THE LULLABY KEY : THE FALL

CHAPTER 50: The Survivor

The drone strike came three days later.

Lena and Marcus were in Baltimore, packing up the warehouse, preparing to move to a new location. The Swarm had been disbanded. Zero was dead. Most of the operatives had gone back to their normal lives.

Only a handful remained.

Lena was in the command center, packing files into boxes, when she heard the sound.

A high-pitched whine. Growing louder.

She looked up.

The ceiling exploded.

The drone strike hit the center of the warehouse, tearing through concrete and steel like paper. Lena was thrown across the room. She hit the wall. Her vision went black.

When she opened her eyes, she was lying on her back, staring at the sky.

The roof was gone.

The walls were gone.

Everything was gone.

Marcus.

She sat up. Her body screamed in protest. Her left arm was broken. Her ribs were cracked. Blood poured from a gash on her forehead.

But she was alive.

She crawled through the rubble, calling his name.

“Marcus! Marcus!”

She found him under a fallen beam.

His legs were crushed.

His face was pale.

His eyes were closed.

“Marcus!” She pulled at the beam. It didn’t move. She pulled again. Nothing.

His eyes fluttered open.

“Lena.”

“Don’t talk. Save your strength.”

“It’s bad. I can’t feel my legs.”

“You’re going to be fine. Help is coming. Just hold on.”

He smiled. A weak, tired smile.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Now shut up and stay alive.”

She heard sirens in the distance.

She held his hand.

She didn’t let go.

The paramedics arrived seven minutes later.

They lifted the beam.

They put Marcus on a stretcher.

They loaded him into the ambulance.

Lena climbed in beside him.

“We’re going to the hospital,” the paramedic said. “He needs surgery. Now.”

Lena looked at Marcus. At his pale face. At his closed eyes.

“Don’t you dare die,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare.”

The ambulance sped away.

Behind them, the warehouse burned.

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