The fools, she thought.

The Mandate's forces had split in half. Half were entering the tunnels, while half stayed outside. Romy smiled and pushed the red buttons, walking down the row of them as Atlas had over an hour earlier.

She looked at the clock on the wall. Eleven-fifteen shined back at her. The ETA for pickup was midnight.

It took the soldiers outside a few moments to understand what was happening. And by then it was too late. The flashing red lights in the bunker calmed. Romy knew they would have stopped in the tunnels, too. Atlas would understand her plan.

That she’d sealed the outside doors. The Mandate's forces were now halved.

The odds were even.

Romy swallowed as she watched the impassive faces of the Mandate soldiers through the cameras. It took them thirty minutes to arrive outside the sealed bunker.

But there was one tunnel they didn’t arrive through.

The one by which her knot left. It gave her hope.

Romy looked at the clock. It was now 11:47 p.m.

She walked back along the row of red buttons, pressing each one. The flashing red lights resumed in the bunker. And Romy smiled again.

The soldiers outside stayed put. They’d learnt. What a shame.

The soldiers in the tunnel outside the bunker scrambled back, raising their guns, wondering if the red light signified attack.

And that’s when she saw them.

Her knot and Atlas. Outside.

She pressed her face to the screen. Phobos was unconscious; Elara was clutching her side. But they were alive! Atlas shot the three guards outside with eerie precision. He’d done as she asked. Tears streamed down her face. He was looking after her family.

Romy watched until the knot was out of sight.

And walked slowly to the green button. It would open the bunker, and seal her fate.

It needed to be her. She was the only knot member without a memory card. The Mandate couldn’t glean anything from her. Houston was needed; Atlas was needed. Her knot would take her loss hard, but Houston now had the information from Romy needed to help them. Knot 27 had each other. They’d be fine, as long as they got away from here.

Romy had to keep them safe.

That was her job all along.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Flames, smoke, burning.

The first sensation Romy registered was the reek of smoke on her clothing. Her pupils moved beneath her eyelids as she took stock.

There was a beeping noise. A bunch of beeping noises. And an incessant ringing in her ears. For some reason the sound tickled something deep within her. A forgotten terror.

Romy’s head lay flopped to one side. Her feet were bare. She twitched her toes. What happened?

The smoky smell brought a rush of images to the surface. Her breath quickened and the beeping on the machine grew faster and faster.