Free Inside the Palisade by K C Maguire Page B

who scares me more: the
deman
in my living room, or that commander.
    “If this is the only way I can find Delta, so be it. Either you agree to help me – really help me – or the Protectors can take us both.”
    “How can I help you? I’m in enough trouble as it is. Because of you.” I have to press my palms into the solid panel behind me to stop myself from lunging at him. “Because of you she took me. They locked me up and interrogated me.”
    “That’s why you spilled your guts to her?” He rises to his full height. I’d forgotten how big he is. I cower, but there’s nowhere for me to go.
    “I didn’t have a choice. They took me. She hurt me.” Tears of frustration blur my vision. We’re going to end up back in Commander Theta’s clutches and all because I can’t get through to this brainless
deman.
He takes a step toward me and my legs go weak.
    “I don’t believe you,” he says quietly. “She must have planted you outside the Clinic that night. Did they slash your arm to trick me, or did you do it to yourself?”
    This is like talking to a rock. Despite my nerves screaming at me to stay put, I inch forward. He doesn’t move, doesn’t stop me. I keep moving closer, ignoring the stiffness in my legs. When I’m only a foot away, he steps to the side as if bracing for an attack. I don’t give him the opportunity to react. I grab his hand, the one holding the flashlight, and guide the beam so it’s level with my stomach. With my other hand, I pry open my robe and lift the bottom of my pajama shirt just enough for him to see the edges of the bruise where the commander punched me. “This is what that commander did to me. Because of you.”
    The
deman
leans in for a closer look. I can feel his breath tickle my skin, smell the hint of oak and lavender. I force myself to staystill.
    He backs away, taking the light with him. “No. You’re working with them.”
    “I’m not.”
    I’m desperate for him to believe me because I’ve worked out who scares me more, and it isn’t him. I bend to retie the belt on my robe as the door rattles. He snaps off the light but not before I notice his panicked expression. There are voices outside and electronic beeps. Someone’s working the lock. It must be the commander.
    “Come here.” He hisses at my ear before tugging me up on the sofa beside him. I stumble and groan at the pain in my arm. “Shh! Put your foot in my hands. I’m going to boost you.”
    “What?” I can’t see anything. He grabs my bare foot and rests it in his palm. Then he interlaces his fingers beneath it.
    “What are you doing?”
    He shoves me upward. “Grab the edges.”
    I reach for the sides of the opening to the ventilation shaft above our heads. That must be how he came in. My arms burn, but I pull myself through as he pushes me from underneath. I have only just secured myself when he barrels into me and shoves me aside to slide something across the opening: the access panel. I hold my breath as the door opens below us. A light snaps on in my quarters, causing a dappled glow to spread into the vent through the metal grate the monster has fitted into place in the nick of time.
    “We’re in, Commander Theta.”
    The commander’s here. With reinforcements.

Chapter 11
    The
deman
wraps an arm around me from behind and clamps his hand over my mouth. I try to pull away. It’s not as if I’m going to make a sound. He withdraws his hand, but stays close. It’s fairly dark, but enough light is coming from below to make out his features. A muscle works in his jaw as he stares at the grate. The only thing visible beneath us is the sofa. The vent is grimy and smells of mildew.
    “Check the bedrooms.” The commander’s order is followed by the sound of footsteps in the room underneath us. I can’t tell how many people are down there, but they sound thorough. I can hear drawers being pulled from the dresser and cupboards opening and closing. The boy hasn’t moved, hasn’t looked at