commercial truck pulled up behind the van.
“This is strange, we have no deliveries this afternoon,” Stokes murmured.
“Yes, we only have—”
The van suddenly revved its engine and screeched forward, barreling toward the guardhouse. Stokes immediately stepped out and opened fire. But the van was suddenly upon him and all he saw was a bright flash, followed by a thunderous roar and intense heat...and then nothing.
CHAPTER SIX
Sophie was showing Polly how the laser isotope separator worked when the rumblings of a massive explosion reached them. Their building vibrated. She saw Thalia racing to the lab, quickly rapping on the window. Sophie nodded that it was fine to enter and with obvious urgency, the female Guardian burst through the automatic sliding doors.
“We need to get you to a safe location!”
“What’s going on?”
“Don’t know yet, Connelly is checking with Divergent Security.”
Stephen ran into the lab and asked Thalia the same question, but the Guardian did not say anything and ushered Sophie to her office.
“Guerrero, have you secured Dr. Leroux?” Braden asked through comms.
“Yes! Have you found out—”
“Truck bomb. We have unknown number of hostiles trucking it in right now. They are blasting their way through the Divergent security guards and appear to be heading straight for us.”
Thalia cursed under her breath. “What do you want me to do?”
“Take everyone to the rear exit, get into the Explorer and get out of here.”
“How about you?”
“I’ll try to head them off.”
“Agent Connelly—”
“Now, Guerrero!”
“Copy that.”
Guerrero grabbed Sophie’s arm and looked over to Polly, Jan and Stephen. “Is there anyone else?
“No,” Sophie said.
“Come on.”
“We have a bunker,” Sophie blurted out.
A hesitant look passed over Thalia’s face before she shook head. “No. We stick to the plan and get out of here.”
“But the lab—”
Stephen took hold of Sophie and said, “Baby. Sweetie, the lab can be rebuilt. But if they get you, it’s over.”
Sophie pressed her lips into a grim line. She nodded and followed Thalia out of the office.
***
Derek’s phone buzzed.
“Lockwood.”
“Derek.” It was Sophie. Something in her voice turned his blood to ice. She sounded out of breath and high strung. There was panic chatter going on around her.
“Angel, what’s wrong?” He sat up. His foot hit the gas, and his eyes started scanning for a path to weave quickly through the traffic. He saw the exit about two miles up and some smoke in the distance. His gut clenched. Jack’s phone buzzed. Deja vu.
“There was a truck bomb.”
“A what!” Derek shouted into the phone as he vaguely heard Jack curse beside him. His friend must be getting the same news from whomever was on the other line.
“We’re trying to get out from the rear. Oh my god!”
The sound of rapid gun fire, shouting and screaming cracked over the phone. The last thing Derek heard was what sounded like Guerrero yelling for everyone to fall back and everything went muffled, like the phone had fallen to the floor.
“Sophie! Fuck!” Derek shouted as he honked his horn to get cars to move out of the way.
His eyes shot to Jack, who was arguing with someone on the phone. “The hell we’re turning back, Maia. You think Derek would abandon Sophie to those assholes?”
“Hell, no!” Derek growled.
“We’re going in,” Jack said firmly and hung up on his wife.
“The police have been alerted, the SWAT team is on its way. Maia is taking some Guardians with her and heading to Silver Fire.”
Derek contemplated what Jack said. “Neither the SWAT nor the Guardians will make it in time.”
“I know.”
“What do we have in the back?”
“This SUV isn’t fully equipped, but we have flak jackets and pistols.”
“Shit. We’re going up against assault rifles.”
“The odds never stopped us before,” Jack stated grimly.
“Damn
Kathryn Lasky
Kristin Cashore
Brian McClellan
Andri Snaer Magnason
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Mimi Strong
Jeannette Winters
Tressa Messenger
Stephen Humphrey Bogart
Room 415