Live Free or Die Complete Series Boxed Set: Age Of Madness - A Kurtherian Gambit Series, Hayley Lawson [books you have to read TXT] 📗

“We did this.” Ryder beamed at Carter and Natalie, then at the Merry Men. “Brother and sister, finally reunited.”

Natalie wriggled and looked at Terrier, who was standing near her. Terrier always kept a watchful eye on Natalie.

“Are you the baby’s father?” Carter asked.

Oh, damn. Ryder really wished Carter hadn’t asked that question. She could feel the tension from the hunters behind her, who were being guarded by the Merry Men. It could be any one of them.

“Yes,” Natalie replied quickly, much to everyone’s amazement. She smiled sweetly. “If he wants to be, that is.”

A single tear rolled down Terrier’s face.

Ryder kept her reaction in check so as to not ruin the moment. I’ll be damned! Finally, Terrier has a girlfriend. Only took me leaving the bunker, Mad on the loose, and Afana hunting him down for him to hook up. Nice!

“I… I… I’d love to,” Terrier mumbled and gently embraced Natalie. Carter stepped forward, ready to break them up, but then retreated. His sister was a grown woman, and Carter would have to come to terms with that.

“Terrier’s one of the good guys, like you and Leandro,” Ryder whispered into Carter’s ear, then turned to check on Leandro. He was gone. “Shit! Shit! Shit! Massimo is still fighting Afana, and Leandro must have gone to help. We’ve got to help them.” Ryder looked around in a panic. There was so much to do, and not enough Merry Men to do it all.

Murray had the solution. “We’ll get the men down onto Level Six. You help your friends.”

What kind of upside-down world have I come back to? Ryder thought. “You’ll send the men down to Level Six?” Ryder snorted, although she hated it when she made that noise.

Carter laughed at her.

“Shut up, Carter. And you say I have bad timing.” She rolled her eyes.

“Murray will help us,” Terrier confirmed, backing the general up.

Ryder looked at Terrier in confusion. “General fucking Murray will help us? Did Finn really knock me over the head that hard? The head of the generals is going to help us?” Ryder was baffled.

Terrier started to speak, and Murray raised his hand to stop him. Ryder narrowed her eyes, and her hands landed on her hips.

Murray shuffled uncomfortably. “I’m not a general anymore. I haven’t been since the second I had the opportunity to break free of Afana’s control. I’ve done a lot of bad things in the bunker…a lot. I know whatever I do won’t make it better, especially for you, Ryder. I won’t ask you to forgive me.”

Ryder cut him off. “I wouldn’t.”

Murray nodded as though her reaction was expected. “All I ask is that you let me help you now. Once everyone is free, you can do with me as you please. Any punishment would be justified.”

She really must have taken a smack to the head. Was she hearing right? She could serve him the punishment he deserved? What trick was he playing?

Ryder feared that as soon her back was turned he’d double-cross them. “Why do you want to help us?”

“My son Martin is dead, so Afana no longer has a hold over me.” He gulped back his emotion. This was the first time he’d spoken the words aloud. It made it all too real and painful.

Ryder knew Martin. He was one of the guards on Level Six, and he’d never caused any problems. Ryder liked to think that Martin would have been one of the good guys, given the opportunity. “I’m sorry for your loss, and I’m sorry it took you losing him to start making right your wrongs. Terrier, if he does one wrong thing, kill him. I’ve got to go.”

Ryder bolted toward the stairs.

“We’ll help as well.” Jasmine slammed the pole into her hand; she really did like that motion. The women around her nodded.

Ryder knew that there was a lot of men on Level Five, and they were going to need all the hands they could get to make sure that there wasn’t an uprising. After all, they were going to be sent down to Level Six, where they would spend the rest of their lives. Ryder wasn’t planning on letting them starve. They had enough food down there to keep them going until they worked out how to let them into the tunnels with the crops. For now, they could stay on Level Six, and she’d let them think they were going to stay there. A nice shock to their system might turn them around, Ryder thought. Damn her bleeding heart. She dismissed that idea quickly. Those jerks hadn’t helped her when they had a chance. Only Decso had.

Those fuckers could rot.

Vicky was at the foot of the stairs. “You up for some company?”

Ryder shrugged. “Sure.”

“Good, cause I’m up for swinging my shovel at some more Mad.”

“Count us in as well,” Byrant and Graham chorused.

“And us,” Maxwell added. Louis and Andrew nodded.

“I’ve only got a few bullets left, mind you,” Graham told her. “I’ll save them for when we need them most.”

“Good idea,” Ryder agreed.

“Ryder…” Willard muttered weakly. He’d taken a bad tumble when he fell down the stairs, and his ankle was all jacked up. It made Ryder wince. She was in pain but had no broken bones. “Tell Massimo he can keep his record player and records. Being here to help these guys is gift enough. Here, take these.” He passed Ryder his knives.

“Thanks, Willard. That’s kind of you. I’ll tell Massimo, and I know he’ll be happy. My friends will make sure you get up top safely,” she said, then headed up the stairs.

Terrier looked at Carter. “Please watch over Ryder, not that she needs it. I just want to make sure Natalie gets out safely, being pregnant and all.” Terrier looked at Natalie a little nervously.

“Sure.” Carter patted Terrier on the shoulder. “Just don’t let anything happen to her.”

Carter leaned in and gave his little sister another hug. “See you up top, little sis.” He pecked her on the cheek