“My orders are to report—”
“Please, Samuel,” I say. “This is my family. If your mom was in trouble you’d go, right? Especially if she was wrapped up in everything that’s happening like my boy is. My son needs me, and I’m leaving. If you try to keep me here, you’re just ensuring that I won’t help.”
I can see the conflict in Briggs’s eyes. He glances around the halls.
“Follow me,” he says. “Quickly.”
He doesn’t wait for me to answer before walking in the direction opposite the war room and the president’s suite. We go through a series of gray corridors. He nods to the people we pass, who probably assume he’s leading me to or from some appointment. Finally, we reach the big cement room where we first entered the bunker. Our train car still sits in the center of it.
The man in the lab coat has his face buried in an electronic tablet. He glances up when we enter.
“I’m here to relieve you, Joe,” Briggs says. “Clearance Juliett Delta Kilo.”
Joe—I guess—squints at us. “I’m not due for a break for another hour.”
Briggs snorts. “You want to keep working, that’s fine with me.”
The man’s nose twitches as he turns his attention to me, raising an eyebrow.
“Our guest’s a science guy.” Briggs shrugs. “He’s interested in the software we’re using. Plus, it’s boring as shit down here, and he’s keeping me entertained with stories about ETs.”
“Fine, whatever,” Joe says. He gets up and leaves, muttering something about how bad the food is here. Briggs glares at him as he exits.
“We go way back,” he mutters. “That guy’s such a prick.”
“Come with me,” I say. “You’re going to be in trouble when they find out you helped me.”
He shakes his head. “I’d be in more trouble if I deserted. Besides, technically you’re not a prisoner. I’ll just tell them you manipulated me into helping you and I fell for it. Which . . . probably isn’t far from the truth. Unless you want to hit me over the head with my gun or something, but I think I’d rather them think you outsmarted me than overpowered me. No offense.”
“Briggs, I . . .” But I don’t know what else to say. “Thank you.”
He taps on the controls. I scrawl a number down on a notepad I find lying nearby.
“This is my number. See if you can get it to Richards. Tell him this is how Jackson can reach me. Tell them . . . it’s a family matter. Believe it or not, I think the president might understand.”
On the wall opposite us, a metal panel slides away, revealing a small elevator.
“That’ll take you topside,” Briggs says, pocketing the note. “Eventually someone will come looking for you. Better not be in the area when they do. They might insist you come back.”
“I think I’ve run more in the last few days than in my entire life,” I say as I jog to the elevator. Gamera buzzes after me.
It’s only when the door starts sliding shut that I realize I don’t know what’s waiting for me above. “Wait, where are we?”
“Didn’t Richards tell you? Liberty Base.” He gets a little grin before he disappears behind the closing metal door.
I’m shot up what feels like several stories before I finally come to a stop. The door opens, and for a moment the sunshine is blinding. I step out onto a bed of grass and pine needles as my eyes adjust.
I turn in time to see the wall behind me slide shut, until it looks like nothing but another section of the giant white stone wall in front of me—a dam of sorts. I take a few steps away, trying to figure out where I am. That’s when I see a faded brochure and map on the ground, half buried. “Liberty Reservoir,” it reads. I dust it off. According to the map on the back, I’m north of DC, not that far from Baltimore.
“All right,” I say, glancing at the dragonfly on my shoulder. “Let’s find a road.”
I start to jog. Gamera zips forward, morphing in midair, until he’s turned into a horse. He rears back and then stands in front of me, shaking his mane.
I think I’ve found a faster way to get away from the bunker.
My phone rings as I hoist myself onto Gamera’s back. Sam’s on the other end of the line when I answer.
“Hi, Dad,” he says.
“Son,” I say as Gamera starts to gallop. “Where am I going?”
EXCERPT FROM THE FATE OF TEN
DON’T MISS BOOK SIX IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING I AM NUMBER FOUR SERIES