Page 49 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)

Summer darted for the scalpel on the floor where Dr. Forest had dropped it. Dr. Forest slammed into her from behind. His arm locked around her waist. He yanked her tight against his chest. The scalpel, now in his hand, pressed against Summer’s throat.

“That’s quite enough,” Forest snarled, positioning himself between Luna and Trinity. “One more step, and I’ll open her throat. And as for Trinity...” His eyes flickered to the table. “Well, without immediate treatment, I’m afraid she doesn’t have long.”

Luna froze. Her heart pounded. She’d taken down the enforcers, but at what cost? Now both the girls were in immediate danger.

“What do you want?” The gun trembled in her hand.

Dr. Forest’s lips curled into a cold smile. “What I want is your cooperation. You’re going to help us escape this facility. And we’ll be taking Stryker’s ... resources ... with us.”

Luna’s stomach turned at his implication. “You’re insane.”

“Perhaps,” Forest conceded. “But I’m also the only one who can save Trinity’s life right now. So what will it be? Will you help us? Or will you watch both of them die?”

The beeping of Stryker’s heart monitor punctuated the silence. She didn’t have a shot. How long had it been since they’d gone dark? Reinforcements had to be close. They had to know things had gone sideways. So where was the cavalry?

Summer squirmed in Forest’s grip, but the blade was too close. Trinity wasn’t moving. Her life could be slipping away.

They were out of options.

She raised her hands with the gun hanging from one finger.

The door to the operating room burst open with a resounding crash.

Corbin leaned heavily against the doorframe, his shirt soaked through with blood. His face was pale, but he held a gun aimed at Dr. Forest—a weapon he shouldn’t even be able to hold with the way his fingers shook. Yet there he was, still standing, still fighting. “Let them go.”

Forest staggered back a few steps, dragging Summer with him. A rivulet of blood bloomed at her throat.

Luna curled her fingers around the gun and brought it up. The first enforcer—the one with the shattered leg—had dragged himself to the wall and collapsed there, motionless. Maybe unconscious. Maybe just praying no one touched his leg again.

She kept her aim steady, eyes flicking between Forest and the other one. The guard she’d nailed in the groin had made it to his feet, listing to one side but still breathing. Still dangerous.

“How nice of you to join our little party,” Forest said to Corbin. “But I’m afraid you’re outnumbered here.”

With a few shaky steps, Corbin moved behind Elizabeth’s wheelchair, the muzzle of his gun trained between her shoulder blades. “Let them go or your daughter gets to experience what it’s like to be on the other side of your twisted experiments.”

Elizabeth gasped. “Dad...”

Dr. Forest’s face contorted. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me,” Corbin snarled. “I’ve seen what you’ve done. The lives you’ve destroyed. Don’t think for a second I won’t do whatever it takes to stop you.”

“You’re bluffing,” Dr. Forest said, but his voice had lost its edge.

Corbin’s eyes narrowed. “Want to bet Elizabeth’s life on that?”

“Fine. You win.”

Dr. Forest shoved Summer into Corbin, and he caught her, taking his gun off Elizabeth.

In that moment of distraction, Elizabeth wheeled herself to Stryker’s side, grabbed a needle from a nearby tray, and plunged it into his IV. Her thumb pushed its contents into the line.

Stryker’s medical machines went haywire.

Luna rushed to Stryker’s side, heart thundering in her ears. The machines surrounding him screeched and beeped in frantic discord.

Summer was there, eyes wide as she scanned the monitors.

Luna whirled to face Elizabeth. “What did you give him?”

The woman’s lips curled into a cold smile. She remained silent, her eyes fixed on Stryker’s convulsing form.

A commotion erupted from behind. Dr. Forest and the enforcer bolted for the door, but their escape was cut off.

“Broward County Sheriff’s Department! Freeze!” Blade’s voice boomed through the chaos.

The room filled with the sound of boots on tile as Blade and his tactical team burst in, Harlee right behind them.

In a matter of seconds, Forest and the enforcer were cuffed, arms wrenched behind their backs. One agent kept a gun trained on the man with the shattered leg while another checked for a pulse.

“Luna!” Harlee rushed to her side. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, her attention already back on Stryker. “We need medical help here! Now!”

Summer’s voice was tight. “It’s a combination of barbiturates and ... something else. It’s creating a complex overdose. We need to stabilize him immediately or the brain edema could—”

“There’s a medevac chopper waiting,” Blade interrupted. “Priority is getting any patients out of here.”

As the medical team swarmed around Stryker, Luna’s eyes darted to Trinity. She was stirring, eyes fluttering open.

“Luna?” Trinity’s voice was weak but present.

She rushed over, taking Trinity’s hand in hers. “I’m here, sweetheart. You’re going to be okay.”

EMTs assessed Trinity with Summer hovering nearby.

Blade approached Luna, worry lines creasing his forehead. “We had to use flash bangs and concussive blasts to fight off some black ops guys trying to destroy evidence. What we found in the lab...” He shook his head.

“The EMT says Trinity’s vitals are good,” Summer interjected. “Even her heart. Probably she just passed out, but they want to take her to the hospital for a full workup.”

Luna nodded, her gaze meeting Corbin’s across the room. Though his movements were slow, he reached her side and took her hand.

“We’re going with her.” Corbin’s voice left no room for argument.

As they prepared to move Trinity to a stretcher, Corbin reached into his pocket, pulling out a flash drive. He pressed it into Blade’s hand.

“Everything you need is on here,” Corbin said. “All the evidence. Make sure it gets to the right people.”

Blade pocketed the drive. “We’ll take care of it. You take care of them.”

As they wheeled Trinity out, Luna felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. But beneath it all, a spark of hope flickered. They’d made it. Against all odds, they’d survived.

And now, finally, they could start to heal.