Free Brainrush 05 - Everlast 02: Ephemeral by Richard Bard Page B

floors.”
    Dolphin placed a hand on her shoulders. “We’re going to get
out here.”
    Shamer rose and pointed toward the door. “Don’t you get it?
We can’t leave. Only the yellows can pass.”
    Bambi clutched her throat. “B-but what about us?” She
motioned toward the growing crowd. “What about us greens?”
    Shamer shook her head.
    “No friggin’ way,” BlackFlag said. He took a step toward the
door with clenched fists.
    A quick chatter of gunfire stopped him in his tracks. They
all looked toward the exit to see one of the greens lying motionless on the
floor. Chang stood over him, his weapon smoking. The crowd of greens by the
door backed away. BlackFlag turned around, his face drained of color, his gaze pleading
with Marshall. The others turned toward him as well.
    Marshall recoiled. He’d wanted to confront Jiaolong, to
squeeze the life out of the man with his bare hands, knowing he himself would
be killed in the process. No, not knowing. Praying for it.
    Lacey was gone, and every breath he took seemed to elevate his
anguish.
    But these kids, they were innocent pawns. He couldn’t stand
by and watch them be slaughtered in the wake of Jiaolong’s deceit. His eyes
narrowed on the exit.  Both guards were armed, and because of the gunshots more
were likely on the way. But he had to try, he had to do something. With an
exhale, he set aside his agony and held his cuffed palms out to Dolphin. “You
said you’ve got the code. Can you remove them without deactivating them?”
    “Sure,” Dolphin said. He pulled out his phone, opened an
app, and tapped the screen.
    “Wait!” Marshall said. “Stand back. Just in case.” Dolphin
edged backward. The others did the same. Then Marshall stretched his hands as
far away from them—and his body—as possible. He turned his head away and closed
his eyes.
    Dolphin tapped the screen.
    The click of the cuffs sent Marshall’s heart into his
throat. When he realized he was still in one piece, he opened his eyes and sighed
with relief. He removed the bracelets and stuffed them in his pockets. The kids
nodded. BlackFlag patted Dolphin on the back.
     “Nice trick,” Marshall said, struggling to keep his
emotions in check for their sake. “How’d you figure it out?”
    Dolphin exchanged a quizzical look with the others, then
turned back to Marshall. “Dude, we’re superhackers, remember? So, what’s the
plan?”  
    Their eyes went wide when he told
them, but none of them backed down.

Chapter 11
Hong Kong
    J AKE
FLATTENED HIMSELF against the wall, flipping off the safety of the MP5.
Skylar, Lacey, and Pete were stacked up behind him in the southwest stairwell.
A fading rumble of footsteps echoed from below. “Sounds like somebody’s
leaving.”
    “In a hurry,” Pete added.
    Jake cracked the door to the twenty-fifth floor and glanced both
ways.
     “Clear.” He led with the shouldered weapon as he moved into
the corridor. The vinyl flooring shimmered beneath the long hallway’s overhead
lighting, and there was a clean smell to the space. Doors lined either side. Jake
overlaid the scene onto the memory of what he and Pete had studied from across
the street, locking onto the fourth door on the right. “Let’s go,” he
whispered, his feet ghosting along the smooth surface, senses alert.
    I’m coming for you, Francesca.
    He raised his fist and crouched at the door. Lacey and Sky
stopped behind him. Pete moved forward, staying low. Jake turned the door
handle and cracked the door open. The space was dark and his brow furrowed in
confusion. He’d expected a well-lit room with a wall of monitors. Pete moved
past him and flicked on the lights. It was an editing bay of some sort.
    What the hell?
    “State-of-the-art equipment,” Pete said.
    “As good as I’ve ever seen at a film studio,” Lacey added.
    “This way,” Skylar whispered behind them. She motioned to
the next doorway, which was protected by an electronic keypad. “That’s gotta be
the