Page 157 of Fractured Future

Hyland can say whatever the fuck he likes—he’s still glued to his seat in the waiting area, ensuring Ember isn’t left alone in the emergency ward. That doesn’t scream of giving up to me.

Emerging from the interview room, Warner sags against the door that slams shut behind him. He’s barely able to walk. One of the bastards we took down landed several strategic blows when they spotted his prosthetic.

“You should go home.” I watch him wince in discomfort. “Take your leg off. I can handle this.”

“Fuck off, Ax.”

“That’s professional, team leader.”

Shaking his head, he downs the last of his coffee as he looks towards the room he just left. “That slick shit isn’t saying a goddamn word.”

“Why would he?”

“To save himself?” Warner supplies. “To negotiate a plea deal? To avoid being tossed in a maximum-security prison? One he won’t escape this time?”

“Madden clearly isn’t afraid of you or being punished.”

“He should be!”

Head falling, Warner’s shoulders shake with each ragged breath he pulls in. None of us have had a spare moment to clean up or change. He’s still blood-streaked and wearing ripped clothing.

I’m not faring much better. Though I took down seven men singlehandedly, only succeeding in killing two of the fast fuckers, I still caught a decent beating. My lip is split and sore while my face stings from bruises.

“We ambushed the meet, seized Madden and Miguel. Diego is dead. Sure, we lost Luis and Madden’s crew in the chaos, but I’m still considering last night a win.”

“A win?” Warner scoffs to the floor. “You said it yourself. We lost Luis. Fuck, we almost lost her too.”

Walking over to him, I place a hand on his shoulder. “We didn’t lose Ember though, did we?”

“Not this time. She’s so reckless!”

“Come on, man. Are you telling me that if you saw those responsible for hurting you or your friends, you wouldn’t see red? Or take the first chance you got to batter them?”

“I…”

Trailing off, Warner lifts his head to the ceiling like he’s searching for patience or understanding. None of us seem to have the answers today.

“She reacted on instinct. I’m sure she regrets it.”

“Well, that instinct almost got her killed,” he growls. “I don’t know why Madden stuck around alone to save her, but I’m damn well going to find out.”

Before he can head back into the interrogation room, I clamp my hand down to halt him.

“You need to go to the hospital. Hyland’s losing his shit because he’s being kept in the dark, and Ember’s in for a slew of tests with a neurologist.”

“What? Why?” He visibly startles.

“They reckon she was passed out because of a seizure. He’s been snooping in her medical notes.”

“A… Seizure?” Warner repeats thickly. “Like, epilepsy or something?”

“I don’t know, man.”

“Surely we’d know about that?” He frowns to himself. “She never had seizures before.”

“That’s all I know. You need to go be with her.”

“Why me?”