Chapter 18 · Leah's Crosshairs

The alarms hit before Mom's eyes closed again.

Red lights spinning across her face. Her hand went limp in mine. The machines around her bed started screaming.

"We got maybe ninety seconds." Cole was already at the door, his gun out. "They're coming from the north stairwell."

Leah stepped past me. She had her rifle. Don't know when she pulled it. Don't know where she kept it. She moved like someone who'd done this a thousand times.

"Ivy." Her voice flat. Professional. "Stay with her or move. Pick one."

I looked at Mom. Still breathing. Still unconscious. Still hooked up to twenty years of tubes and wires I didn't understand.

Footsteps. Heavy boots. At least six people.

Cole fired twice. Someone shouted. More boots. More shouting.

"Ivy." Leah again. Closer now. "I need you functional."

"She just woke up."

"And she'll die if we don't move. So will you."

I stood up. My legs shook. My hands were still warm from Mom's skin.

Cole came back into the room. Blood on his shoulder. Not a lot. Enough.

"They're setting up a choke point at the north exit." He reloaded. Winced. "South stairwell's our only option."

"South stairwell's collapsed.