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I took out two more soldiers, but there were still at least three following me. I didn’t know how long I could keep this up. I only had a handful of bullets left, and I hadn’t planned this far ahead. My single-minded goal had been to draw them away from John.

“There!”

They’d spotted me again, and I started running once more. I burst into a large clearing. Without the cover of trees, there was nowhere to hide, and my lungs were screaming in protest.

A soldier entered the clearing and let out a feral yell as he caught sight of me. My whole body ached with exertion, begging me to rest, and I could hardly breathe. He was gaining on me. Ten paces away, then five, then two, then…

Pain exploded in my head as I was slammed into a tree trunk on the opposite side of the clearing, face first.

“Drop your weapon,” a furious male voice growled in my ear. “Now.”

I panted helplessly, my strength gone, and released my grip on the pistol. It clattered to the ground.

“Don’t fucking move.” Cold steel pressed against the nape of my neck—the barrel of a gun. “Or I swear I’ll blow your fucking head off your shoulders.”

I couldn’t do much besides what I was told.

“You think you can take out my guys, bitch?” he continued, rage imbued in every syllable. “What gives you the right?”

He abruptly flipped me to face him, slamming me against the tree trunk again. I whimpered at the splitting pain that went through my head in response, but the movement jostled the pocketknife I’d tucked into the ribbons at my shoulder, reminding me of its presence.

In one motion, I grabbed it and flipped it open. In the next, I stabbed my attacker, aiming for his throat. However, he jostled me violently, and I slipped, sinking my blade in the crook of his neck, just left of his tactical vest.

“You little bitch!” he screamed, his hand automatically grasping at his neck. He didn’t pull it out like I hoped; instead, his gloved black hand closed around my throat, squeezing, crushing my windpipe against the tree.

I choked, reaching instinctively for my neck, uselessly trying to pry his hand away. He tightened his hold, and no air was coming into my lungs. Spots appeared in my vision as I writhed desperately, flopping like a fish that knew it was dying.

These were to be my last moments. I knew it. I could only hope that my little stunt had saved John from this same fate. Either way, I’d never see him again.

I love you, Wastelander.

The world went dark, and the next thing I knew, I was lying in the grass at the base of the tree.

Two soldiers were in a physical altercation a few feet away, where one man appeared to be trying to restrain the other.

Too weak to move, I lay there blinking rapidly, trying to ascertain if I was still among the living.

“What part of alive is hard for you to understand, Sergeant?” the taller soldier was shouting. “You were ordered not to harm the target. Now I find you choking the life out of her?”

“She wounded three of my guys!” the other man yelled back. “And she fucking stabbed me! I want that little cunt wiped off the map, Major!”

The Major shoved him hard, toppling him onto the ground.

“That’s enough,” he growled, panting. “When we get back to base, we’ll deal with your insubordination. For now, gather your squad. I will handle the target.”

Though his face was obscured by his helmet, the Sergeant looked ready to explode with rage. To my surprise, however, he stalked off, leaving the clearing behind.

The Major walked over to me, lying in the grass, and knelt by my side.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice surprisingly level.

“Besides passing out from being choked half to death?” I croaked. “And being chased into the woods by strange men? I’m doing great.”

“My apologies for my subordinate’s behaviour,” he replied curtly. “However, I advise you to end this. You won’t win, and you’ll make it harder on yourself if you continue to fight. Come with us willingly, and I’ll see to it that no one lays a hand on you again. ”

“Come with you where, exactly?” I asked, bewildered. “You’re not the Order.”

“So, you’ve heard of them,” he said quietly. “Good. You’ll know what’s at stake when we reach the Delta, then.”

He offered me a gloved hand and hauled me to my feet. My head was still swimming.

“The Delta?”

“A compound a couple hundred kilometres from here. That’s where we’re bringing you.”

I stared at him. “Why?”

“That’s as much as I’m authorized to share at this time. I had one of my guys drive the vehicle back out to the highway, so we’ll meet him there. Now, you can walk out of here with me willingly, or I can tase you and carry you out. What’ll it be?”

I automatically glanced in the direction of the beach. I couldn’t go. I couldn’t leave John. But what choice did I have?

“You don’t need to worry,” the Major said, clearly seeing my reaction. “No Wastelanders will pursue us. I left a crew behind to deal with the one who was chasing you.”

The air left my lungs all over again. “What?”

“The Wastelander,” he said, more slowly, as though I was stupid. “He’s been dealt with. He won’t hurt you again.”

I fell back on the ground and buried my face in the grass as raw screams ripped through my throat, echoing through the forest in a demented choir of anguish.