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“What do we do?” she rasped, her shoulders hunched over.

“She needs antibiotics,” Derek answered, his voice grim.

“Where can we get some?” Serene stepped forward.

“Hermes,” Brock growled.

“How far are we?”

“Three days out.”

The blood leeched out of Derek’s face. “Winnie needs them sooner, or she won’t make it.”

Brock muttered a curse and stood. “We can’t do anything about that now.”

If Brock had punched her stomach, it would’ve been less painful.

Khalani frantically shook her head. “There has to be another way. Do you know any buildings close by that might have medicine?”

“Look around!” Brock held out his hands. “There’s nothing else we can do for her.”

“Like hell there isn’t.” Khalani seethed.

Determined, she gripped Winnie’s shoulders and tried to lift her. Winnie’s unconscious head lolled, and Khalani gritted her teeth as she pulled her waist up, straining against her dead weight.

Exhaustion enveloped her like a suffocating blanket, but she didn’t care.

She’d search every mountain, crevice, and endure a million lifetimes of pain to keep Winnie safe.

Even if she had to crawl to Hermes with Winnie on her back.

Suddenly, the weight was lifted.

Khalani opened her mouth to yell but froze when she saw Takeshi standing over her. His large body blocked the sun, and rays of light streamed around him as he gently gathered Winnie into his arms.

“Are you crazy?” Brock yelled, moving to block Takeshi’s path. “You can’t carry her for three days straight in the Death-Zone. I don’t want the old woman to die either, but we have no choice.”

“Get the fuck out of my way,” Takeshi commanded, his voice deeper than the Earth.

He didn’t wait for permission and shoved past Brock. Throwing a menacing glare over his shoulder, he locked eyes with Khalani and saw the tears streaking down her face.

His brows lowered and his forearms seemed to tighten around Winnie at the sight.

“Get moving. We leave now.”

***

They moved at an incredibly brisk pace, practically running across the cracked concrete.

No one smiled.

No words were exchanged.

The only sound cutting through the stifling air was their labored breathing.

Their heavy backpacks pounded rhythmically against their backs as they trudged forward, while Winnie mumbled incoherently in Takeshi’s arms.

Another fiery cramp shot up Khalani’s ribs, but she gritted her teeth and kept running.