“Move.”
Natasha didn’t wait for an answer.
She was already turning back into the shattered hallway.
“Service stairs are thirty yards out. Keep your heads down and stay on my six.”
Marcus gave Rogue a light nudge forward and fell in behind her.
Emma followed, brushing a chunk of drywall off what remained of her ruined suit with obvious disgust.
More out of habit than intent, Emma reached out with her telepathy, sending a light probe toward the redhead’s mind.
She wanted to know exactly who they were dealing with.
The instant her telepathy brushed against it—
“Augh—”
A sharp groan escaped her.
Her hands flew to her temples as her knees buckled beneath her.
Marcus caught her before she hit the floor.
“Son of a—”
Emma squeezed her eyes shut, pressing the heel of her hand against her temple.
“S.H.I.E.L.D… Has to be.”
Still supporting her, Marcus looked between Emma and Natasha.
The redhead hadn’t even glanced back.
She kept moving toward the stairwell as if nothing had happened.
Wait…
Did she seriously just try to read Natasha’s mind… and lose?
Marcus looked down at Emma, who was still blinking away whatever psychic backlash she’d just suffered.
Well, well, well.
Guess the ice queen isn’t unstoppable after all.
“You alright?” he asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.
“I’m fine.” Emma pulled herself free and straightened, though the slight wobble in her legs betrayed her.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Whatever you’re about to say.”
She smoothed the wrinkles from her dress, refusing to meet either of their eyes.
Behind them, Rogue quietly watched Marcus’s hand fall away from Emma’s arm.
She said nothing. Get faster updates on g.com.
She simply crossed her arms and looked away, something small and unpleasant twisting in her chest—a feeling she had absolutely no right to feel and every intention of pretending didn’t exist.
“Move it,” Natasha called, already reaching the door.
They took the stairs at a run.
Marcus stayed just behind Rogue, one hand hovering near her shoulder in case she slipped.
Emma followed close behind, her heels striking the concrete in quick, sharp clicks.
At the bottom landing, Natasha shoved the heavy steel door open.
Cold night air rushed inside, carrying the smell of smoke, burning plastic, and scorched concrete.
“Out. Go.” She pointed down the dark alley.
“Police and EMS are two blocks east. Follow the lights and don’t stop.”
Marcus ushered Rogue and Emma outside before glancing back.
Natasha was already checking the magazine in her pistol, but she made no move to follow.
“What about you?” he asked.
“I’m going back.”
“There are still people trapped in the food court.”
Marcus frowned.
“That building’s coming down.”
“Then I don’t have much time.”
For the first time since they’d met, Natasha looked him squarely in the eye.
“Get them somewhere safe. That’s your job.”
She gave a brief glance toward the burning mall.
“This is mine.”
Before Marcus could say another word, she turned and disappeared back into the smoke.
He stood there for a moment, watching her go.
Rogue tugged firmly on his sleeve.
“Marcus… we have to go.”
He blinked, pulling himself back to the present.
“Right. Stay close.”
The three of them hurried down the alley toward the flashing red and blue lights in the distance.
“Where the hell is my security?” Emma snapped.
The lingering effects of the psychic backlash had faded, leaving only frustration.
She reached into her dress jacket and pulled out her phone. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
It rang twice before someone picked up.
“Ma’am!” A voice, breathless, engine noise roaring behind it.
“We got separated in the evac, we’re two minutes out—”
“Two minutes was five minutes ago,” Emma snapped.
“Get to the east rally point. Now.”
She hung up without waiting for a response.
True to their word, a black SUV screeched around the corner less than two minutes later, four of Frost International’s security detail piling out, weapons up, forming a loose perimeter around the three of them.
“Finally.”
Emma pulled the rear door open herself and slid inside without waiting for anyone else.
“Let’s go.”
The rest of the security detail piled into the remaining SUVs just as quickly.
Doors slammed shut one after another before the convoy pulled away from the curb, weaving through abandoned cars and emergency vehicles still racing toward the mall.
For the first few minutes, nobody spoke.
Marcus sat beside Rogue on the rear bench while Emma occupied the seat opposite them.
She had one leg crossed over the other, her cracked phone resting in her hand as news alerts flooded the screen faster than she could read them.
Explosion at Hammer Expo…
Dozens Injured…
Authorities Suspect Terrorist Attack…
Emma let out a slow breath and leaned her head back against the seat.
She’d lost the bet.
That wasn’t what bothered her.
Her thoughts kept drifting back to the redheaded woman.
How did she block the telepathy?
And she didn’t even seem to notice what had happened.
Has S.H.I.E.L.D. actually developed something that can shut down telepathy that cleanly?
While she turned that over, Marcus, sitting across from her, had questions of his own.
Is she worried about people finding out she’s a mutant, or is there something else going on?
“Hey—”
SCREEEEEEEEEECH.