Breakout by Paul Herron (notion reading list .txt) 📕

her hands nervously together. Felix lies on one of the benches, arm over his eyes to block out the light.

“Enjoying your nap?”

Sawyer smiles in relief when she sees me. “Wasn’t sure you’d make it back.”

“I’m Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.”

Her smile fades into confusion.

“I’m immortal?”

Nope. Nothing.

“Never mind. Let’s go.”

Sawyer joins me at the door, still looking at me sidelong. I realize I’m probably acting oddly. I feel different. Free. Buoyant. The realization you’re going to die and the acceptance of that really does change your perspective. She’s wondering why the hell I seem to be in such a good mood. I don’t think I could explain it to her if I wanted to.

Felix hasn’t budged since I entered the room. “Felix? You coming or you staying here to sleep?”

He sighs and sits up. “Just conserving my energy.”

“Is he really letting us go?” asks Sawyer.

“I got him his guns.”

Sawyer’s face clouds over. She’s not happy about it.

“What did you want me to do?” I ask. “Let you both die?”

She doesn’t answer.

“Look—it doesn’t matter. Just trust me, okay? But we have to get out of here. Right now.”

Felix frowns. “Want to tell us why?”

“Just follow me and don’t look back.”

We head into the gym. Felix and his guys are standing around the treadmill, taking out the shotguns and M9s. My stomach clenches up. I hope my face doesn’t look as panicked as I’m feeling.

Just play it cool. You’re smarter than these guys. They’re not gonna check the magazines.

I stare at the door. It’s only about ten paces away. I pick up the pace. Silas is still standing there, watching us approach. I slow down, letting Sawyer and Felix pull ahead.

“Boss?” calls out Silas.

I look over at Castillo. He has a Beretta in his hand. Jesus. Surely he can feel how light it is?

He just nods and turns back to the guns. Silas braces himself, starts to pull the door open against the water.

Then I hear it. The ratcheting click of a magazine being ejected.

I lunge forward through the water, grab the door and try to heave it open.

“Go!” I shout.

Sawyer and Felix give me confused looks, but they dart forward, trying to squeeze through.

“Stop them!” shouts Castillo.

I punch Silas in the throat. I may as well have punched a wall of sand for all the good it does. The guy shrugs it off and grabs Felix by the collar, yanking him back. Felix flies backward and lands on his ass in the water.

I try to push Sawyer through the door, but Silas elbows me in the head. I stumble back, stars exploding across my vision. Silas shoves his back up against the door, pushing it closed with his weight.

Castillo comes for me, empty magazine in one hand, Beretta in the other. I glance around the gym, doing a quick count. There are about twenty other guys in here. All of them ready to fight. If I take my own gun out, I might fire off a few rounds before I’m overpowered. But it would be a waste of a gun, and a waste of all our lives. Better to keep it for when I really need—

Castillo hits me in the face with the Beretta. My cheek smashes up against my teeth and I taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. I stagger back, shake my head to clear it.

“You think you can mess with me? Seriously?”

I spit the blood into the water, probe the inside of my mouth with my tongue. Tooth’s still there. That’s something at least.

“Where are the bullets, Constantine?”

Sawyer is busy helping Felix to his feet. She looks sharply at me.

Castillo hits me in the head with the butt of the gun. I drop to my knees.

“Where are the bullets?” he shouts.

I don’t know what to do. There’s no way I’m going to get away with not handing the bullets over. Can I lie? Say I didn’t bring them? No. Castillo won’t believe me.

He looks over at Silas. “Grab one of them,” he says, indicating Felix and Sawyer.

Sawyer is closer to him. Silas’s hand closes around her arm. “What you want me to do?”

“That depends on Constantine.”

Castillo pulls me to my feet and shoves me toward Sawyer. Her eyes are wide, but she’s trying not to show fear.

Castillo takes a knife out of his pocket. Silas yanks Sawyer’s hair, pulling her head back so her neck is stretched tight. Felix takes a step forward, but Castillo waves the knife at him.

“Just… don’t. Okay? Or I’ll kill you both.”

Felix freezes. Castillo turns to me, waiting. He doesn’t say anything this time.

I sigh. “The closet. About four doors down.”

Castillo nods at a few of his guys and they hurry out of the gym. While they’re gone, Silas pushes the three of us up against the wall close to the door. Sawyer is on one side of me, and Felix on the other.

“Do we have a game plan here?” asks Felix. “Because I’m pretty sure these guys are gonna shoot us in the head soon.”

He’s right. I realize I’m going to have to risk the gun. Best to do it now, when the Kings are five men down.

I wait until no one is looking, then quickly reach into my prison scrubs and pull the gun out, hiding it behind my back.

“Did I just see you pull a gun out of your ass?” asks Felix.

“It was in my boxers.”

“Same thing.”

“It’s nowhere near the same thing. Resting a gun in your waistband and shoving it up your ass are so far beyond the same thing it’s not even worth talking about.”

“Whatever, man. I’m not touchin’ it.”

“I’m not asking you to touch it. I’ll touch it. You don’t have to touch anything.”

“Will you two shut the fuck up!” snaps Sawyer. “Do we have a plan or not?”

“I was thinking I’d start shooting and we make a run for it.”

“Good call,” says Felix. “Now is—”

The door surges open against the water, forming a wave that carries across the gym. The Kings who went