Chapter 21 · Iron Gate Under Fire

The first shell hit the east wall before I even finished my second cup of coffee.

The whole compound shook. Dust rained down from the rafters in the main hall. Someone screamed outside. I was already moving, coffee forgotten, rifle in hand.

Cole met me at the door. Blood on his sleeve. Not his.

"How many?" I asked.

"At least six mortars. Maybe more. They're hitting the north and east walls." He wiped his mouth. "We got people outside, Boss. Scavenge crew. They're pinned down about two hundred meters out."

Another impact. Closer this time. The windows rattled.

"How many outside?"

"Seven. Maybe eight."

I pushed past him into the yard. Smoke everywhere. The new Iron Gate militia—Ben's people, the ones who'd just put down their guns yesterday—were scrambling for cover. Some of them didn't even have helmets yet. One kid, couldn't be more than sixteen, was crouched behind a water barrel with his hands over his ears.

Leah was already setting up triage under the awning. Two wounded. One of them wasn't moving.

"Evie!" she shouted. "We need to get those people inside!"

"I know."

"They're sitting ducks out there!"

"I said I know."

I scanned the walls.