Claire hesitated. “Neil was a doctor. He saw accidents like this occasionally. Specifically, he used a drug called Regenerex. It’s the same drug that’s in my implant that speeds healing—just an acute dose. As far as I know, it was exclusive to the Cave…and may still be there.”
Instantly, my hope vanished.
“Even if we could go there without getting killed,” I said darkly, “why would our merry band of murderers leave good medicine just lying around?”
“They wouldn’t,” Claire conceded. “But they probably don’t know about the nurse’s station at the school. The drugs there were hidden and password-protected to prevent theft. Only the staff knew the password…and with the possible exception of Asha, I think I’m the only one left alive.”
My eyes widened. That was a better chance than I expected.
“I know it might be a wild goose chase,” Claire continued, “but…we have to try, don’t we? If you can get us in there…there’s medicine, and maybe even more PNCs.”
“You’re serious? You know where to get them?”
She nodded. “The school had a supply shed. There could be some there, at least.”
The idea of saving Kimmy and heading home with more PNCs was too good to pass up. It was also probably too good to be true.
“The place is built to keep people out,” I said. “How the hell would we even get in? Based on what you’ve told me, the walls are too high to climb and topped with razor wire. So…?”
Claire had an answer for that, too.
“There’s a breach in the northwestern wall. I saw it during my escape. They blasted a hole in an area near the gate. Most likely, they couldn’t get the gate to open at the time because we were in lockdown.”
She bit her lip. “And I keep thinking about a throwaway comment my father made when I was a kid. I was worried about him going on patrol, what with the defences around the compound. He comforted me and said that with his implant, the guns on the wall won’t fire. They can sense it somehow—a way to protect our patrols and technicians from being killed accidentally. I think…if you could carry me, maybe I could get us inside without activating the defences.”
I stared at her, barely daring to hope, but I couldn’t help it.
“You’re sure about this?” I said.
“No,” Claire replied with a shake of her head. “But if we don’t go, we know Kimmy won’t survive. This way, even if it’s a small chance…I know it doesn’t solve the problem of the cult. But we’re out of options.”
I swallowed hard. Even as I wanted to reject the plan for being way too risky, I knew this was Kimmy’s best chance. It was her only chance.And after everything we’d been through…I at least owed her my best shot.
“Okay,” I sighed, barely daring to hope. “Show me on the map where we’re going, as close as you can.”
Chapter 5
John
We cobbled together the Cave’s approximate location based where we first met at the abandoned factory and Claire’s best guess on the nearby landmarks. She said it was at the fork of a river. That matched what I’d heard local people say on my way into the area, as they warned me to steer clear of it. It would have to be enough.
By the time we were done, the sun was coming up. We woke Kimmy and told her the plan.
“You can’t go,” Kimmy argued weakly. “It’s a suicide mission, and for what? This isn’t survivable.”
She was lying on her front inside the tent, looking miserable. I couldn’t blame her. The few painkillers we had left weren’t strong. Claire carefully measured clean gauze to change the bandages.
“Too fucking bad,” I said with a shrug. “I can’t just sit here and watch you die. Would you do that in my place?”
Kimmy sighed and rolled her eyes. “That’s different.”
“Uh-huh. Sure it is. Now lie still for Claire.”
Still crabby as hell, she let Claire unwrap the soiled bandages. Kimmy’s wound was a nasty shade of yellow and purple around the stitches. The skin all around it was bright red—the beginnings of an infection. Claire bit her lip as our eyes met.
“It’s already starting to fester,” Kimmy croaked. “The fever won’t be far off. Even if you find the medicine you don’t know is there, you won’t make it back in time.”
I meant to say something, but a lump had hardened in my throat. Claire spoke up instead.
