Free Evolution by Kate Wrath Page B

or Sawyer’s men as I should think of them now, but I think I’ll save that for something
special.
    Jacob and Taylor raise their eyebrows at me. 
Nevertheless, they come up with someone to knock a hole in the roof. 
We’re clearing away debris that used to be ceiling when Jordan Black bursts
into the warehouse, wide-eyed and breathless.  His gaze falls on me, and I
immediately know something is wrong.
    “Eden,” he pants, his face pale as snow, “it’s your
friend.  Apollon.”
    I run for the door, my bodyguards close behind me. 
Jordan is wiped out—he’s clearly been running around trying to find me, and now
he drags as we head down the street.  “Where?” I demand, not willing to
wait for him.
    He points ahead.  “By the Rustler,” he manages between
ragged breaths.
    I take off at full speed, not worrying about the people I
shoulder through to get there.  A million scenarios run through my mind,
and all of them are bad.  Jordan was clearly upset.  I saw fear in
his eyes.  I’m guessing he’s afraid that coming to find me would put him
on Matt’s bad side.  Does that mean that Matt has Apollon after all? 
And if he’s bringing him out now, why ?
    I fly around the corner by Canson’s store onto the main
street, where I skid to a halt.  The Sentry with the red hat stands before
the Rustler.  Apollon is gripped in its huge metal hand.
    The sight is too much, immediately driving cold fear into my
spine.  Those crushing robotic fingers may as well be wrapped around my
own ribcage.  I can’t breathe, feel like I’m going to be sick.  But I
make myself move toward the Rustler where Matt is just stepping outside, still
in conversation with the hawk-nosed woman I saw him meet with not long after
the executions.  He glances at the Sentry as if it is an annoyance, wraps
up whatever business he is doing, and watches the woman leave.  Only then
does he notice my approach.
    I somehow manage to make it all the way to him.  I want
to rush to Apollon, but I know who holds the power here—the only person who can
release my friend.  In a daze, I stare at Matt’s face.  I can’t seem
to make myself speak.  I stop beside him and turn to the Sentry.  To
Apollon, who is pale, trembling, completely frozen in the grasp of the
machine.  His blue eyes are wide with fear and shock.  I can’t tell
if he’s hurt.  Though he’s huge and muscular as far as humans go, he’s
nothing more than a kitten in the hands of this metal giant.  His feet
dangle above the ground, just like… just like…
    Everything fades as black spots swarm over my vision. 
As an invisible hand pulls all the air from my lungs until there is none left
to breathe.  Matt’s arm around my back holds me up when my legs threaten
to crumple.  I’m sagging against him, clutching his shirt as I try to
remain standing.  It takes a moment, but slowly my body and vision
recover.  A killer headache lingers in the bridge of my nose.
    “Well?” It’s Matt’s voice beside me, and he’s talking to two
men standing to the side of the Sentry.  I squint to focus on them. 
They’re from the gate.
    One of them shrugs, looking uneasy.  “It brought him
from outside,” he says.  “I don’t know where it found him.  It was on
patrol.”
    My eyes fly to Apollon to confirm this, but he’s still
frozen with fear.  My inaction breaks.  I can’t do this.  I push
away from Matt and move toward the Sentry.  “Let go!” I’m shrieking, my
fists pounding into unrelenting metal.  “Let go!  Let go!  Let
go!!!”
    Its mirrored face turns down to regard me, but it makes no
other move.
    “Let go!” I demand and kick it one more time, but I know it
won’t.  Tears are pouring down my cheeks as I reach up to Apollon, trying
to touch his face but only able to reach his arms.  “Apollon,” I
whisper.  “Apollon.  Are you alright?”
    He doesn’t answer but his eyes find mine.  We are both
shaking, scrambling to hold onto