Chapter 57 · Say that again

She stopped so fast he nearly dragged her down with him.

"Say that again."

"Leave me. Get out."

"No."

"Mira."

"No."

"They'll seal the tunnels."

"Then we break the seal."

"You can't carry me."

"I don't have to. You can walk."

"Barely."

"Then walk badly."

A grenade rolled across the platform.

Mira saw it. Reid saw it.

She kicked it back toward the soldiers.

"Run!"

The grenade detonated.

The shock wave threw them through the half-open gate. Reid hit the tunnel floor on his shoulder. Mira landed on top of him, her hands braced against his chest.

Behind them, the platform disappeared under fire and falling stone.

Mira lifted her head. "Are you alive?"

"You ask that like you hope I'm not."

"I'm deciding how much trouble it would be to drag you."

"And?"

"Too much."

She tried to rise.

Reid caught her wrist.

"Wait."

"What?"

He heard the soldiers moving through the smoke.

Metal boots. More than six. Maybe twelve.

The tunnel ahead dropped into darkness. The gate behind them was folding shut, slow and heavy.

"We have company," he said.

"I heard them."

"There's another way."

"Where?"

"Up."

He pointed.

A maintenance ladder climbed along the wall.