Saved By The One I Ruined Chapter 06

Saved By The One I Ruined Chapter 06

The rusted lock on Green’s basement door held firm until my third kick finally broke it open. 

A musty odor assaulted my senses. This place felt like a corner forsaken by time, with cobwebs draping from the ceiling. The only light in the room. seeped through cracks in the walls. 

“The third safe…” I counted to the third metal cabinet against the wall and entered my birthdate. With a click, the lock released, and as the door sprang open, my breath caught in my throat. 

Twelve vials of blue serum stood in perfect alignment, each label bearing my name. Beside them lay a kraft paper envelope, its flap sealed with the scarlet imprint of Project Jasmine. 

My fingers fumbled as I opened the file. The first page showed a full–body photo of me, taken during my pre–employment physical in the Safe Zone three years ago. 

The second page was crammed with dense data. It was the last line at the bottom that burned my eyes: [Test Subject X–107: Neural chip implantation successful. Tracking signal frequency…] 

I staggered back, bracing myself against the wall. So I was just another test subject too? Was that why Jared got close to me? 

I shook my head, forcing the thought away. No way that crazy guy who shielded me from danger would do that. 

As I turned the page, a yellow photograph slipped out. It showed a much younger Jared in a bloodstained lab coat, cradling a gaunt girl in his 

arms. Her eyes were closed, yet a faint smile played on her lips as she held a familiar candy wrapper. 

On the back of the photo, it read: [Jasmine’s memorial day. I swear I will make them pay.] 

The basement suddenly shook violently, dust raining down from above. Distant explosions thundered–the Safe Zone troops had found me. 

I grabbed the serum and documents, shoving them into my rucksack. The moment I burst through the doorway, I collided with a squad of fully armed soldiers. 

“Target acquired.” The squad leader keyed his radio. “Subject X–107 located, requesting-” 

I drew the gun Jared had given me. The recoil jolted my hand numb, but my shot hit the enemy’s shoulder patch dead–on. As they scattered for cover, I slipped into the ventilation duct before they could 

regroup. 

The duct was cramped, and my knees scraped raw as I crawled. After ten minutes, I emerged from a drainage outlet and walked straight into a downpour. 

The armored vehicles sent by the Safe Zone were parked just two blocks away. Pulling my hat low, I blended into the crowd, only to be yanked into an alley as I turned the corner. 

“It’s been a while, Manda.” Andrew’s voice made me freeze. 

He stood in full commander’s uniform, the badges at his collar gleaming, with the custom gun I’d given him holstered at his waist. 

“Get lost,” I snapped, my hand instinctively dropping to the folding knife hidden in my sleeve–the very 

one Jared had given me. 

“Easy.” He raised his hands in surrender, flashing that deceptively gentle smile I knew so well. “I’m here to help you.” 

“Help me?” I sneered. “Like last time, when you‘ helped‘ by making me zombie bait?” 

Andrew showed an awkward expression. “It was an emergency back then, but things are different now.” He stepped forward and added, “I know you were threatened. Jared injected you with neurotoxin, didn‘ t he?” 

I almost burst out laughing. Did he seriously think I was controlled? 

“Come back with me,” he said softly, reaching out to touch my face. “The Safe Zone has developed an antidote. You’ll soon be able to-” 

“So I’m just supposed to keep being your lab rat, huh?” I yanked my hand away and shoved the sealed document in his face. “What the hell is Project Jasmine? And what’s the chip you put inside me?” 

Andrew’s face paled abruptly. “Who showed you these?” 

“Answer me,” I demanded. 

The rain poured harder, streaming off the brim of his cap. For several heartbeats, I thought he was going to draw his gun. 

“It’s for your safety.” He suddenly softened his tone. On critical days, everyone has to get a chip implant for easier management…” 

“Then why is mine the only encrypted one?” I jabbed at the X–107 designation on the file. “And why is Jared’s name listed on it too?” 

Andrew’s expression turned utterly cold. He stared at me, rainwater dripping down his jaw. “Did he tell you? That lunatic killed at least twenty researchers just to wipe out the experiment data.” 

“Because you used living people for your 

experiments,” I shouted, my voice shaking with rage. “You turned those homeless souls into your lab rats.” 

“This is a necessary sacrifice,” he said, suddenly grabbing my wrist, his grip tight and unyielding.” Amanda, wake up. Jared is only using you to get back at the Safe Zone.” 

I whipped out the folding knife and slashed at his hand. The pearl–inlaid handle gleamed softly in the rain as the blade sliced clean through his glove. 

Andrew recoiled in pain, his grip loosening as his eyes turned dangerous. “You think he actually loves you?” he sneered, yanking open his collar to reveal fresh love bites on his collarbone. “Even Vanessa has better taste than you.” 

I finally understood it, and I actually wasted my tears over such a jerk. 

“You wanna know what makes Jared better than you?” I pulled the trigger, and the bullet grazed his ear and embedded itself in the wall. “He’d never use women as trophies.” 

Andrew wiped the blood from his face and 

suddenly smirked. “So, you’re dead set on betraying us, huh?” He pressed his watch on his wrist and announced, “All units, X–107 is confirmed to be a traitor. Make sure to kill her.” 

The roar of armored vehicles grew louder behind me. I spun around and sprinted away as bullets kicked up sprays of rainwater at my heels. 

After darting through three intersections, I ducked into an abandoned church, only to freeze at the sight of a figure standing before the altar. 

The man who wore white clothes stained with blood and messy hair was none other than Jared. 

“How did you-” I started to ask, but before I could finish, he yanked me behind the confessional. His palm was ice–cold, and his face was deathly pale- yet he was alive. 

“Idiot.” Jared panted, shielding me with his body.” Didn’t I… tell you to wait for me?” 

My eyes burned with tears. This idiot even came to find me when he was hurt so badly. 

The Safe Zone troops swiftly encircled the church. Andrew’s voice boomed through a megaphone.” This is your final warning. Hand over X–107 immediately, or we will resort to extreme force.” 

Jared suddenly pulled me into a desperate kiss–his lips tasted of the metallic tang of blood and the salt of rain. When he finally let go of me, he pressed a keycard into my hand. “The underground tunnel… leads straight to the dock.” 

“You have to leave with me.” I clutched desperately at the hem of his shirt. 

He shook his head with a faint smile and pulled a black box out from beneath the altar. When he opened it, I almost forgot to breathe–it was packed with explosives. 

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked. 

His fingers flew over the detonator as he said, “Let me teach you… what it really means… to go down. together…” 

Only then did I notice the bandage around his 

abdomen was completely soaked with blood. He was barely holding on. 

“No way.” I seized his arm desperately. “We’re getting out of here together.” 

“Just listen to me,” he said, his trembling fingers. brushing my cheek. “Paul has a boat ready at the dock. Wait for me on the south bank.” 

As Andrew’s men battered down the doors, Jared abruptly shoved me aside and dragged the explosives case toward the main entrance. I lunged after him in desperation, but all I managed to grab was a blood–soaked scrap of his shirt. 

“JARED!” My cry was lost in the deafening blast. 

The stained–glass windows exploded in the blast, showering colored shards like crystal rain. In the inferno’s glow, Jared’s white coat blazed. 

People from the Safe Zone were caught off guard. Seizing the chance, I dashed for the side door–only to collide headlong with Andrew as I rounded the 

corner. 

“It’s over, Manda.” He leveled his gun at my heart.” Time to join that lunatic in hell.” 

The moment the gunshot cracked through the air, a white blur lunged from the side. Jared threw himself in front of me just as the bullet tore through his shoulder, splattering my face with warm blood. 

“Run-” He dropped to his knees yet clung desperately to Andrew’s leg. “Amanda, RUN!” 

Then, I heard the second and third shots. Jared’s body shook violently, yet his grip held firm around Andrew’s leg. Shrieking in desperation, I lunged forward and rammed the knife deep into Andrew’s thigh. 

Andrew roared in pain, swinging his gun around, but Jared suddenly lunged with his last ounce of strength, slamming into him. The two of them tumbled down the steps, and I heard the sickening crunch of bones snapping on impact. 

“Jared!” I sprinted down the steps and cradled his blood–soaked body in my arms. The bullet had torn through his lung. Each of his ragged breaths brought up blood. 

“Don’t… cry…” He raised a trembling hand to wipe. away my tears, but it fell limp halfway. His voice was barely a whisper as he murmured, “I feel happy to die… in your arms…” 

In despair, I kissed his bloodstained 

lips–a salty, burning kiss mingled with the taste of tears and blood. 

With trembling hands, I fumbled for the blue serum. “Don’t you dare die. You promised you’d marry me.” 

A pained groan came from Andrew in the distance. I looked up to see him dragging his injured leg, desperately reaching for his fallen gun. 

The thought of killing him flashed through my mind. I seized Jared’s gun and leveled it at Andrew’s forehead. 

“Manda!” Vanessa’s voice suddenly cut through the chaos as she barged into the church with a reinforcement squad. She waved a device in her raised hand and said, “See this before you decide.“” 

She hit play. The surveillance footage showed Jared spraying gunfire at lab–coated researchers, blood splattering across the laboratory walls. 

“This is the man you love,” Vanessa sneered. “The very first test subject of Project Jasmine is also the bloodiest killer.” 

My finger hovered over the trigger when I caught a flash of movement in the corner of the screen- Vanessa was adjusting the camera angle. 

Well, it was all fake. It was just an act. 

Andrew scrambled to his feet and shouted, Amanda, hand over the antiserum, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.” 

I looked down at Jared in my arms. His eyes had closed, yet that signature devil–may–care smile still played on his lips as if he were merely asleep. 

“Fine.” I slowly raised the vial, my voice cold and steady. “Take it.” 

Then, just as they all lunged at me, I drove the needle into my neck. 

As the blue liquid coursed into my veins, my world spun violently. The last things I saw were Vanessa’s contorted face and the rising sun outside the 

window. 

It was like the very glow that once danced in Jared’s 

gaze.