Chapter 40 · Emergency channel. Left side. Red switch

He glanced over. "Emergency channel. Left side. Red switch."

"There are six red switches."

"The one with the cracked cover."

"You could've led with that."

"I was busy being shot."

I slapped down the cracked switch.

The room jolted.

Every monitor went black. The tower lights died. The wardens vanished into the dark.

Someone cursed.

Lucas fired twice.

A body hit the floor.

The last warden rushed me.

I caught his wrist, twisted, and drove my elbow into his throat. He staggered. I ripped the rifle away and slammed the stock into his knee.

He collapsed with a wet gasp.

Lucas stared at me from across the dead console.

"You could've let me handle that."

"You could've stopped getting shot."

His breathing had gone rough. Blood slid between his fingers and dripped onto the metal floor.

I crossed the room and shoved him into the console chair.

"Sit."

"We don't have time."

"Sit down or bleed on something useful."

He dropped into the chair.

I tore open the side of his vest. The fabric scraped over his ribs. Heat rolled off his skin.