Jay stopped and turned back slowly. His expression turned cold. "What did you say?"
Angela met his gaze without flinching. "I can't go with you."
Jay stared at her, unsure whether to call her reckless or brave. She wasn't armed. She had no real leverage. What was she thinking? A part of him even considered dragging her out by force. But he held back. If she had the guts to say this, he'd give her the chance to explain.
Lexie, however, didn't wait.
She rushed forward and grabbed Angela by the collar. "What the hell do you mean by that?"
"Calm down." Angela brushed Lexie's hand away. Her voice was steady. "I'll come with you, but only if everyone goes."
Lexie blinked. "What? We said we'd come back for them. Don't you trust us?"
"I do," Angela said plainly. "But can you guarantee when you'll come back?"
Jay and Lexie hesitated. They couldn't.
Angela continued, "From what you've told us, I can already guess what you'd have to do next. Once you leave, you'll start chasing that next objective. I doubt we'll see you again until things are under control."
Jay exchanged a glance with Lexie. Angela had a point, and they both knew it.
"You'll come back eventually, sure. But the longer we stay here, the worse our chances get. You know that."
Jay let out a quiet sigh. "So, what do you want?"
Angela smiled. "I can tell that Alex's life isn't in danger. There's no reason to rush. Let's move together. One trip. Fewer risks in the long term."
Lexie scoffed and threw her hands up. "You just had to be one of those annoying saints, didn't you? Why care so much? You'd be safe if you just came with us."
Angela's smile faded. "I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing this because I understand what kind of world we're in."
She wasn't that noble. Everything she did was calculated.
She knew Jay and Lexie wouldn't hurt her for pushing back.
And more importantly, it was about the power dynamics of the group. Someone had to draw a line and shake Jay and Lexie's control. She wasn't going to let herself be dragged around like a tagalong. Not in a world like this.
If she could make them listen to her this once, she could have her voice.
"It benefits you too," Angela insisted. "I'm saving you the trouble of going back and forth."
Jay raised an eyebrow and gave her a slow, appraising look.
It seemed like the gentle doctor had some teeth.
He leaned in close and whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. "You're playing a dangerous game."
"I know," Angela whispered back, doing her best to keep her voice from shaking. "But as long as I'm useful, you won't touch me."
Jay stared at her for a moment, then stepped back.
"I hope you stay useful."
"No matter the era, a good healer is always irreplaceable."
Jay shook his head, half amused, half exasperated.
People who knew their own value were always the hardest to deal with. Anyway, it wasn't like he was losing out. Helping them contributed to the completion of his quest.
He turned to Lexie.
She shrugged, exasperated. "Whatever. If we're doing this, let's go."
Jay turned to the room. "Looks like everyone who wants to leave is coming."
A wave of relieved sighs swept through the lounge, and some survivors looked at Angela with respect and gratitude.
But Jay wasn't done.
"Don't get too excited. The outside world is unpredictable. If you slow us down, get reckless, or freeze when things get bad, no one's coming to save you."
The silence that followed was deafening.
"If you're still in? Get ready."
"How should we deal with Sylvi?" Lexie asked, watching the survivors gather their things. They had listened to Jay's earlier warning, packed up, and were now waiting quietly for the group to move. To her surprise, not a single one seemed inclined to stay behind.
"I… I won't drag you down." Sylvi shook her head. Even though she was a little weak, she could hold on.
Jay looked at her. She couldn't abandon after all the hassle he went through earlier. But someone needs to carry her. Otherwise, it would be difficult for her to keep up with the group.
For obvious reasons, it wasn't going to be him. He doubted anyone else would volunteer. They had no real reason to.
Ian would be happy if we left her behind. Jay scanned the group for a solution.
Before he could dwell on it too long, Damian and Oscar, another one of the players, stepped forward.
"We heard what you were talking about," Damian began. "Don't worry. We'll take care of her."
"We'll take turns carrying her. It'd be easier that way," Oscar added.
Jay raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He looked at both of them for a moment, wondering what the catch was.
Sylvi blushed. Louisa looked confused, and more than a little suspicious.
"Don't look at us like that." Damian shrugged. "We just thought about what we could do to help. It doesn't bother us."
Jay nodded. "All right. Appreciate it."
"Good."
"Thanks." Louisa and Sylvi said. It was a little embarrassing. But it wasn't their turn to complain.
Before long, everyone was ready to move. Under Jay and Lexie's lead, the group made their way toward the arena's exit.
As soon as the strange new world came into view, gasps of shock resounded through the group.
Jay had told them what to expect, but seeing it with their own eyes was something else entirely.
Jay's expression darkened. "Shut up."
The crowd immediately went quiet.
"Let me remind you one more time. Your only job is to follow us. No talking. No wandering off. Don't do anything stupid. You screw around, and I will make you regret it."
He gave everyone the time to go over his words, then nodded. "Good."
"The path's clear," Lexie called from ahead.
"Then let's move." Jay led the small group toward the forest.
Once inside, Lexie walked in front while Jay covered the back with Angela beside him.
With a group their size, going unnoticed was impossible.
Even though everyone moved in silence, the sound of dozens of footsteps breaking dry leaves and snapping twigs was loud enough to disturb the unnatural tranquility of the forest.
If before they were merely unlucky to cross into the mantis's territory, this time Jay feared that their movement alone would attract attention.
Luckily, the first part of their trip went without a hitch.
Bang. Bang.
Sudden gunshots rang out through the forest, startling the group. Everyone stopped in their tracks.
"What was that?" Angela whispered, eyes wide.
Jay turned his head toward the direction of the shots, listening intently.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Should we check?" Lexie asked in a quiet voice as she walked beside him.
Judging from the sound alone, whoever was shooting couldn't be far. He couldn't say what they were facing, but the fact that they risked using a gun suggested it wasn't something small.
Bang.
Jay shook his head. Maybe, if it was just him and Lexie. But with such a large team, and with time pressing on, it was too risky.
"I hope they'll be all right," he murmured. That was all he could offer. Without another word, the team continued forward.
Unbeknownst to him, this was a decision he would come to regret.
But at that moment, there was no time for what-ifs. Another trouble had already found them.
A sudden buzzing echoed.
It was faint and easy to dismiss if you weren't paying attention. The other survivors didn't notice a thing, but for Jay and Lexie's heightened senses, it sounded like a blaring alarm. It was too loud and distinct to miss.
"Nine o'clock. Fifty meters," Lexie barked, already raising her rifle and locking onto the source of the sound.
"Got it," Jay responded, tightening his grip on his axe and snapping his gaze in the same direction.
A swarm of ten cat-sized wasps came tearing through the trees, thick-bodied, their wings slicing the air like blades. Sunlight gleamed off their sharp mandibles as they swerved between trunks with deadly precision.
Lexie didn't hesitate. She flicked the VX-15 to burst mode and opened fire.
The soft hiss of a suppressed shot broke the air as she pulled the trigger.
Three bullets zipped through the trees, shredding one wasp and piercing the one behind it.
"Get down!" Jay shouted. He dropped his axe, drew his sidearm, and fired twice. One bee burst like a popped melon. The second shot struck a bee's exposed underside, sending it tumbling to the ground.
The survivors screamed and scattered, ducking low. Some froze, wide-eyed.
"MOVE!" Lexie barked, stepping in front of a girl who stood paralyzed and firing past her at another wasp.
Five were down.
But the rest had learned. They understood the danger of the contraptions in Jay and Lexie's hands.
They slowed, scattered mid-air, and aimed their stingers at them.
"Shit!" Jay and Lexie cursed in unison, firing again as two more wasps dropped from the sky.
But the remaining three had already launched their attacks, and sharp, needle-like stingers shot forward like darts.
Jay rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding two that whistled towards him.
One punched into the dirt where he'd just been.
But one found its mark.
"Ahh!" A high-pitched scream split the air as a long stinger impaled the shoulder of a young man with short, curly hair standing behind him. He crashed to the ground, writhing in pain.
Lexie, meanwhile, crouched as a stinger zipped overhead, then calmly, she lined up a shot and blew the attacking bee out of the sky.
Jay came out of his roll firing. He missed.
The last of the wasps turned around, swerving left and right in a frantic attempt to escape.
They fired again. Both missed.
"We can't let them leave."
Lexie took a deep breath, the world around her slowing down as she leveled her gun, tracking the erratic movement of one fleeing wasp.
Her pupils contracted. She squeezed the trigger. The ninth wasp burst apart midair.
Beside her, Jay fired again and missed.
Lexie fired once more. Her bullets hit a nearby tree trunk with a dull thud.
"Don't." Jay stopped her before she could fire again. "We'll bring the whole forest down on us."
Silence settled once more.
Lexie exhaled, lowering her weapon. "So much for saving ammo."
"We need to move. Before more show up."
Behind them, the boy who'd been hit was clutching his shoulder, teeth gritted. Blood leaked between his fingers.
Angela was already by his side, tearing open a med kit.
"Hold still. It missed anything vital, but it could be venomous."
The others stood up slowly, pale and rattled.
"Anyone else injured?" Lexie asked.
No answer. Just shaking heads and heavy breathing.
"Someone's missing," Louisa pointed out.
Jay frowned, and scanned the group. Fourteen survivors.
"Did you see where they went?"
"No."
Tsk, they sure run fast.
"Can he go?" Jay asked.
Angela finished tying a bandage and helped the young man up. "Yeah, he can handle it."
"Let me help." Oscar said
"Good. We can go then."
"Jay…" Angela called.
He turned, his glare forcing her to shut up.
She knew he was doing the right thing.
Around them, some survivors seemed conflicted and constantly looked around. The other simply stood and waited for Jay's instructions.
"Let's hope the best for them." Lexie shook her head.
"I won't stop anyone if they want to do something stupid."