TOXIC BLOODLINES: PARADISE - BOOK 2/4

NOT A HOPE IN HELL

IAN

Entering Conner's study for the first time in years, I searched for his emergency stache of guns. I knew he kept them here; I just couldn't remember where.

Elenore walked in and sat on his dusty desk. "Under the coffee table," she pointed out, opening a bottle of his whiskey and pouring herself a glass.

Following her instruction, I moved the coffee table and the rug aside and found the hidden compartment. "Told you," Elenore gloated.

"Whatever," I pulled out the heavy duffle bag and searched the compartment. There was nothing else. I unzipped the bag and laid out its contents on the coffee table. Four Grenades, three flash bangs, a sniper rifle, two handguns, a 500-magnum pistol, and a Beretta 1301 Tactical paired with explosive rounds. "Shit." I took the Beretta for myself. "You still remember how to shoot, Hollywood?" I gave her one of the handguns.

"Please, I lived in America for two years. You think I'll forget how to shoot?" She took it from me and handed me the bottle in exchange.

"No thanks," I zipped the bag.

Elenore poured me a glass and put it in my hand. "You need this." I sat on the desk beside her and took a drink. "...You know, when all this started going down, I hoped he'd just appear and take the wheels." I sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing, Elenore. I thought I did, but it just keeps getting worse, and now Sara's pregnant." I stopped myself from crying. "It's too much."

Elenore put her hand on my shoulder. "Dad was proud of you, Ian. I know he never told you that... I guess he thought he'd have more time to build to it, but he was proud of you, Ian. You're a good leader. You always have been, whether it was football, teaching me how to drive, or roll a J." We laughed. "All these people trust you. I know you lost a lot. I know it's been difficult for you to face them again, but your strength to keep getting up is why he sacrificed himself. He wouldn't have done it if he didn't trust you to lead when he was no longer around."

"Thank you," I hugged her. "And earlier you said you needed me to walk you down the aisle. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I'm engaged," Elenore revealed with a nervous smile.

"To Ade?"

"How did you know?" Elenore faced me.

"You think I wasn't watching over you this whole time?" I asked her as I exited the room.

The remaining Cerberus guards and I set traps along our walls. We still had some C4 left and a couple of fireworks. Pete had the idea to drench the yard with gasoline and lure them inside so we could burn them alive. We had an hour until Dawn. The freaks were nearing with each second. More of Conner's guys pulled up and confirmed that all the civilians had gathered in the designated shelters for the night, which relieved me.

We regrouped in the main house as the pings counted down. The storm had picked up again, stronger than it was before. We boarded up the windows and switched off all the lights. The Freaks were about thirteen minutes away.

I whispered to Elenore, "If this place gets overrun—"

"—Don't," she cut me off.

"Elenore, if this place gets overrun, promise me, you and Sara will get out of here. Promise me."

"I will, but it won't come to that," Elenore replied. "We will win."

Exiting the house, I went into Cerberus to find Sara. I could hear her crying from down the hall. I followed the sound into her office. "It feels like some cosmic joke," Sara laughed tearfully. "We find out we're going to be parents, and the world might end the same day... I know you didn't tell them the truth about what the Lightbringers showed you. What did you really see down there, Ian? You've been agitated, fixating on little details as if you're trying to prevent something. How bad was it?" She turned from the window to face me.