“Do you think you can take him from behind if I distract him?”
I have to, to give Jilly a chance, but I cannot help but remember my meeting with Wulf. I have never felt such terror, not even when I thought I would be burned alive. He is evil incarnate. I want to stay as far away from him as possible.
I look around the platform. Every place is clear except for where we originally were standing. Rovers are still milling about in confusion. I see a child, five or six years old, crouching under the platform behind us with his eyes screwed shut.
“I can do it,” I say.
“That’s my girl,” Levi says with a grin. He’s actually enjoying this. He cups my cheek and drops a quick kiss on my lips before he slips out from beneath the platform. Once again I am caught up in his golden glory. I can’t go through this again. This is not the time to think about him, or Pace. I must concentrate on what I have to do. I go to the back of the platform, which borders the stream, see that I am clear, except for the child, and come out. Now I just have to figure out a way to get on the platform while carrying one of the awkwardly long rifles.
Luckily there is a huge boulder right off one of the platform’s supports. I climb on it and can see the surface now. Wulf holds Jilly clamped against his body with one of his huge arms while he holds the knife to her throat with the other. Levi stands on the steps with the rifle pointed at Wulf.
I quickly look around to make sure there is no one else about to foil our plan to rescue Jilly. The explosions we heard were the guard towers. Now they are nothing but smoking piles of wood. The Quest hovers overhead. I hope they recognize us and don’t shoot us. I think the chances are good they will. There are not many with Levi’s golden hair. I am sure Zan is up there, making sure we are not shot. I do not glance up to see. Levi’s eyes flick my way. He is waiting on me to make his move.
I place the gun on the platform as quietly as possible. Then I leverage my body up with my arms until I can swing my legs up. So far so good. I pick up the gun and creep silently toward Wulf and Jilly. I can still hear the heavy thump-thump sound and the angry, scared screams and yells of the rovers. What is making that noise?
“Let her go and we will leave your people alone,” Levi says.
“She’s staying with me,” Wulf says.
I slide my hands into what I hope is the proper position to hold the gun. It is so much longer and awkward than the gun Levi taught me to shoot with. I look down at it and realize I have no idea how to shoot it. I recognize the trigger, but there’s supposed to be a safety on it. I don’t know what to do.
Levi comes up the rest of the steps so he is completely exposed. I’m not ready but Levi does not know that. I do the only thing I know to do. I switch the rifle in my hands like it’s a club and swing at the back of Wulf’s head. He either has eyes in the back of his head or he senses it because he turns as I swing. He shoves Jilly away and catches the rifle before it strikes him. Jilly falls to the platform and manages to scramble away on her hands and knees.
Levi shoots Wulf. So why do I feel it? I look at Wulf, who somehow has a hole in his stomach, and then down at the blood that blossoms forth on mine. Wulf staggers for me, but Levi brings the gun down on the back of his head and he crashes to the platform.
“Damn things are only good for one shot,” Levi says. Then he sees me and the color drains from his face. “Oh God, Wren.”
All I can do is look at the blood spreading on my clothes. Levi snatches up the shawl that still lies on the platform, folds it many times, and places it on my stomach. “Hold this here,” he commands. I place my hands over it and hold it in place. Levi rips off his shirt and ties it around my body.
“I was shot,” I say.
“I know, love,” he says. “I was the one who shot you. The bullet passed through him and into you.” He looks at Jilly. “You’re going to have to walk. I’ve got to carry her.” Jilly scrambles to her feet. I can tell she is still in shock, and I wonder if I am. Levi picks me up in his arms and my hands instinctively go to my wound. Levi takes off down the stairs, and each step jars me. Over Levi’s shoulder I see Jilly following us as best she can with her injured foot.
How does he know which way to go? For some reason he does and takes off. I reach out my hand to Jilly. “Keep up,” I say, or I think I say. I cannot be certain.
Levi must have heard me. “Grab on to my belt and don’t let go,” he instructs Jilly. She grabs on as we take off again.
“Pace,” I think I say. “Where is Pace?” My mouth feels like it is disconnected from my brain.
“He’ll be along,” Levi says.
“Colm? Tobias?”
“Let’s worry about you now.”
“Wait!” A girl calls out to us. She’s thin, small, and pretty with pale blond hair. Another younger girl is with her, along with three boys who don’t look more than ten. “We’re from the dome. Take us with you.”
I see her over Levi’s shoulder. “Wait,” I say. Something Jon told me surfaces in my mind. “Bess?” Levi swings around to look at them.
“Yes, I’m Bess.”
“Come on,” Levi says. “Help her,” he says, and Bess takes Jilly’s hand. “Stay close and do what I do.”
Levi takes off at a trot, and each step sends pain shooting through my body. I’ve been shot. I still can’t believe it. Will I die? God, don’t let me die. I might have wanted to die last night, but now I very much want to live.
We wind our way through the huts. The village seems empty. Where have the people gone? Are they huddling inside, away from the shooting? I still hear shots. Then someone shouts.
“Levi!” It is Colm and Tobias. They run up to us. “What happened? What is that thing in the sky?”
“My family,” Levi says. “Wren’s been shot, Pace went to find his mother. We’ve got to get to the ridge while they’re covering us. Oh, and these kids are coming with us, they’re from the dome.”
“Climb on,” Colm says to Jilly, and she hops onto his back. Tobias picks up the younger girl and we take off again only to stop short. I twist my head around to see what stopped us.
Ragnor, Janna, and his brother whose name I still don’t know.
“She’s hurt?” Ragnor asks.
“Shot,” Levi says. He leaves out the details. “Let us go and we can help her. Save her.”
Am I going to die? “Pace,” I say. “I need to see Pace.”
“Shhh.” Levi bends his head. Is he comforting me or maybe he just wants me to keep quiet. I don’t. Instead I speak to Ragnor.
“Come with us. You don’t have to live this way.”
“Go,” Ragnor says. “I will ah-look for your ah-man.”
“Thank you,” I say, and Levi and Jilly echo the sentiment. We take off again. There is no direct route through the village, so Levi continues to weave his way around the huts until suddenly we are clear.
I now know what was shaking the earth. Standing before us, in the field we walked through when we were brought into the village, is a huge machine. It is as tall as my father’s building and looks like a box with four huge legs attached to it. The front of the box has a long extension. There are windows on the front and side that I can see and guns extend from each one, aimed at the area behind us.
Everyone stops and Levi lets out a whoop. A hatch opens on top and Alcide pops out and waves. “Woohoo!” he yells with a wide grin on his dear, sweet face.
“Wren’s hurt,” Levi yells. “Where is Dr. Stewart?”
“In here,” Alcide yells back. “Wait.” He disappears and pops back out. “Go find James.” He points up the ridge. “He’s on a cycle. We’ll cover your back until everyone is safe. Then we’ll transfer you to the Quest.” Levi nods and starts to run. “Wait!” Alcide yells. “Where are Pace and Zan?”