Page 141 of Fractured Future

He knows it isn’t a fair fight.

My gaze strays over to Ember, snuggled up next to my son and loudly debating the merits of the superhero prancing around in spandex tights on the screen. Her laughter lights up the whole penthouse.

She could’ve been swallowed by that system.

And I don’t know if we can protect her from it now.

CHAPTER 19

EMBER

SAVE YOURSELF – KALEO

“Faster, dimples. Before I disarm you!”

Attempting to focus my static-filled brain, I run through the steps he’s trained into me. Reach for the gun tucked into my side holster. Click off the safety. Rack the slide. Aim. Squeeze the trigger.

At the sound of the hollow click, Axel dramatically clasps his hands over his heart then falls to the floor of the boxing ring. He lands hard, limbs spreadeagled and giggling like a raving lunatic.

“Better.”

“You’re dead.” I stash the gun back in its leather holster. “Dead people can’t talk.”

“I bet I could,” Axel guffaws.

“Pretty sure death is the only time you’ll stop talking, asshole.”

“Well, that’s just mean.”

“Did I hurt your feelings?” I laugh at him.

“Nah. I’ll live.”

Flipping back up onto his feet, he lifts the hem of his oversized tee to dab his forehead, revealing a flash of mouthwatering abdominals. His shirt is an obnoxious shade ofred displaying the words ‘I dressed myself today’ in childlike scrawl.

Dropping from the ring to take a swig of my iced americano, I watch him fiddle with his amethyst hair. It’s all ruffled and messy from sweat after our latest sparring session.

We’ve been working on weapons for several days now in preparation for Thursday’s raid. As the hours tick down, my excitement grows, along with my trepidation.

“I don’t think red is your colour, Ax.”

“Get lost,” he snarks back. “I love this shirt.”

“It’s clashing with the hair.”

“What? No, it’s not!”

“I preferred yesterday’s selection.”

“You did?” His eyes widen into round spheres. “Well then. I’ll burn everything I own and only wear that t-shirt from now on.”

“And when it needs washing?”

He saucily winks at me. “I’ll be naked, obviously.”

Shaking my head at him, I work on stretching out my muscles. We’ve been working harder than ever since Warner’s news. Though my motivation to train non-stop now stems from more than my desire to attend the raid.

When I’m not in the ring, all I can think about are those twelve women. Twelve bodies currently being autopsied, after they were left to float and rot until the container washed ashore. Twelve lives… gone.