Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,56

enter the building as one.

We forced ourselves to walk as we moved down the long corridor which led towards the locker rooms and Kyan nudged me, pointing out the partially open door to the sports hall itself.

Saint frowned as he looked that way too, seemingly unsure before shrugging one shoulder and indicating for us to check it out.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Blake hollered as he pulled the door wide and we stepped into the hall.

With the lights out, the huge space was dim and shadows hung behind the bleachers but there was no sign of anyone being in here.

We stepped further into the space, glancing between ourselves and as we reached the middle of the sports hall, a prickle rose along my spine, making me whirl back around as I felt the presence of eyes on my skin.

My gaze fell on a hooded figure in a bone white mask just as they threw a canister into the room with us, the shiny, silver tube emitting a strong smelling gas at an alarming rate.

I yelled a string of curses as I ran back towards the double doors and a second canister was tossed in a moment before they were slammed shut.

Saint cursed, yanking his shirt up to cover his mouth and nose as he barked orders at us to do the same and I staggered a step as the gas made my head spin.

Kyan roared a challenge as he ran at the doors like a bull, his shoulder slamming into them and making them rattle, but they didn't give as something clearly held them closed from the outside.

I made it to his side and started throwing my shoulder against the wood in time with him, determined to break out of here before that gas took full effect.

Saint and Blake hurled the canisters away, but even in the huge room, the gas was thick and it seemed to stay low to the ground, the effects of it making me stumble as dizziness pushed into my mind.

"What the fuck is this?" I asked, but my words were so slurred that I wasn't sure any of them could understand me.

I slammed into the door again, but my muscles were losing power, and when I tried to move back to do it another time, my knees buckled and I slumped to the floor.

I turned my head and the room spun so violently that it took me several long seconds to realise the thing I was looking at was Blake's unconscious body.

I fought to stay upright on my knees, but I was losing the battle with my own limbs as they slipped out of control and I slumped to the wooden floor with a groan.

Kyan tried to batter the door down one last time before dropping his bat, the sound of it rolling away echoing in my ears. He fell against the doors before sliding down them and falling onto his back beside me. The gas canister blew the drugged substance right into his face and he coughed as he was overwhelmed by it.

He caught my gaze, the same fear reflected in his pupils as I was sure he could see in mine. With the four of us incapacitated, Tatum was vulnerable back at The Temple. Something we’d all sworn would never happen again.

The Justice Ninja had laid out this trap knowing full well that Saint would see them on the cameras. They must have figured out that he was watching. Knowing we'd have to leave her behind when we hunted them here.

And like a bunch of assholes who believed we were invincible, we'd walked right into it.

I couldn't fight the effects of the gas anymore and my eyes fell closed as a groan escaped my lips which was meant to be a name. But my girl was tougher than anyone I knew. And the last feeling that surged through me as unconsciousness tore me away, was hope. Because I had to hope that she could handle this asshole on her own, otherwise I had no idea what would become of us.

M y pulse went haywire as I watched the Night Keepers’ location on the app on Saint’s phone, all of them at the Acacia Sports Hall. They’d been inside for almost ten minutes and hope filled me over the possibility that they’d finally caught the other Justice Ninja and were currently giving them hell. I just wished I could be there with them to dole out a little justice of my own.