The Gender End by Bella Forrest (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📕

What are you planning? I asked, now picking up on the sounds of doors being opened and closed near us.

I’m going to be a distraction, she said, swinging around her rifle and checking the magazine. You two are going to get to Elena.

What? No—they’ll kill you.

They better hope they do, she said, a wicked gleam in her eyes. Because I’m going to kill them.

Ms. Dale, just use the suit, and they’ll—

She can’t, Morgan said, cutting off my words. I looked at her, and her face was apologetic. The gunshot probably damaged the suit. There’s a chance it’ll injure her, or worse.

Violet, Ms. Dale said, stepping over the tail of Morgan’s words, and I looked at her. She lowered the rifle onto its strap, and reached over to cup my face, hers softening again.

This is what has to happen. I’m slowing you down, and I’m a liability. But this? I can do this for you. I can buy you a chance. Elena’s probably moving now. If you can intercept her, follow her… you stand a chance. She’ll try to run—if she does, get to the roof.

There was a loud bang from very near the doors, and I knew the kitchen was next—then us. Unless the ones in the other hallway got to the other doors first.

Ms. Dale speared me with an intense look, then smiled, looking unconcerned.

This is karma, Violet. I did something… something unforgivable to you, and now I can finally repay that debt I owe you. When you’re ready… when you think you can forgive me… ask Viggo, and he’ll tell you everything. I love you, brave girl.

Her words were like stones in my heart, sinking to my shoes and holding me in place. I watched as she hobbled over to the door, somehow moving quickly in spite of the pain she must be experiencing. She kicked open the door we had just come through and tossed out a grenade. There was a bright flash and a loud bang, indicating she had used a concussive one, and then she stepped through, her rifle firing wildly.

Wait! I cried out, knowing she heard my words through our comms. I love you too! Please don’t—

The suit, Violet! Morgan interrupted, and I looked to see Morgan’s body already shimmering out of existence—I was still too stunned by what I was witnessing to really comprehend it. It was unfurling before me in real time, Ms. Dale’s mouth opening in a shout as she fired down the hallway, the door swinging closed. Morgan’s invisible hands shook me hard, and then struck me across my face, and I jolted back into myself.

I stared at the empty air where she should be for a moment, and then dropped my bag on the floor, clenching my muscles and letting the discomfort of the suit sink into my skin, drawing strength from its pins and needles. It did nothing to match the ache in my heart as the door between me and Ms. Dale slammed shut, her shots moving away and becoming more muted.

We’d only moved a couple steps before the doors to the opposite side burst open, and six wardens raced across it. Ms. Dale’s bursts of gunfire continued down the hallway across the room from them, and they didn’t do anything more than glance right through us and then move through the doors, chasing her.

I relaxed my muscles, and a moment later, Morgan did as well, reaching over to grab my bag and hold it up to me.

I’m sorry I hit you, she said softly, and I took the bag into my numb hands, trying to think of something to say. I slipped it back on, and she reached out and grabbed my wrist.

Violet, we have to complete the mission, she said evenly, her eyes placating.

I nodded again, and then forced myself to move through the doors the guards had just run through, the doors that weren’t ricocheting with fading gunfire. I turned my subvocalizer off long enough to whisper, “Change to channel K,” and turned left down the hall, following it, my gun drawn and my adrenaline surging.

Morgan, checking in on channel K.

Violet—confirmed.

Our words were mechanical, automatic. We were halfway to the next junction when I felt the floor and walls shake hard, a smattering of dust exploding from the junction in front of me and scattering all over the place. I stumbled and caught myself on the wall, and then felt despair crushing into my heart.

She can’t be gone, I thought to myself, my heart aching, agony in every beat.

I thought of her, and then pushed the thought aside, straightening. It was too much to think about it right now.

C’mon, I forced myself to say, allowing rage to bypass my despair. For the moment, fire consumed my sorrow, filling me with something I could use.

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38

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Viggo

I slowly cracked open the door to the palace, peering through the slit. The hallway was clear from that side, so I pulled the door back fully and stepped out into the hall that was revealed, my gun raised. The corridor was empty, silent, and still—no sign of any danger.

I motioned Owen out, and he scanned the hall.

How do we get to the east stairwell from here? I asked.

He checked Thomas’ handheld.

This way, he said, pointing to the left. Fifty feet and turn right.

I began moving down the corridor, keeping my footsteps light and my eyes alert. I felt dangerously exposed in the hallways. Elena had cameras, and that meant we were on them. Getting Owen to the security room was a priority—he could shut everything down using Thomas’ instructions, which would help keep Violet and the rest of our group safer, too.

It occurred to me as we checked the next corner that we should go invisible, before I remembered we couldn’t really go invisible. We had backpacks and Thomas’ bag—gear we needed for this mission. It would be very conspicuous if there were floating bags passing by the camera.

I was torn