"If you knew what sort of men they are, you wouldn't feel sorry for them," I snap. I sound peevish, like I have something to prove, which is stupid. I don't need to defend my case to her, I just need her to get me Smyth's location.
She bites her lip as I use her badge again. I snuck in here, but we're going to walk out. I stole one of the downed security guard's badge, so it'll look like I'm just walking Dr. Zhao to her car.
When she gives the bodies another worried glance I take her arm. "Come on. We're wasting time." I lock her close to me. "Be cool, and you'll get out of this unharmed. I promise."
We walk swiftly out together. "Which car is yours?"
She points to a small blue compact car and I guide her there. Of course she drives a hybrid vehicle-one of those touted to be better for the environment. I took her keys earlier, along with her badge. As we approach I pop the locks.
That's when we hit trouble.
"Hey," someone calls down from the guard tower. "Have you heard from Matthias?"
I jerk my head no, guiding Layne to the driver's side.
"I need you to go in and check. Haven't heard from them in a few." He tries his walkie talkie again.
"Roger that." I duck my head as I open the door for Dr. Zhao and gesture for her to get in. Most of the security guards are human, but a few are mercenary shifters. Wolves, mostly.
Just my luck one is on duty tonight.
"Hey, is that Dr. Zhao?" he calls out. "They're saying she can't leave. Something about an illegal download of data from her lab."
I glance over to show I'm listening, trying to keep my movements natural. The wind kicks up. I see his eyes widen the moment he catches my scent.
"Stop right there." He unslings his machine gun, just as Dr. Zhao breaks from my side.
"Help," she cries, running towards him.
Of course, the asshole aims right for her.
"No," I shout, putting on a burst of speed to reach her before the guard shoots. I slam into her, knocking her to the side as the gun bursts above our heads. I pull my own tranq gun out and fire. The target drops and I waste no time hoisting my hostage from the ground and shoving her into the car. Shouts from all around tell me the other guards are mobilizing to take us down.
Covering the doctor's fragile human body with mine, I push her into the passenger seat and jump in beside her.
"Buckle up," I order, reversing as soon as the car is on. I stay in reverse, keeping myself between my passenger and the guard tower. A spray of gunfire hits us as we pass. Bullets punch the car but it keeps going.
"He shot at me," Dr. Zhao cries.
"No shit, sweetheart." I swerve the car around, heading for the gate. I've never used an economy fuel car in a getaway before. First time for everything.
"Why would he do that?"
"They thought you were stealing research."
"Why would I steal my own research? I'm an employee-" she lets out a scream as a guard leaps at us. I swerve to miss him and press the gas pedal to the floor.
More gunfire, and I steer with one hand, the other forcing Dr. Zhao's head between her knees.
"Stay down," I order. The gates are closed. Time for this economy fueled car to become a battering ram.
Shouts sound above us and machine guns blast as I gun it. The car flies forward, smashing through the fence.
The doctor shrieks.
"Stay down," I shout. Behind us, guards rush through the broken gate, still shooting. Some run for their cars. We're not safe yet, not by a long shot.
"Oh God, oh God," the young scientist chants.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
She turns incredulous eyes to me.
Layne
I SING IN THE SHOWER. When I'm working, I talk to myself. Sometimes, I forget to bathe. That makes me weird.
The guy sitting next to me, racing my car through a security gate and a hail of gunfire, is fucking crazy with a capital Fuck.
"You okay?" he asks again.
"They shot at us." I still can't believe it. I thought the guard would help me. He didn't even flinch as he pointed the gun at my face. I guess he thought I was colluding with Crazy Man.
My captor looks grim. "Yeah."
I wrap my arms around myself. "Why would they do that? I work there."
The man's jaw clenches as he accelerates down the road. He takes a few turns at breakneck speed, and curses when the car wobbles. "Damn."
"What?"
"They got the tires."
I whimper. My poor Prius.
"The car is the least of our problems. I'll replace it," he says.
I don't argue. Crazy Man might know how to file an insurance claim. Who knows?
"Stay calm. I'll get you out of this," he says, as if he wasn't the one who got me into it in the first place. "The important thing right now is to not get killed."
Understatement of the year.
But the way I see it, he's the reason we're being shot at, so staying with him would be lunacy. I need to get away and call Dr. Smyth and explain I'm not part of this data grab.
But first I need to get my data back from the maniac.
Swerving wildly, he pulls into a fast food lot and parks behind a dumpster.
By the time I get my bearings, he's opening my door, unclicking my seatbelt and pulling me out. "Come on."
"Where are we going?" I ask automatically, stumbling as he pushes me towards an unmarked van. The kind with no windows in the back.
"Somewhere safe."
Shit. I should've fought him more back at the lab. Now I'm going to end up a prisoner in his rape van. Maybe he's a mad scientist conducting his own kind of experiments. Hopefully not on me.