Keary Taylor - The Human

The Pulse was broken, and we had less than seventy-two hours until the Underground set off their hidden beacon.

And Avian was locked up like a criminal.

I had to do something. But what?

“Eve?” Tristan repeated.

“Okay,” I finally said.

I led him down into my room and locked the door behind me.

Out of view of everyone else, Tristan suddenly engulfed me in a hug. “You made it back okay then?”

“Yeah,” I answered, surprised at his bold move of affection. I patted his back awkwardly before he released me.

“I have to admit, I was worried I was sending you away to get ripped apart,” he said, his eyes dark. “Things started getting worse at the Underground after you left.”

“More break-ins?” I asked, my stomach hollowing out.

“Twice,” he nodded, his eyes turning to the window and the streets outside, like he didn’t quite believe that the city was actually cleared. “We got it the first time before anything happened. But we lost a soldier the second time.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. I truly was, despite what they had done to me. “Are you okay? Did they punish you after you let me go?”

This was when his eyes truly darkened. “That’s what I needed to talk to you about. They never questioned anyone after they discovered you were gone. But I kept getting all these knowing looks. They knew it was me, Eve. But they never said a word. They acted like they expected this, like they might have even planned your escape.”

I was quiet for a moment, digesting what this would possibly mean. “They wanted me to get out of there.”

Tristan nodded. “And I think they wanted you to get back quickly. Those were Alistar’s keys I took. To his motorcycle. I didn’t think about it at the time, but I found them just outside my door. They looked like they had been dropped there by accident. But I don’t think it was any mistake. I don’t think Margaret is quite finished with you, Eve.”

My blood turned cold as I met Tristan’s eyes again. A shaky hand rose to my head, running along my scalp. There was now very short fuzz covering my skin. “Something has been happening,” I whispered. “I keep having these head-splitting headaches. Blackouts that follow.”

“I have little doubt that it is because of them,” he shook his head. “Something is going to happen.”

“Margaret was obsessed with the Pulse,” I said. “I guarantee this has something to do with it.”

“That’s what cleared the city for you?” he asked.

I nodded. “She was livid when we told her we wouldn’t use it when she was down here those few weeks ago. She’s trying to force us to use it.”

“I suggest you tell your people to have it ready.” His eyes were dark and serious and regretful.

I shook my head this time, my eyes falling to the ground. “You just missed the earthquake. They hid the Pulse after the Underground took me. But it got damaged. There’s no way it will work. And I have no idea how long it will take to fix.”

Tristan swore under his breath.

All the information I’d learned, all the secrets and lies tumbled through my head, as if on repeat.

“Tristan,” I whispered, my blood going cold. I froze, my gaze locking with his. “What if I’m the trigger?”

His face blanched. I could see the gears swirling in his head as things started to fall into place. “That’s the reason they wanted you to escape.”

“They put the trigger in my head and sent me back. What if I’ve already started some kind of countdown?”

“Then we’re all in for a load of trouble,” Tristan said in a low growl.

“Come on,” I said, darting for the door. “We’ve got to tell Royce and Gabriel.”

The two of us sprinted back to the staircase. We exploded onto the sixth floor and I started pounding on the door to the conference room.

“Royce!” I bellowed. “I have to talk to you now or we’re all going to be dead!”

The door was yanked open and Royce’s expression was livid. “I do not have time to deal with your love mess, Eve,” he hissed in my face. “Avian shot someone, I can’t ignore…”

“I think I’m the trigger,” I interrupted him, pushing my way past him into the room. “I’m going to set the beacon off, if I haven’t already set off some kind of countdown.”

Everyone in the room finally froze and every gaze locked on me.

“This is Tristan,” I said, holding a hand out toward him where he stood just outside the door. I waved him in. “He was the one who helped me escape and brought West back. He has something you need to hear.”

I had to respect Tristan. There was no hesitation or intimidation in him. He launched into the story he’d told me. How this had all been a set up.

“It makes sense,” I said, shaking my head when Tristan was done. “These blackouts I’ve been having, they have to have something to do with them. They wanted me to get home and get home quickly.”

“I’d say let’s put you on an ATV and get you far away from here, but what if you’ve already initiated a countdown?” Elijah said.

“We have to evacuate the city,” Royce growled, glaring at me. “With how much smarter and more aggressive the Hunters have gotten, the wireless transmission system might not be enough to keep them out of the hospital. Even if it is on lockdown.”

“The water,” Tristan said, his hands on his hips. “Most of the Bane won’t even get near it. You head out into the water and you’ll be safe.”

“We can’t just abandon the hospital though,” Gabriel said, his brow furrowing. “We’ll survive out on the water for a while, but we’re going to have to come back to land. We have to get the Pulse back up and running and that’s not going to happen if we’re all hiding on a ship off the coast.”

“Thank you for your information, Eve,” Royce said, again glowering at me. He placed a hand on both of my shoulders and maneuvered me toward the door.

“Wait a second—” I started fighting.

“You’ve caused enough trouble for one day,” he said, shoving me toward the door and then pushing Tristan towards it as well. “Leave the plotting to the grown-ups.”

He closed the door in our faces.

“Royce!” I yelled, pounding on the door. “Gabriel!”

No one replied.

“Eve,” a voice called down from the hall. I turned to see Bill, marching toward us with a shotgun in hand. “Leave them alone. Never thought I’d be called for backup with you as a threat.”

“You’re here because of me?” I said, my voice livid.

“Elijah radioed me up to escort you away from this floor,” he said, regret in his eyes.

I shook my head, clenching my jaw. “I assume you’ve heard about all the drama?” I asked as I reluctantly walked away from the door, Tristan in our wake.

Bill nodded.

“Any idea how Nick is doing?” I asked.

“He’s in surgery,” Bill said, shaking his head. “It doesn’t look very good.”

I swore under my breath, closing my eyes for a moment.

“Avian really freaked out like that?” Bill asked, the disbelief obvious in his voice.

It took me a moment to nod. The whole scene hadn’t seemed real. “Avian’s never been a violent person. Never.”

“I assume that’s the guy you’re involved with?” Tristan asked.

“Yeah,” I responded as we entered the stairway. “Any idea what they’re going to do with him?”

Bill shook his head. “Royce has him locked up on the fourth floor for now. He said something about determining his fate when we learn Nick’s.”

I swallowed hard. What had Avian been thinking?

“What about West?” I asked as we descended the stairs.

“He’s in the hospital wing right now,” Bill responded as we exited on the main level. “Avian banged him up pretty bad, but Dr. Stone is patching him up.”