When I got downstairs, Kev and Shelby and Ryan were crouched beside the barricaded windows, trading fire with the Hunters. They wouldn’t look at me. Rory was dead upstairs. David was dead in the street outside. Eric had only just left and was likely already dead trying to escort Henry to the containment vault. How had everything–

The street outside suddenly lit up orange and yellow with a massive explosion. And then another. Even as the ear-battering sound faded, the gunfire was silenced. I pulled myself back to my feet as a Hunter came charging in from the back hall.

“Let’s go!” he yelled. “Everybody! Out the back!” It was Holliston, the conquering goddamned hero. He had a rifle in one hand and an explosives actuator in the other.

“Just take it,” I yelled. I could barely hear my own voice. “Take it all, you arrogant sons of bitches.”

“I’m not with them,” he said “I’m here to get you out, Pam.”

I wanted to laugh but the sound was a frightening croak. “Oh, you’ll fucking go AWOL now? Why now?”

“Mercy,” he said.

“Oh, is that what this is? You’re showing me mercy?”

“No. I’m askin’ for it.”