Zero Trilogy (Book 2): Day One by Summer Lane Page A

across this desert to come for you guys, and I can get us back across it.”
    “There is no
back
,” Jay laughed. It was a mean, guttural sound. “Back to
what
?” His crazed smile faded. “But we’re not sacrificing our lives because you’re giving all our supplies away to a freaking
mutt
.”
    Elle looked at Bravo. He was tense. He could sense the arguing; he could smell the discord in the air. She placed one hand on his collar, kneeling on the ground. Georgia was frozen. She looked scared. Flash watched the whole thing with a deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face.
    “That’s my pack,” Elle said slowly. “And I would appreciate it if you’d give it back.”
    Jay’s glare was piercing. He slid his arms through the straps, shaking his head.
    “Sorry, Elle,” he said. “But this is the way it has to be.”
    Elle was infuriated. Her hands shook.
    She had come all this way. She’d suffered through the brutality of the desert and risked her lifein Slaver territory for
this
? For selfish, short-sighted
children
who were staging a mutiny?
    Jay walked forward, taking his gaze off Elle. Georgia and Flash glanced at Elle, then at Jay. And they started walking, leaving Elle in the dirt.
    Elle tightened her grip around Bravo’s collar.
    Tell me this isn’t happening
, Elle thought.
    “Jay!” Elle stood up. “You will
not
do this to me!”
    He kept walking. Georgia cast a guilty glance at Elle, but she didn’t stop walking. Anger rushed through Elle’s veins.
How
dare
they do this. After everything.
    Elle got to her feet and sprinted across the open space between her and Jay. She slammed into him from behind and they fell to the ground in a tumbled heap. Elle jammed the heel of her shoe into his chin. Jay swore and grabbed Elle’s arm, twisting it backward. Elle cried out and sunk her teeth into his hand, biting as hard as she could. She tasted blood. Jay screamed and let go. Elle rolled to her feet and kicked him.
    “After everything we’ve done for you,” Elle yelled, “you’re going to steal my stuff and leave me behind to
die
? Is that your brilliant plan,
Jay
?” Shekicked him again. He grabbed her foot, slammed her against the ground.
    “STOP IT!” Georgia begged. “PLEASE!”
    Elle ignored her, her head spinning from hitting the dirt. She rolled sideways and grabbed a handful of Jay’s hair. She yanked on it, pulling out a big chunk. Blood stuck to her hands. Jay screamed again and attacked Elle with a maniacal energy, cursing and spitting as they rolled around in the dirt. Georgia tried to intervene, pulling on Jay, attempting to haul him out of the fight. Jay shoved her away. Flash just sat on the ground.
    “
Please
don’t do this!” Georgia begged, tears running down her face.
    Elle tuned her out. This wasn’t about doing what was right anymore. This was about survival. Bravo was watching the whole thing from the sidelines, his ears pricking forward. He paced, barking loudly.
    He hardly ever barked.
    Elle rolled to the side, avoiding another heavy blow from Jay. She tried to stand up but Jay grabbed her ankles and pulled her back down. Her face slapped the rocky soil and she saw stars.
    Don’t hold back because he’s your friend
, a little voice said.
He’s trying to
kill
you. You need to defend yourself
.
    Elle’s natural survival instincts were coming out. Hadn’t she known from the beginning not to trust anyone? Hadn’t she violated her most important rule by teaming up with these idiots? And then she had gotten emotionally attached to them, finding herself on a half-baked rescue mission to save them from enslavement in the desert.
    And
this
is how they thanked her.
    Trust nobody
, Elle thought.
It’s me against the world
.
    Jay nailed Elle, pinning her against the ground, one knee on her chest. Elle coughed, struggling for breath. Bravo barked again, and this time he was on Jay, barreling into him at a full charge. Jay fell sideways as the dog attacked. Bravo dug his