A hit came close, striking the front of the machine, spraying debris. Mariah pulled back. “Hurry up.”
Arden wiped at the sweat that had collected under her face mask. She did not want to ditch it quite yet, as it afforded her some protection from the elements and would help her breathe if the mercenaries used smoke. She connected the last few wires and then used putty to attach the explosives to the wall. “Done.” She checked her watch before setting the charges to detonate. “Three minutes.”
The initial bomb they’d detonated had taken out most of the processing factory on Levels Five and Six of the refinery. The plan was to work their way up so that they could escape into the University District on Level Eight. If they couldn’t manage to get off Level Seven before the detonations, they would be effectively trapped.
She hoped the others on their side were faring better.
Mariah leaned over the edge once more to check their route. She shot off a few rounds before pulling back. “The hole they made for us is getting crowded.”
“No way out but through,” Arden said pragmatically. She leaned out the other side, shooting the whole time. Then pulled a concussion grenade, unpinned it, and chucked it in the direction they needed to move.
Both girls took cover.
The blast shook the area. Then they were on their feet immediately, standing up, shooting, and running. The phase-fire came hard and fast in their direction, but they didn’t change their course.
Arden fought hard. Using no caution. Death was a certainty. She’d die here or later, so it didn’t matter how she used her body or the chances she took. It made her ruthless, bordering on a near-frenzied obsession. Having nothing to live for lent a certain crazed strength to her fighting.
Another blast knocked them behind a crumpled mess of what was once furniture—a desk of some sort, and maybe a twisted bookshelf. Drywall rained on them. Arden shot in several directions before they both stood up again, gaining traction before sliding forward.
The next room was one of the largest by far. Probably a former warehouse. Though now it was hard to tell, as it had been completely destroyed. What it did provide was lots of spots to hide behind.
Both girls saw Uri at the same time. Mariah pointed and moved even as Arden made to follow her. He was crouched behind a hunk of smoking metal, pinned in by several mercenaries. The girls took out the most immediate threats before sliding in beside him.
“Go back,” Uri said. He pulled off his mask, gulping for breath. Sweat dripped from the side of his brow down onto his neck.
“Can’t.” Arden pressed her back up against the shelving. “The charges are set in that direction. The only way out is up.”
“They’re forcing us that way.”
“I know,” she agreed.
But it didn’t matter. She’d never planned to leave the refinery alive in the first place. Destruction was the only way. Her hope was that the charges she’d left behind would take out the majority of the mercenaries so that she could continue to fight till the end.
“We’ve lost a quarter of our men,” Uri said, disgusted. “They’re jamming our comm signals. Half the group broke off, and I lost contact with them fifteen minutes ago.”
Arden grunted. Turning over, she leaned out from behind the smoldering mess to take out several mercenaries.
Across the room, she saw Niall. Kimber fought beside him. They were pinned down in much the same position that Arden, Uri, and Mariah found themselves. Only worse, since their backs were to a wall, with no option for escape. It would be impossible for Arden and the others to fight their way across the room to join them and help.
“Kimber and Niall are taking heavy fire,” Mariah said from the other side of Uri, thinking along the same lines.
“We don’t have enough time,” Uri said. “It’s up to Niall to save his own ass. He’s resourceful, he’ll figure it out.”
Cold, but necessary. Uri was probably right.
Arden let it go, focusing on their current situation.
She leaned out once more, exchanging heavy fire with a group closing in on them.
Pain stole her breath.
For a second, she had no idea what happened. Then searing agony flooded her senses. Arden fell back, aware enough to get behind the barrier. Her mind swam on overload. She grabbed at her side, pushing the scorched fabric apart to inspect the wound. Blood seeped through a hole in her bodysuit, flowing over her fingers.
This was bad.
She couldn’t tell if the phase-fire had hit anything vital. It felt like it. Though feeling the burn was probably a good thing. It meant she was alive. Arden put pressure on the wound as much as she could even though her strength was running out fast.
“Mariah, check her,” Uri ordered.
Mariah was in front of her then. Looming over, so that she was all Arden could see. Mariah’s hands felt as if they were everywhere, pressing and tormenting. “The phaser hit her between the armored plates. She’s losing a lot of blood.”
Arden gasped little hiccups of air while pushing against her side, her fingers pressed against her bodysuit. “Can’t breathe,” she said, using her other hand to push at the mask that covered her face.
Mariah helped ease it off. But that didn’t let Arden breathe any deeper.
“Can she walk by herself?” Uri asked.
“I don’t think so,” Mariah said. “If I can’t get the bleeding stopped, I don’t think she has long.”
“Cauterize it,” Uri said.
Mariah set to work ripping fabric and shifting the armored plates of the bodysuit so that she could get to Arden’s skin. She set her phaser against Arden’s exposed side. “Three . . . two . . . one.”
Arden screamed.
She felt everything. The searing fire kept getting worse, swallowing her up. She might have passed out briefly. There was no way to tell. The misery was crushing. Blackness crept at the edges of her consciousness. She fought to stay alert. It was interesting how in the end, though she sought death, she still pushed away from it.
“It’s done.” Mariah wiped her hand against Arden’s face. Her touch was reassuring. “Breathe. That should hold till we can get you medical attention. Don’t rip the wound open again.”
As if Arden would be taking on the rest of the mercenaries by herself, or even be able to move at all. Arden nodded dumbly. She could barely understand what Mariah was saying. Agreeing would only get her out of Arden’s face.
“We’re moving now,” Uri said. “Mariah, you first. I’ll follow with Arden.”
Mariah appeared undecided about following the order.
Uri barreled on. “There.” He pointed to a hallway. “That’s where we’re heading. Get there. Then figure a way out of this hellhole.”
Mariah nodded.
A series of shots ran over the top of them. Mariah ducked, and Uri fell over Arden, using his body as a shield. A large chunk of detritus dislodged, flying into Mariah’s face. It hit her in the temple, causing a gush of blood.