Breed of Innocence (The Breed Chronicles, #01)

by Jordan, Lanie

  Linc nodded, as if that made any kind of sense. “That would do it.”

  “Do what? I didn’t steal anything!”

  “Someone thinks you did. Greene obviously believes it.”

  I could have strangled him. “Yes, Lincoln,” I said through clenched teeth, speaking slowly, “I kind of figured that part out on my own.” I covered my face with my hands, shook my head. “I’m leaving. Now.”

  “Where?”

  “Anywhere that isn’t here, obviously,” I snapped as I started back down the stairs.

  “Jade, wait.” He reached me again and stood in front of me, blocking my path. I didn’t want to fight him, but if it came down to him or me, I was picking me. “You can’t just go out the front doors of this place without some help.”

  “And? Are you volunteering?” I snorted. Did he think I was that stupid? That was the oldest trick in the book. Yeah, he would help alright—by leading me straight to Greene. He knew what was going on, so Greene or someone else had probably told him to stop me. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

  Something in my expression must have given me away because he said, “Jade, I want to help you. I don’t think you stole anything. You’ve been locked in your room for the last two months studying, and when you weren’t doing that, you were with me.”

  It was plausible enough. Mostly. But did I trust him?

  Did I have a choice?

  The sound of approaching footsteps said I didn’t, at least none that I liked. “Fine.”

  “Let’s go.” He latched onto my arm and started dragging me down the stairs.

  Two agents and one Prospect were waiting for us near the bottom. Without hesitation, Linc kicked the nearest agent in the stomach and sent him crashing into the man behind him.

  The Prospect—a P2 guy with longish blond hair—ran at me and wrapped his hand around my bicep. I pulled my other arm back to punch him in the face, but then I hesitated. I didn’t want to hurt the guy. It wasn’t Blondie’s fault someone had set me up.

  He hit me in the stomach when I lowered my arm. My eyes narrowed. Well, if they weren’t going to worry about hurting me, then I wasn’t going to worry about hurting them. “That was rude. Jerk.” He looked ready to hit me again, so I reached out and gave a semi-hard tug on a handful of hair.

  His jaw dropped down. He somehow looked mutinous and surprised, like he was unsure of what to do now. He blinked at me.

  I sighed, then jabbed him in the jaw.

  The hit itself probably wouldn’t have been that bad, but Linc had punched one of his guys at the same time. That guy spun around and his elbow collided with the other side of Blondie’s jaw. They both ended up tumbling down the last few steps and landing on each other.

  Linc took off running. “Come on!”

  I leapt over the pile of guys and followed. He headed straight to the café. “Shouldn’t we be trying to get out?” I whispered behind him.

  “That’s what everyone’s expecting you to do, to try to get out. If we hide in here for a few minutes, maybe they’ll think you already got out of the North Tower and focus more on the outside. And when they don’t find you, they’ll start back in here, floor by floor. By then, we will be outside.”

  “Alright.” I couldn’t argue with his logic. “What’s the plan?”

  “We hide out in the café and then try to go out through the infirmary’s side exit—where the ambulances bring people in.”

  I wasn’t all that sure of his plan, but since I didn’t really have one, it had to be twice as good.

  When we got to the café, he pulled me down behind a table near the side exit. Without taking his eyes off the front, he said, “There are too many people looking for you right now. If we can get some of them to follow us and start taking them out one by one, we’ll have a better chance.” A second later, he ducked down, crawled to the table behind us, then quietly took the tray from the top.

  “What are you going to do? Feed them?”

  He gave me a get-serious look as he crawled back. “You’ll see.” He set the tray between us and waited.

  A minute passed, and then another, before we heard agents talking right outside. I saw one creep by the entrance. He was dressed in all black. I didn’t see a gun—which I took as a good sign—but he had other weapons. Well, hopefully none as permanent as a gun.

  “Ready?” Linc said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

  “For?”

  He rolled his eyes and didn’t bother with a response. He picked up the packaged sandwich from the tray, waited two seconds, and then sent it hurtling across the room toward the serving area. Metal clanged and something rolled as it hit the ground.

  The agents at the door whirled toward the sound. The one in the lead made a motion with his hands and the others moved in closer to inspect.

  Moving slowly, Linc grabbed my arm and pulled me as he went around the table. As the agents went behind the serving area, Linc pulled me through the side exit. My feet skidded under me as he took off running before I’d managed to get completely upright. “I can’t believe that worked—”

  My heart plummeted as four agents stepped out in front of us.

  Linc and I both came to a stop. His head turned slightly as he looked at me and grinned. “Guess it’s time to really see what you’re made of, Hall,” he said and charged the men in front of us.

  One moved around me and snaked his arms around my waist. I tried wiggling free but his grip was too tight. Another guy ran at me, this one with restraints in his hands. “Oh no, you don’t,” I said and kicked out, catching him in the stomach with both feet. He flew back and fell.

  The guy still holding me didn’t lose his grip, even though we’d both been shoved back into the wall from the force of the kick. Glaring, I reached over my shoulders, wrapped my arms around the guy’s neck, and then bent over and yanked. With a muffled curse, the man flipped over me, landing hard on his back. I kicked him in the side for good measure, then jumped over him to help Linc with the others.

  The guy I’d kicked in the stomach was back on his feet and sneaking up behind Linc, so I went for him first. I plowed my fist into the back of his head hard enough to sting my knuckles. He crumpled to the ground.

  I stole a quick glance at Linc. He was still busy with one of the other guys. I winced as the agent got a shot in to Linc’s face.

  When I moved in to help, an agent blocked my path—the one I’d flipped over me. I shuffled left, then right, trying to find a way around him. I feinted to one direction but went the other way. The agent grabbed me before I made it past him and brought his knee up into my stomach.

  My feet left the ground and the breath rushed from my lungs for the second time in a matter of minutes. I backed up, clutching my stomach and narrowing my eyes into thin slits. I shook my head. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I said with a snarl.

  The man in front of me just smiled and began to circle me. I brought my fists up and kept my distance. As he started in, Linc kicked the agent’s feet out from beneath him. I dropped my hands to my side and stormed forward, stepping on, and then over, the fallen agent. “Hey! I had him!” And to prove it, I kicked him when he started to move.

  Linc shrugged. “You can have the next one.”

  “Okay. Now let’s just get out of here.”

  He nodded and took off again, going down a hallway behind the café. It was a straight shot between here and the infirmary, but most people didn’t use it. Unless you were going from one place to the other, it just took you out of your way.

  We were halfway to the infirmary when we heard voices coming from that direction.

  “Shit!”

  “Come on,” Linc said, grabbing my arm and pulling me back the way we’d come. He came to a stop outside a door to the old garage and yanked it open before shoving me inside. When he closed it, what little light had shone through was gone now, leaving the garage in darkness.

  The garage wasn’t used for parking anymore, because the majority of agen
ts parked in the one behind the South Tower. According to Linc, it’d been renovated with walls so it was like one big, multi-leveled room with ramps. Now the teachers used it for exercises that required a lot of room, or demonstrations when it was raining outside.

  Linc led the way, going to the left, toward the exit. Our footsteps echoed around us. It was nearly pitch-black, but I could make out the outlines of CMs—combat mannequins.

  “Watch out,” I hissed when Linc came within inches of running into one. He stopped before he hit it, but the CM’s sensors picked up the movement. Its eyes lit up red, glowing creepily in the dark. Its arms started to move with quick, outward jabs. They were programmed for our Combat class, so we could practice outside of the classroom without hurting anyone.

  “I didn’t even see it,” he whispered, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Maybe you should lead the way.”

  “Okay.” I jogged up to him and then took hold of his hand before taking off again. We only made it a few feet before I heard the door creak open behind us. In the next second, the overheard lights flashed on. Linc and I stopped running and ducked behind columns. I didn’t see who had come in, but it didn’t take long for me to figure it out.

  “Oh, Jade,” a female voice rang out in an almost happy singsong tone. “I know you’re in here.”

  Felecia.

  Linc and I exchanged looks. There was no way we’d make it outside without her seeing exactly where we were going. In the dark, we might’ve had a chance, but not now. We’d have to get past her before we could make our escape.

  After a second, I realized I really didn’t have a problem with that.

  Linc started to step forward and signaled me, but I shook my head and mouthed ‘mine’. He made a face, shrugged, then pointed to his watch. I nodded and moved to my left, ducking down behind one of the other mannequins. I closed my eyes and listened carefully. Faintly, I could hear her footsteps. She was headed away from us.

  I ran to another column and another mannequin came to life. Felecia had either seen or heard it, because she stopped and started back in my direction. Her movements were slower now, and quieter.

  I risked a quick look and found her standing about ten feet away. She was close to the door, as if trying to block it from us. Did she think we were stupid enough to go back that way?

  “Come on, Jade. You can’t hide forever. Might as well just get this ass kicking over with.”

  I inhaled a deep breath, and then released it slowly as I stood and took two steps right, out in the open.

  Felecia spotted me immediately. A slow, vindictive smile curved her lips. “I’ve been waiting for this.” She cracked her knuckles and then shook her hands. “Permission to kick your ass.”

  Maybe it shouldn’t have, but it actually pissed me off. She, the one who had jumped me—not once, but twice—had been waiting for this? The one who, at the first sight of a demon, had taken off and left me to fend for myself?

  I balled my hands into fists and took a fighting stance. “Let’s go then.”

  She moved in fast, throwing her arms around my neck and bringing her knee up into my stomach before I could react. I grunted.

  She tried for the same move again, but I blocked her knee and brought my head up. The back of it crashed into her face. I winced and heard her footsteps as she stumbled. When I spun around to face her, she was holding her nose. Her eyes were thin slits. The look on her face was almost funny—an I-can’t-believe-you-did-that look that made me want to laugh out. She had no problem trying to kick someone else’s ass, but if they got a shot in, it was like they’d done something completely unbelievable.

  She let her hands drop from her face and inspected them. “You’re going to regret that,” she said and threw a high punch. I managed to pivot mostly out of the way but it grazed the side of my neck.

  I rubbed the spot she hit and shook my head. “You really don’t like losing, do you?” Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Linc moved from column to column, heading in the direction of the main exit. He spared me one get-it-done glance and then vanished from sight again.

  I’d spent the last few months watching my back and trying to steer clear of her. Not anymore. Greene sent her after me and made it clear he didn’t want me here, so I didn’t have to worry about that.

  And I wasn’t going to.

  She extended her leg in a kick, then another. I jumped out of the way. She moved in and started throwing wild punches. Even with my fists up for protection, she managed to land in more hits than she missed, getting my stomach and arms—whatever she could manage.

  I took a few steps back to dodge the majority of the punches and then ran at her. I rammed my right shoulder into her left one. There hadn’t been enough force behind it to knock her down like I’d hoped, but it made her stagger and bought me enough time to plant my foot on her stomach to kick her away. She lost her footing and fell.

  “Just stay down,” I said and started to move past her.

  I barely made it a step before she wrapped her hands around my ankles and yanked me down. I managed to pivot at the last second and hit the ground on my side instead of face-first. My hip screamed and my head still bounced off the ground, making me see stars. I was still trying to catch my breath when Felecia rolled and started to get up. Fighting against blurry vision and the pain in my hip, I forced myself to do the same and stood.

  She got to her feet seconds before I did. The movement woke up another mannequin and it punched out, hitting her on the side of the head. She turned to see who her attacker was and got another hit in the face.

  She kicked one of the CMs. It bobbed back and forth then tipped over. It fell into the one beside it and started a domino chain that sent four more to the ground. The other four mannequins came to life. Their arms flailed in the air, hitting her and the other CMs.

  Felecia sneered at them.

  The lights flashed off. Felecia twisted left and right, swinging out with wild punches that hit nothing but air. I charged her, putting my arm out to the side as I ran. My arm connected with her sternum and sent her back to the ground. Her head thudded on the concrete with a dull crack.

  I couldn’t help but wince. Guilt tried squirming its way to the surface like a worm. I squashed it down. Felecia had no qualms with taking me out and had already demonstrated on more than one occasion that she didn’t care what happened to me.

  I knelt down beside her and, as she tried sitting up, sent my fist into her face. Her eyes rolled back and her head went to the side. I shook my fist and scanned the area. Grabbing both her arms, I pulled her to a door marked Storage and opened it. It was a small room with spare mannequins, folding chairs, and a shelf full of miscellaneous stuff.

  I dragged her inside and released her arms. I turned to leave but stopped and glanced down at her. As soon she came to, she’d come after us again—or, if she was smart, get more agents. Shaking my head, I grabbed one of the chairs, shut the door behind me, then braced the chair under the doorknob. It wouldn’t keep her trapped indefinitely, but it’d buy us some time.

  I ran to the exit to meet back up with Linc. He already had the door open, looking anxious. When he spotted me, he shook his head and frowned. “Did you have to take so long?”

  He started forward before I could answer, so I settled with rolling my eyes and following behind him.

  We ran down the ramp that led out of the parking garage. If we kept going, we’d end up at the track and pool area. As we neared the end of the building, we slowed to a stop. I risked a quick glance around the corner, then whipped my head back as a set of lights moved over the ground.

  “Agents,” I whispered.

  The lights crept closer and closer. Linc and I retreated. Just when I thought we were about to get caught, the lights started to move away.

  “That was close,” I breathed weakly.

  Linc nodded. “Come on. We need to get to the guard shack. It’s the only way we can get off the property—unless you can leap an eight-foot h
igh electric fence.”

  We gave it a few seconds to make sure the agents didn’t come back, and then took off for the pool. We’d gone barely twenty feet before three agents came out of nowhere and ran at us.

  Linc swerved to the right and two agents followed him. As the closer one approached him, Linc kicked the side of the guy’s knee and he dropped down. The other guy moved in and Linc swung around with a roundhouse that sent him flying.

  The third guy sprinted for me. I waited until he was only a few feet away and then jumped up and kicked him. He threw his arms up before my feet connected and I ended up catching him in the shoulder. It was an awkward kick, so we both hit the ground. I landed awkwardly on my hip again, which had mostly stopped hurting until then. The hip pain had me moving slow, so the agent made it to his feet first.

  “Give it up, Miss Hall,” the guy said, looming over me with a smug smile.

  I sighed and looked up. “Mind helping me up, then?”

  He shook his head but held out his hand.

  Grinning, I grabbed it and, using the tried and true method that worked on Linc every time, brought my leg up into his stomach and pulled on his arm as I pushed him away with my legs. He soared over my head. I rolled to the side in time to see Linc punch him in the head as he landed.

  I got to my feet and looked around. The two agents Linc had fought were sprawled on top of each other in the grass, making a human X. “Show off,” I muttered under my breath.

  He flashed me a quick grin, then headed for the track.

  The bleachers weren’t collapsed, so they provided enough cover for us to hide behind them. Linc stopped at the end of the rows and pointed toward the North Tower. There was a group of six agents patrolling out front. Their flash light beams were going in every direction.