Mom taps Zeke on the shoulder. “Let’s stay focused, Mister Ryder. We need to get ready to head outside.”
If Mom’s calling him Mister Ryder, that means he’s driving her crazy. I curl my mouth into a Cheshire cat grin. Welcome to the end of her comments on how I should have dated Zeke.
The Oligarchy frown. “Your plan is flawed. Maxon Bane is dead.”
I bite my lower lip, thinking. “Armageddon smells Scala power. As long as he doesn’t see me, he’ll think the Scala’s nearby. It should work.”
Lincoln smiles. “It’s genius.” He bows slightly to my mother. “Excellent addition to our little operation.”
“Thank you.” Mom’s voice is level; she’s in Senator mode now. “We’ll say we knew of his plan and have prepared for a counter-attack.” My stomach goes all goopy with pride. It’s so freaking cool to see Senator Lewis live and in action.
Mom points to a spot along the back of the room. “There’s a secret exit behind those shelves. It opens to the great dune behind the rock wall. We’ve checked the periscope. Armageddon’s troops are deployed on the low sands in front of the wall. If you stay behind the dune, you’ll be hidden.”
I picture Mom, Cissy, and Zeke facing Armageddon. My mouth droops into a frown. “I don’t know Mom, that’s too dangerous for you guys.”
Zeke shrugs. “It’s a lot less dangerous than sending you out there alone.”
Lincoln nods. “He’s right.”
I scratch my neck, trying to think of every contingency. This is all going so fast, we’re bound to leave a stone or two unturned. My gaze lands on the four ghouls seated across from me. Those four blockheads certainly need some extra consideration. “And what about leaving the Oligarchy here. You know, by themselves?” I don’t trust them alone for five seconds.
Verus takes to her feet. “Levi and I will remain in the bunker with WRD-7 to ensure the Oligarchy finalize the treaty and–” She takes a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. “Maintain their focus.”
The Oligarchy turn to face Verus. “We shall never waver.”
In a miracle of self-restraint, I stop my eye roll before it starts. Sure, you guys would never waver.
Lincoln gives my hand another squeeze. “What do you say? Do we have a plan?”
I scan the faces in the room, everyone appears set and focused. Closing my eyes, I take a quick internal inventory. I’m jacked up on nervous energy, but that’s typical before a fight, comforting even. “Yeah, let’s get rolling.”
Mom heads to the bunker’s exit with Cissy and Zeke behind her. Meanwhile, Lincoln and I explore the shelves along the back wall. It doesn’t take us long to find the panel that Mom told us about. With a light shove, the shelves easily slide away, revealing a low and dark tunnel in the concrete wall.
Here we go.
Dropping onto my hands and knees, I crawl inside the darkened hole. Lincoln follows closely behind me. Sensing him nearby—feeling his movements in sync with mine—steadies my frayed nerves. Forever ekes by as we scramble inside the passageway, following a never-ending series of turns and straightaways. Finally, we reach a panel of sand at the tunnel’s end. Dim light reflects through the granules. My heart jumps into my throat. We’re close to the surface.
I set my fingertips inch-deep into the sand. It’s warm and fine. An odd calm flows through me as my mind captures every aspect of this moment, taking a kind of picture that I may treasure (or be haunted by) for the rest of my life. I’m outside myself, knowing that I pause at the tunnel’s end, about to test my new powers, and with so much at risk. After that, the moment’s gone, collapsing into one great crush of nerve-jangling panic. My fingers tremble in the sand. The best thing I can do is move on. Fast.
Gritting my teeth, I press my body through the sand and emerge onto the Gray Sea beyond. A fierce wind howls through my ears and whips my hair about. Low gray clouds hang overhead. The stench of sulfur hangs in the air. I belly-crawl to the top of the dune with Lincoln close beside me. We lay side-by-side on the warm sand and peep over the lip of ridge.
My breath catches. The scene before us can’t be real. About twenty yards below, hundreds of demons are arrayed in concentric circles on the desert floor. Armageddon stands off to one side, his tall body leaning against the black stone wall. At least he’s far enough away that I don’t feel his aura of terror. I swallow past the tightness in my throat.