The Deadly Nightshade | { BOOK 1 of The Flower series }

[57] Sacrifice

The group helped out any soldiers as their heads were killing them from being in mind control for too long. Kayrel and North led some inside while Darik, Marcus, and Bradley cleaned the soldiers' wounds. Jade let one of the females lean on her as she guided the girl inside, but movement had caught her attention. She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Subject BB3 running to a black van that had the windows tinted dark from the dirty glass doors. Once Jade handed the female off to North, she pushed on the doors, running towards another black van. She felt a hand grip her forearm. Out of instinct, she elbowed the person in the face.

"Shit," Marcus cursed out. Jade quickly turned around and noticed Marcus clutching his nose.

"I'm so sorry," Jade said apologetically. "Don't grab my arm when I'm in a hurry, though," she added, as she quickly hopped into the driver's seat, never leaving her eyes from Subject BB3's van, which was halfway down the dirt pathway.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," he exclaimed, running over to the passenger side that was on the right side of the van. He quickly got in, and Jade pressed down on the accelerator, speeding down the dirt pathway.

"So, what's the plan?" Marcus asked after a moment of silence.

Jade quickly glanced at him. "I didn't want to do this, but I have no choice but to kill her. She's not under mind control; she has psychological problems."

"Is the stuff she showed back in that building true?"

Jade swallowed hard. "Yes."

Marcus looked over at her, a blank expression on his sculptured face before he looked straight ahead. He didn't know what to say. Seeing her with computerised purple eyes and helplessly listening to every order Ivanov gave her made him rethink things. Seeing that side of Jade in person and her real side, he could definitely tell the difference. He sighed, shifting his ocean-green eyes back on Jade. "Ms. Stark, I'm so—"

"Don't," Jade said, cutting him off. "You don't need to apologise. I get why you hate me. If I were you, I'd act the same towards myself as well. I killed your pregnant wife, and you were expecting a baby boy. I took that from you. You can't get that back."

"It wasn't you," Marcus stated softly.

Jade shook her head. "Everyone says that and don't understand that the blood was on my hands, no one else's, but mine. I did it, and I'm sorry that I was the reason why your wife and child aren't here today. I really am."

Marcus nodded, appreciating the apology. "I accept it."

"Okay, there she is," Jade informed as she sped up faster. "Take the wheel; the van is on cruise control." She climbed into the back.

Marcus slid over into the driver's seat. "What are you going to do?"

Jade flipped the hood of her dark cloak over her head before she looked at him from over her shoulder. "What I do best, wing it," she winked as she opened the back doors and gripped onto the top of the van. She heaved herself up, tightly gripping the roof racks. She laid flat on her stomach and looked forward. Subject BB3 turned onto the main highway.

Jade army crawled closer to the front of the van. She bent over and knocked on Marcus's window.

He rolled it down. "What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, over the wind blowing in his face and the passing cars.