Chapter 8 · The Red Line

"Don't touch that wire, Gabriel. I swear I'll shoot your hand off."

His blood ran over the edge of my palm and dripped onto the fortress floor.

Gabriel looked down at my pistol, then at my hand pressed against the torn side of his shirt. His skin was hot under my fingers. Too hot. His breath scraped against my cheek as another blast rolled through the mountain.

"You missed your chance," he said.

"You want to test that?"

"No. I want you to move."

"Not until you tell me where the staff are."

A second explosion punched through the lower level. Dust shook loose from the ceiling. Somewhere behind the steel doors, men started yelling.

Gabriel caught my wrist and dragged me away from the exposed cable.

I twisted hard. "Let go."

"The main charge is below us. The blast chain runs through the service tunnel. If you cut the wrong line, half the mountain comes down."

"Then stop treating me like a hostage and tell me which line is right."

His jaw locked.

That was answer enough.

I shoved my hand against his wound again.