Chapter 579
Chapter 579:
Lucian lay in the corner, bound with zip ties, drifting in and out of consciousness from pain and blood loss.
“Almost through,” Felix grunted, sweat dripping off his nose.
Alistair watched the metal give way. Please be there. Please.
With a final screech, the lid popped open.
Alistair reached in. The foam insert had a slot for a single vial.
It was empty.
Alistair froze. He felt the blood drain from his face. He lifted the foam, ripped out the lining. Nothing.
He turned to Lucian, grabbing him by the lapels of his ruined suit. “Where is it p>
Lucian’s eyes fluttered open. He saw the empty case and smiled, his teeth stained red. “I… moved it. Just in case… Liam… got ideas p>
“Where?!” Alistair shook him.
“Burned…” Lucian wheezed. “I told… Preston… if I don’t call in every hour… destroy the stash p>
“No,” Alistair whispered.
Suddenly, the ground shook—a deep rumble from beneath them.
“Boss!” Felix yelled. “Structural integrity is failing! The charges he rigged—the remote didn’t trigger them, but the timer did p>
“We have to go!” Felix grabbed Alistair’s arm.
“Not without the antidote p>
“It’s not here!” Felix shouted. “If we stay, we die, and she dies alone p>
Alistair looked at the empty case, then at Lucian. He wanted to put a bullet in Lucian’s brain, but he needed him alive. He was the only link.
“Grab him,” Alistair ordered.
They dragged Lucian out of the room just as the ceiling collapsed. They sprinted back down the hallway, past the bodies of the mercenaries.
Liam was gone.
O𝗿і𝘨𝗂𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝗈𝘯𝘵𝘦ո𝘁 𝘧𝘳о𝘮 𝗯𝗲.𝘤о𝘮
Alistair paused for a fraction of a second at the spot where he had knocked Liam out. There was a smear of blood, but the hallway was empty.
He got out, Alistair thought. Good.
They burst out of the mausoleum into the rain just as the ground behind them imploded. The crypt collapsed into the tunnels, a cloud of dust and ancient bone rising into the night.
Back at the Thorne Estate, Skye was fading.
Her breathing was shallow, rattling in her chest.
Alistair burst into the room, wet, bloody, and smelling of smoke.
He looked empty-handed.
Skye opened her eyes. She saw it on his face.
“You didn’t get it,” she whispered.
Alistair fell to his knees beside the bed. He buried his face in her hand. “I failed p>
“It’s okay,” Skye said, stroking his hair. Her fingers were numb. “It’s okay p>
“No!” Alistair lifted his head. “We have Lucian. We’ll make him talk p>
“He won’t,” Skye said softly. “He’d rather die p>
Alistair stood up. He reached into his pocket. He felt something crinkle.