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I groan as the bolts begin to give, and using all my weight, I give it a final hard shove.The door finally busts wide. The smell of smoke is filling the air, making my nostrils itch. I’m in the basement of a burning house. I need to get the fuck out.

I make my way to the stairs when a sudden gnawing feeling in my gut makes me turn around. Two loud bangs, and my right leg gives out as pain spreads rapidly up from my thigh.

I grit my teeth as I see the silhouette of someone walking toward me, gun in hand. An oxygen mask is covering their face, and they are wearing a fireman’s uniform.

I dropped Pamela when I fell. I only have my switchblade inside my pocket.

“And then there was one. Or should I say seven? Pity the others fled. Locking the door was timed too late; you were all supposed to be imprisoned inside the basement and to burn into a crisp.” Their voice sounds distorted, but they don’t hide their snigger as they look at me.

“Who are you?” I grit my teeth against the throb in my leg. My hand pressing on the wounds feels wet. The bullets didn’t hit theartery—there would have been much more blood if that was the case—but it still hurts like a motherfucker.

“Ah, still in the dark. How have you all survived? Pathetic. Insignificant nothings.”

“Phoenix,” I spit out. Only they could have planned this circus. Fucking piece of shit.

“Oh, that name. He died before he could tell you…I see.” Who are they talking about? Ezra?

He takes a few steps closer. The air is getting thicker around us.

“What do you want?” I cough; my breaths are becoming labored.

“I just take pleasure in other’s distress and pain. Especially yours. You see, someone’s true nature is always revealed, no matter how much one tries to hide it. Especially if people keep poking at one’s sensitive spot!”

“You started it,” I bark. “And when you excessively hate something, it’s because you recognize that same thing within yourself.” Or some shit like that.

Phoenix’s angry growl makes me smile.Gotcha!

“Me, on the other hand, I just want to tear you to shreds,” I let them know.

“When are you and your pitiful, miserable group of losers going to realize that you’ve been outmatched? I’ve been toying with you this whole time. Directing you like…little insects.”

“You’re lying,” I goad them. If they keep talking until the smoke gets thicker, I can try to reach for my switchblade and stab them with it, preferably in the head.

“Who put that serial killer on One’s path and then told him where to find Two when he was kidnapped? Who pushed Six into that illegal fight ring and kept poking at him until he went berserk?”

They’re using our subject numbers, which suggests that they were part of Project Blood Assassin. Linda assured us that all the scientists and government heads were killed. But how about the guards? Could one have escaped their deserved fate somehow? If that’s the case, I’ll remedy that.

Phoenix keeps going, “Who sent Three and his pathetic AI on a merry quest against a senatorial candidate while I was creating a drug empire? Five got right in the middle of it; I wonder how? And who do you think made Four’s tracker malfunction?”

I’m going to make them bleed from every hole, then create new holes to fill with blood.

“Unfortunately nobody died except Eight. But his death is terribly vexing.Iwanted to be the one to cause it.” They sniff. So they think Ezra is dead. “I’ve been using the people you care about, your own emotions, your own weaknesses against you.” The wicked pride dripping from their revelations makes my gut twist with anger and excitement. They have been fucking with us for more than a year, which suggests an indomitable enemy—one I’ll enjoy maiming.

“All your twisted meddling did was push us toward our partners. You are our personal matchmaker.” I snort.

“Your mommy doesn’t seem very happy in that hospital bed.” I stifle the growl inside my throat. That’s confirmation Phoenix was the one to poison Meg. “You’ve all been patheticallyhuntingme down for months like I’m some sort of monster, when in fact,you are the merciless murderers. Your last kill is right in the next room.” They point at Trent’s corpse lying on the table.

“We have a code.”

“A code?” They chuckle. “Everything I’ve done, all my actions were caused by you and those other scums of the earth you call brothers. Poisoning that hag was so satisfying.”

“Fuck you!” I hiss. I want to yank that mask off their face and rearrange their features until there’s only blood and goo left.

“You need to suffer for ruining my life,” they spit with so much hate I can almost see it, palpable in the already suffocating air.

“I don’t even know who you fucking are,” I dismiss their anger hoping to make them reveal themselves.

Smoke is slowly coming in. In my seated position, the air is less heavy, but soon I won’t be able to breathe easily. The wall behind me is getting hot, the fire is no doubt spreading inside the house. I don’t have much time.