The Lofties (The Echelon Book 2) by Ramona Finn (ebook reader play store .TXT) 📗

Jetha scowled at him, but when she spoke, my heart sank. “He’s right,” she said. “We’re running out of gretha and Lazrad’s shut down trade. Soon, we’ll go to the vents and find those guns waiting, hooked to their sensors, ready to mow us down. Finding a new Dome to trade with is our last, best hope. If those Domes fall to Lazrad, it’s lights out for us.”

“Lights out...” I went to Lock and cupped his cheek in my palm. This time, he didn’t respond. He was cold to the touch, a deep sort of cold that seemed to come from within. “I won’t give up on you,” I told him. “I’ll be back, so keep breathing. Keep telling yourself one more breath.”

I heard Starkey exhale behind me, and I turned to face him.

“Once we’re inside, I can lead you to the armory. But breaking back into Echelon won’t be so easy.”

“That’s where we come in,” said Starkey. “Come. Let your friend rest. The sooner we finish this, the sooner you’re back holding his hand.” He stood and headed for the curtain, Jetha at his side. I squeezed Lock’s hand one more time, so hard I felt his bones grind.

“I won’t come back empty-handed,” I said. “You need refined gretha, I know where to get it. Just hold on till then.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

A coal-colored sky hung over Echelon as our truck ground to a halt. Starkey got out, then Jasper, then Ben. We were a small group, just the four of us, plus the guards who’d accompanied us up the mountain. Starkey surveyed us, tight-lipped.

“Almost nightfall,” he said. “We’ll move when it’s dark.”

Jasper turned with a shiver and watched the truck pull away. He tilted his head back and frowned. “Looks like rain.”

“Not this time of year,” said Ben. “Not till spring.”

I ignored them, fixing my eyes on the skyline. I could see Lazrad Corp, and the library behind it. I touched my phone and thought of Ona. I tried to picture what she’d be doing, but all that came to mind was the huge, empty Decemite house, and Ona by herself. I saw her in the window, looking out at the moon. Thinking of me maybe. Thinking I’d left her. Jasper touched my arm, and I nearly jumped.

“What?”

“I heard what you said, before. To Lock, I mean.” He licked his lips. “If you can get me that gretha, I’ll try to fix him up. If I make it out.”

“You will.” I watched the city lights twinkle, dull under the Dome. “I’ll carry you if I have to. You and the tanks.”

Jasper laughed, but it came out shaky. He was scared and trying to fight it, nibbling his lower lip. I looked him up and down.

“Is this your first time doing something like this?”

He laughed again, a thin, gusty sound. “It’s my first time in the exper. My first time seeing anything like...” He gestured at the city. “How do they build that high? I mean, I understand it in theory, but seeing it for myself, a Dome that large, towers like these—it’s quite overwhelming.”

“Don’t let it distract you,” said Ben. “The towers are impressive, but it’s the people we’ve got to worry about.”

“I—I think I might—” Jasper clawed his mask off his face and doubled behind a rock. I stood watching the lights, pretending not to hear him spew. Conversation died after that, and we settled in to wait for nightfall. Ben hunkered at my side, and I gravitated to his warmth, leaning close without meaning to. We crouched shoulder to shoulder as the last light faded from the sky. I could smell the explosives in my pack, a dull, oily smell that made my eyes sting.

“Time,” said Starkey. “Single file, behind me.”

I fell in behind Ben, and we struck out for the Dome. Jasper was murmuring behind me, pleading with no one in particular—let me see them again. Please. Let me live. Disturbed, I edged closer to Ben.

“Hey.”

He glanced back at me. “Hey, yourself.”

I tried to smile and found I couldn’t. “You think Jasper’ll be okay?”

“He’ll be fine,” said Ben. “He’s tougher than he looks.”

“Yeah?” I couldn’t hide my doubt. “Why’d he even come? Wouldn’t Jetha have been better, or—”

“Someone needed to hold the Nest.” Ben’s voice turned gruff. “It’s kids and old folks up there. If Starkey doesn’t come back, they’ll need someone in charge. As for Jasper, he’s here for his kid. That’s why he’ll be fine. He’s got someone to fight for.”

I couldn’t argue with that. I fell back in line, and we closed in on Echelon. Once, we saw headlights, and we all hit the dirt. A buggy trundled by us, a team of Decemites on patrol. Their wheels threw up sand, and it settled on our backs. We marched on, grubby, with sandflies down our collars. I edged up on Ben again and tapped him on the shoulder.

“How do you know it’s not a trap? Starkey’s contacts—who are they? How do you know they won’t—”

“I know.” Ben hung back to walk with me, eyes sharp behind his mask. “You saw the caves, right? And the camp before that?”

“Yeah.” I shuddered.

“What you saw, that was mercy. We’ve got a Decemite on our side, this girl Nina. She made sure Lita escaped, and most of the others. Made Lita shoot her, so her team wouldn’t suspect she was with us.” Ben touched his own side, wincing as he did. “Anyway, she sent a warning with Lita, so we fled the caves in time. All of us back there, we’d be dead without Nina. And she’s getting us in tonight, so you can relax.”

“Nina.” I cocked my head, groping after a memory. “That name sounds familiar.”

“A friend of Lock’s, maybe? They must’ve met.”

“No. That’s not it.” I closed my eyes and it came to me—Ona’s friend from Sky Station, the one with the blackened vest. “I met her,” I said. “She and Ona were close. But why would she—”

“Quiet,” said Starkey. “And keep to the wall.”

“Everyone