Page 100 of The Last True Hero

"Any trouble?" Jake called, appearing out of the shadows like a cat.

"Nothing we couldn't handle," Mia told him, staring flatly at Zarina.

"Let's go get our people then."

* * *

It seemedto be going smoothly. Too smoothly.

Jake found the keys to the first row of slave pens, and broke in. The pens were covered in tin, and the narrow hallway stunk of unwashed bodies. It was stiflingly hot in here. Sweat dripped down Mia's spine.

Straw rustled as Jake flipped on the flashlight he'd worn clipped to his belt, and whispers broke out as the people in the cages saw him.

"Easy now," he whispered. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"What's going on?" someone called inside the pens.

There were people in cages in here. Her people. And others. Some of them crouched in the straw, peering up at them with sleepy eyes.

Tom Hannaway saw them, his mouth forming an O. "Jake?"

"Get ready, kid," Jake said, unlocking his cell. "We're here to bust you all out."

An excited babble filled the chambers.

"Quiet," Ellie rasped, helping drag a dirty Tom out of his cramped cage.

Mia guarded the door with Zarina, as the others worked their way inside, greeting those trapped in cages. Lights created a halo over the arena in the distance, and sound buzzed. The outcry was so loud Mia didn't think that any of the reivers would even hear it right now if she fired her gun.

McClain.

Her heart twisted in her chest, and nervous energy buzzed beneath her skin. So far the plan seemed to be falling into place.

Next step was escape.

But if she ventured down that path with the rest of her people, then there was no coming back.

"Blood, blood, blood!" came the distant chant.

And Mia made her decision. She'd done what she came here to do. Sage was free, and the others were out of their chains. Time to fulfill her promise to McClain.

"How long 'til the war games are over?"

Zarina tilted her head. "Sounds like this is the last match. They save the best for last, and that"—she pointed her finger toward the arena as a horn called—"is the final siren. They just started."

"We'd better get moving then," Sage muttered, helping a young woman out of one of the cages she'd been cramped in. "Get these people out, and head for the cars."

"Armory first," Zarina said, "unless you want to face reivers with your bare teeth. Only problem is: they have electric locks installed. You'll need the code, and I don't know it. It changes on a weekly basis."

"I can get through an electric lock," Sage promised. "All I need to do is short-circuit a few wires."

Mia paced a little. This was the first section of the market. She couldn't see Sonya anywhere, which meant she must be in the other section.

"How long until Vex leaves the games?" she demanded.

"Could be over in fifteen minutes," Zarina replied, watching her closely. "Could be an hour. Why?"

"I've got to go back." She'd promised him, after all. There was no way she could walk out of here without McClain, and the others were nearly out of their cages now. Just one more row of slave pens, and then they'd head for the vehicles. Which meant she was running out of time.