I thrust the tool right at his knee, and the simultaneous sounds of his cry and the crack of his knee echo around me.
Directly in front of me, he buckles, losing his balance and tumbling toward the hole. Screaming an obscenity, he grabs for me, but I slip out of his grasp, using the quadrant to poke at his hands furiously, crunching his bones with each stab.
“Goddamn you, Goddamn—” And he disappears, a thudding sound like a person falling down steps, his voice nothing but a moan of agony and despair as he goes farther and farther into the pit.
“No, Rex. God damned you when you killed my brother.” Slowly, I stand up, worried that my shaking legs will betray me and I’ll be following him, but I manage to step away to solid ground.
I think about throwing the quadrant in after him, but then I realize I’m not done being a gladiator yet. I still have to find Molly and Levi, and if I have to kill to save them … Well, I guess I’ve proven I’m capable of that.
CHAPTER XXXIII
I worm my way through more corridors, frantically slamming on the walls as I search for openings. I finally find a stairway that leads up, taking me into a cave, and when I get out, I step into a heavy rainfall.
Still, I’m able to see the lights of the Colliers’ house from where I’m standing.
As I run toward the house, I blink into the raindrops to see a car careening down the driveway.
Levi! In the car that’s going to explode? Is he driving Molly away? I run at full speed, waving wildly as I reach the driveway, but the car’s headed onto the road, the engine and rain both too loud for him to hear me screaming at the top of my lungs.
“Noo—”
A hand snakes around my waist and clamps hard, yanking me into a solid body. “What the hell are you doing, Fifth?”
“Josh.” I barely breathe his name, trying to wrench away, but he holds me tightly. “Who was in that car?”
He shrugs. “Some kids. What’re you doing out here, Fifth?”
I try to step away but he won’t let me go. I can barely look at him, considering I just killed his grandfather and tried to kill his father and I might want to kill him, too.
“What kids?” I ask. “Who was in the car, Josh?”
“Don’t worry. My grandfather already called the cops. They’ll be pulled over before they get far. Sorry, but that prick’s going back to juvie, where he belongs.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head, fury and fear rocking me as the rain intensifies, soaking me completely.
“Molly showed up wasted, so he poured her into my grandfather’s Beamer and took off like a bat outta hell.” He starts pulling me toward the house. “Let’s get dry.”
“They’re going to die,” I sputter, praying this is a surprise for him. Please don’t be part of this, Josh.
His reply is drowned out by the sound of a motor, growing louder, and bright lights bearing down on us. We both start to run, but the black pickup screeches to a halt on the grass. The driver’s door pops open and Jarvis emerges.
I recognize the hood over his head, the shape of him. His voice is thick, like he’s drunk, and he holds his hand over a dark bandana wrapped around his neck.
“Who the hell are you?” Josh asks. As I back away in horror, Josh reaches for me. “Do you know him, Kenzie?”
“He’s—”
“Take her inside, Joshua.”
Josh bristles at the order. “What? Who are you?”
As much as I’d love to stay for the Darth Vader moment, I have to get Levi. “Let me go, Josh!”
“Don’t let her go, Joshua. Inside, now. I’m bleeding.”
“Not enough,” I say, frantically trying to loosen Josh’s grip on my arm and get away.
“No, maybe we should listen to this guy,” Josh says, eyeing Jarvis. “He might, uh, work for my grandfather.”
I’ve got one card left, and I have to use it. “You think he’s going to help you?” I demand. “You think this guy is going to make your life better, Josh? Make you do things that your grandfather says will give you power and money and control?”
He staggers back at my words.
“Inside!” Jarvis growls.
I manage to twist around, slipping in the wet grass. “Look at him, Josh! Don’t you see the resemblance? Don’t you see? This man, this murderer, this assassin. He’s your father.”
Josh’s hand loosens but not enough for me to get away. Jarvis