- PANIC IN

sted service door at the back of the

alf-guided, half-dragged her across the cracked asphalt toward an alley that looked like it hadn't been touched since th

olently she could hear i

ad to

o

hand wrapped around her wrist like a lifeline, anchoring her to

down," he whispered

she couldn't d

shook. Every sound-the wind, the rustle of

on. His jaw was clenched tight, every breath constrained

idn't sl

on

s blood dripped

e of another engine app

ept

r

going?" she finally

d. "We just need distance. Then

tan

t impo

naries, the call still connected, the way the bath

d almo

ai

like a distant memory, a unive

an accounta

was

if they're alread

ey would've opened fire by

o you

my father's men work. And becaus

orar

omach

, as if sensing her panic.

g?" she

dn't

red a block away, echoing through the empty streets. Kira

urmured. "It

out thin, shaking. "How can you

sharp even in the dim g

ere them, you'd

the air out of her

one hand sliding to her shoulder,

more than you ever signed up for. But you need to stay with m

aze to him, her

try

kno

memorising the shape of her fear, the way her eyes g

ded her for

and the paint peeled like sunburned skin. Streetlights flickered here

stopped

mped in

what i

e just scanned the street l

ng blindly," he said

hed as he braced a hand against t

rough her. "Donov

id through cl

as l

without thinking.

a sc

ssed, "you're lit

is hand-slick with red

had

n't make t

tedly soft. "I wasn't going to l

ed something lo

hing

ing te

ngerously cl

allowe

engines snapped both o

his breath. "They'r

e firm, "we need to g

" she whispere

sitation. "That's the fi

crashed to

gs. My IDs, clothes,

cut in. "The moment you step inside, you'll lig

t him, her b

ened. "But it's the

but painful. Something like gu

m," he murmured. "

idly, tears blu

you want normal. Familiar. Comfort. But your

ened until it h

east drive by it

esit

for her he

e minute. No stopping. No lights. No windows

sob catch i

u," she w

he said. "You might

without breaking a sweat. Kira didn't ask where he

apartment felt

lights smeared into streaks of gold and white. Every pair of headlights m

He kept checking the mirrors, scanning for threats, his eyes flick

d, "Do you think they

y. "But we don't know if t

d. "What if they'

he said. "I won't let

-the man she met hours ago-and felt someth

us

e

tit

gled to

se," Donov

d her building as

art st

lex-usually quiet, peacefu

as parked acr

ine

ws ti

ible d

d turned

whispered sha

voice dropping. "It's

ath stu

know we

ey're waiting for you. Or

blurred w

sn't her ho

tuary wa

r chest col

t-" she w

id softly, "don't

er eyes fr

compromised," he sa

voice trembl

th

fr

e third floor-h

it instantly. "

y turne

ing up there,"

-but the truth was she didn't know

," Donovan

ced her

there. Not tonight. N

fe-everyth

he said. "But only

allowe

pressed

sped

Kira finally collapse into quiet, shaking

rtment

ntity w

, her job,

o

break pouring out of her

didn't

hand moved from the steering wheel. It hover

tly placed

Steady

e, breath

she didn't

or the first

feel comple

several more minutes until

?" Kir

s tightened ar

kered in the r

dli

ac

i

cl

he said

ed. "Donovan..

dn't

ights acc

a

fa

th lodged i

nov

ed, "Ho

ws, identical to the one outside her ap

accel

t towar

art st

d us," Don

e she cou

mmed into t

scre

scr

orld

ailed violently

fought t

ds clawed

OVAN

hit th

rd

the guardrail as headlights

ier rose in

w was Donovan turning towa

gh the guardrail and the wor

orld

car hurtled over the guardrail, the su

at the seatbelt, but it held fast, biting into her shoulders as t

She couldn't think. Sh

nly, Donova

ing car together with sheer force of will. His forehead was bleeding

the metal and chaos. "

belt as though it wer

tch. Kira's head hit the doorframe, sharp and disorienting, and she saw stars dance across her vision. Pain s

eaking his cheek, and caught her gaze. His eyes were wild, yet alive, and f

irony was palpable. He wasn't okay.

o," she stam

his side where the fabric of his shirt was

m alive," s

Alive felt like waiting. Waiting for the next bulle

make sense of the wrecked car, the spinning ad

ging his legs toward the passenger side

go?" Kira asked,

alculating, analyzing. The headlights from the SUV behind them illuminated the slope

muttered, his jaw tightenin

hest. "We need-somewhere

inching. "Safe doesn't exist for us

ng onto the damp, uneven earth of the ditch. Mud squelched beneath her shoes. She

ce of jagged metal from the guardrail for balance. They scrambled up t

gasped, tears streaking her cheeks

t her, voice low but unwavering. "You are. You

SUV's engine roared. They wer

his bloodied sleeve. "We'll never make it,"

rmly. "Or we die trying. E

hes snagged at her hair, tearing painfully at her cl

hind them. Only then did he allow a momentary sto

" Kira said, her voice soft, almost tr

nd gently. "Focus on yourself. If you're goi

to insist he tend to his wounds-but there was no

ned service tunnel not far from here. It's old, but it's off the gri

ef mingled with dread. "Yo

ugh," he repli

him further. She did

er chest, making every heartbeat feel deafening. Donovan moved ahead, al

er scream-softly, breathless-and she

, catching her elbow. "They'

to keep pace. Each shadow seemed to stretc

"What if they follow us there? The tunnel..

the thing. They will find us. Eventually. But we can't think abo

ng hard, feeling the

structure long abandoned. Donovan led her inside, checking the

light barely penetrated, a dim sliver from the

felt so exposed. So vulnerabl

she couldn't shake the thought: they had

hey could hide and catch their breath. Donovan fina

nd," he whispered. "M

me!" Her voice crack

ng for the first time tonight.

tly, she

g into the darkness. Kira pressed her back again

s stre

berate, almost impercep

tst

Dono

ood ra

was in t

os

cl

ut-but her voice ca

tsteps

the dim light at the

a f

rd it-low, contr

e been waiti

art st

ce was

se than she could