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

I should go first, Owen said, already hefting the bag over his shoulder.

Owen, you’re better with the suit than I am. Give me the tube and the gun and run interference for me.

Owen frowned but passed it over with a nod.

Let’s just get it done so we can find everyone else.

Thinking about Morgan? I asked as I put on the bag. He smiled, but the expression evaporated quickly.

That’s none of your business, he transmitted, before slowly disappearing from view.

Well, be prepared for it to be everyone’s business, I replied, taking a direct path toward the structures on the corner of the roof. They slowly became more visible as I moved toward them, and I realized there was a massive satellite dish in the middle, but around it were straight, long metal frames, towering into the night, nearly as tall as the adjacent rooftop. The metal mesh fence surrounding it was, I realized as I neared it, marked with a sign announcing 10,000 volts of electricity was coursing through it.

Violet and I have stood up to our fair share of teasing.

I knew I should be focusing on the mission and only talking about critical things. But Owen’s tone when he’d mentioned giving up on all plans… I suspected he was in that dark place again, the place that made him do irrational and painful things, and I hoped maybe, just maybe, a little reminder of something good in the world might shake him out of it.

Yeah, but you and Violet are so confident. I’m… I’m not so much. I mean… I didn’t even realize she was into me until Violet said something. His voice didn’t sound as heavy as before, but it was still loaded with some kind of worry. It was eerie talking to a vanished man, knowing he was near me somewhere while we were talking about this but feeling like it would be no different if he and I were on opposite sides of the palace.

Oh God, I said with a smile as I approached the fence. Please tell me my wife isn’t becoming one of those wives.

Owen’s chuckle in reply made me feel a little better as I stopped just short of the fence. A slight hum emanated from it—a tiny sign of the 10,000 volts—and I reached into the bag to pull out the tube of solvent.

Maybe she is, he said, but can you blame her? She’s ridiculously in love with you, and—

Did you just call my wife ridiculous? I teased as I unscrewed the tube. Because I’m sure she’d love to know you said that.

Isn’t that the point of love—to be ridiculous with, to, and for each other? he shot back, and I paused in my careful application of the black, tar-like goo I was pressing against the point where the fence wires overlapped. The goo itself didn’t transmit electricity—that was one of its selling points—but I had to be careful that neither the tube nor my fingers touched the metal.

I should’ve gotten you to write my wedding vows, I said after a thoughtful moment, resuming my work. I gotta cut a hole in this thing, in case you haven’t noticed. It’s electrified.

I have, just hurry up. It’s making me nervous how quiet everything is up here.

I agree, I informed him as I slowly drew the tube down, applying the substance liberally. Overhead, wisps of smoke were appearing, and molten metal began to drip down as the chemicals did their job. And I’m not even the one using the suit.

I gave you that option, he coolly replied. And don’t worry, I’m watching the doors.

That will only last as long as it takes me to get this fence down. I moved my hands up to start dragging the tube across the top and back down the other side, creating a four-foot-long, three-foot-wide door where the section I’d separated would fall out. Once we’re in there, we aren’t going to have a good view.

I know. I wish I knew how to help Amber get the cameras back up.

Well, unfortunately for Amber, the redhead’s voice cut in, reminding us nothing we had said was private, Thomas’ manual didn’t cover electronic meltdown.

Any chance we can just pull back? I asked, taking a step back to admire my handiwork and wait for the solvent to finish melting the metal. I’d love to lounge in that control room. I tried to keep my tone light, but Owen seemed to have gone even stiller than before at the mention of Thomas’ name, and I was still worried about him.

They know something’s up, Logan said, his voice a tight whisper. I’m not sure how much time we have before someone’s back up here. The room had four people manning it, Viggo. Four. She’s just one.

I’m a very convincing liar, Amber replied, seeming unimpressed with Logan’s concern for her. Anyway, to answer your question—no. Sorry. You gotta take the antennas out. Then we can talk exit strategies.

I sighed—her answer wasn’t unexpected—and then kicked out with my boot, impacting the impromptu door I had created. My boots also shielded me from being electrocuted, if there was still a charge in the partially severed mesh, and the piece I had carved out went skidding across the rooftop and came to a rattling stop.

That wasn’t exactly stealthy, Owen said sourly, and I ducked through and moved around the base of the satellite dish. I sat my bag down beside the concrete block from which the dish jutted, pulling out the cubes of semtex and placing them on the ground.

The blonde man appeared next to me a second later, studying the dish and its mount.

We’ll need to really control the explosion, he said, kneeling and producing a knife. He cut through one of the semtex cubes, halving it and then quartering it again, as he spoke. We don’t want to bring the roof down on the upper levels, but at the same time, we have to