After Dawn (Book 3 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy) by Karly Kirkpatrick Read Free Book Online Page B

the arms, and even in his weakened state, he was still too much for the emaciated EOS prisoners.
    His muscles still rippled beneath his torn and bloodied khaki shirt as he fought to gain his balance. A deep gash ran along the center of his skull and blood oozed out on either side.
    "I almost had you, you evil freak," he mumbled. He nodded at the small handgun that the EOS prisoner to his left had wrestled away from him. "If only your friend hadn't jumped in front of you. You're going to die, you scum! You're all going to die! If not today, then tomorrow. But they'll be coming."
    His gravelly voice invaded her ears like an earthquake. He had ruined too many lives. This would be the last time he tried to ruin hers.
    Paivi's hands shook, no longer able to hold her anger in. She flung her palm toward him and the energy ripped him from the EOS prisoners' arms, pulling him straight up in the air. He rose higher and higher until they could barely see him. She waved her hand and he flew sideways, outside of the camp's walls.
    And then she dropped her arm.
    The ATC agent with the gravelly voice was not much more than a dot in the sky as he plummeted back to earth.
    The gravity of the situation hit Paivi square in the chest. She had just willingly killed a man. It wasn't like other times where people were injured or killed as a side effect of the energy. But what was murder anymore? She tried to steel her nerves. What else could she do? It was kill or be killed. The gravelly-voiced ATC agent wanted her dead. He wanted them all dead.
    It was him or the EOS prisoners.
    She chose them.

Chapter 9
     
     
     
    The crowd stared at her in awe. Paivi couldn't tell if they were happy or terrified of her.
    "Peter?" She turned back to the front of the group, to where Molly's body lay on the ground, her lifeless eyes staring at the cloudless sky. "We've got to get them organized as quickly as possible. We need to head south as soon as we're ready. We're dead if we stay more than a few hours."
    "I'll put out the word for them to round up any working vehicles and any food supplies." He grabbed the megaphone. "Do you think they can really make the trip?" He gestured out at the rag-tag crowd. They resembled a collection of scarecrows more than they did an imposing army with deadly powers.
    Paivi wondered if any of them even knew how to use their powers. Or were they really just a battery source for her.
    "We've gotta figure out if anyone has any powers. I need a few powerful people, including you, to come with me. We've got something to do before we can leave." She pointed to the mountain.
    Peter's eyes widened. "Are you sure we can make it back out?"
    "I promise you we'll get out." She rubbed her forehead. "There is something in there I have to get before we leave."
    She glanced at Molly again and kneeled down beside her. Her friend had sacrificed everything for her. She gently pushed her eyelids closed and folded her hands across her chest, but not before covering the hole in Molly's heart with her kerchief. "I want to bury her outside of the gates. She should be a free woman in death." She wiped away an angry tear. There was no time to cry now. She would cry someday, for all of them that had perished or suffered. But now it was time to survive.
    Peter's voice rang out above her as he ordered those still standing to prepare for departure and called for anyone with any controllable powers. People scattered throughout the camp. Any visible bodies of ATC agents were dragged from the rubble and hauled to the showers. That would be their final resting place.
    Paivi watched as large numbers of the EOS prisoners pushed to the front of the group, informing Peter of powers they had that might be able to assist the escape.
    "I need people who have power like me." Paivi told Peter. "Can you ask for anyone that can move stuff? That's how I started out."
    Peter made the request over the megaphone and dispersed the rest of the group. Twenty people pushed through