazel-green eyes so vibrantly that Gemma’s stomach danced.
She cleared her throat. “I should check on Alfie.”
Her teammate was only a few steps away, but Gemma needed the distance from Christian if she was going to keep herself from swooning. Distractions, no matter how handsome, were not part of the plan.
Alfie’s pulse was still weak but steady, which comforted Gemma. However, his skin was clammy. Not a good sign.
Gemma frowned. Imara, Hawk, and Colton needed to hurry. Alfie had lost too much blood.
“This simulation feels way too real,” Gemma spoke under her breath. If they died here, would they also die in real life?
Hours passed until the sun finally set, and a single, full moon lit up the sky. It was odd seeing only one. Gemma was used to two.
This sky was also filled with more stars than she’d seen on her journey to Zion. Whichever planet this simulation resembled, it wasn’t enveloped by an asteroid belt. The stars that filled this sky had to come from at least hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.
And they were glorious.
Likewise, the temperature here was completely different. Reva was so close to their blue sun that it was never cold. Here, on the other hand, Gemma shivered despite the heavy uniform she wore now that the sun had set.
Christian cracked an eye open to look at her. “Your teeth are chattering.”
“You’re observant.”
He smiled. “You can sit closer, you know. Body heat helps.”
Was that an invitation to cuddle? Gemma’s stomach flopped again.
Nope. Absolutely not. She was not going to sit closer to him.
Gemma checked on Alfie instead. He was still clammy, but his pulse was slower.
She tried to get him to wake up, to keep his heart rate and breathing from slowing fatally, but it was no use.
He likely wouldn’t come out of his unconscious state until they were out of this simulation.
All they could do now was wait and pray that Hawk and the others found that blasted flag in time.
As more time passed, Gemma grew colder. Trembling, she reluctantly gave in and scooted into Christian until their hips touched. She couldn’t do anything else to save Alfie now, so she might as well stay warm.
She leaned against Christian, her arms wrapped around her body as she tried to hold in as much of her own heat as she could.
Christian’s arm draped around her, tugging her in closer. “Thank you. I thought I was gonna freeze to death.”
Gemma smiled softly, her whole body quivering. He was right, though—body heat definitely helped. It was comforting to have his strong arm around her shoulders, holding her tight. This close, she could feel the firm muscles of his side, see the light stubble on his jawline, smell his musky shampoo.
Her stomach danced again. Stop it, Gemma.
A high-pitched whistle rang in her ears. She lifted her head to see where the sound was coming from—
And was snapped back to reality as if someone had punched out her stomach through her spine.
The electroglass lid of her sleep chamber hovered over her as she sucked in deep breaths, her pulse pounding in her ears. The air was hot and stifling. Bile burned in her throat. The space was too small. She needed to get out.
She needed to get out now.
Gasping for air, Gemma yanked the prongs out of her deltoids and shoved open the lid of her sleep chamber. Once there was enough room, she toppled over the side and landed on the ground with a thud. Her sweaty cheek and torso pressed against the cool metal surface as her pulse slowed.
The chill of the floor was intoxicating.
“The after-effects will wear off in a minute,” the android said. Both Imara and Colton swore at the AI from the opposite side of the room.
Gemma worked her way onto her feet and zipped up her jumpsuit before pushing her stray hairs off her face.
Christian and Hawk both paced the room, their hands on their heads, while Imara and Colton continued to lie on the floor. The two of them broke into fits of laughter.
“That was amazing,” Imara said. “Did you see that guy’s face?”
“There were brains everywhere!” Colton laughed.
“I take it you guys found the flag?” Christian asked, still panting.
“Oh, yeah. That was way too much fun,” Hawk replied, his brown eyes bright.
Gemma grinned softly, somewhat disappointed that she’d missed out on the excitement. But at least they had passed. That was most important. She was still one step closer to fulfilling her mission.
Gemma’s heart skipped a beat. Had they passed? The android hadn’t yet said anything, and there was someone who hadn’t gotten out of their sleep chamber yet.
Alfie.
Gemma rushed to his coffin. Please be here. Please be alive.
Alfie lay inside, his hands over his eyes, his chest rising and falling as he sobbed. She rocked back onto her heels, pressing a hand to her stomach.
He’d made it.
“Congratulations,” the android said. “Your team has successfully completed your first simulated trial. Please exit the room and proceed back to the cafeteria for lunch.”
For lunch? They’d been gone for at least twelve hours. The moon was out when they’d been sucked back to reality.
Gemma stared at the simulator and narrowed her gaze. Had they really only been in there for a short period of time?
“I don’t understand.” Hawk frowned, pointing to the machine with his thumb. “How long were we actually in that thing?”
The android replied, “You were in the simulator for five hours. It is typical to feel confusion upon your return.”
Confusion was a good word for it.
“You all right?” Christian asked Alfie after he’d climbed out of his chamber.
“Yeah,” he managed to get out between shaky breaths. “That was just too real.”
Colton snorted. “You can say that again.”
“Yeah, Imara accidentally kneed me in the groin, and I swear I can still feel it,” Hawk said.
“Who says it was an accident?” she quipped back, her eyes mischievous and her grin playful.
Hawk pushed her toward the door. “I will get you back. Just wait.”
“I’d like to see you try.” Imara sauntered into the hall, with Hawk on her heels.
Gemma shook her head as she and the rest of her team followed closely behind.