Page 29

For a heartbeat, there’s a flicker of life in those haunted eyes. A spark of the fierce woman I glimpsed on that fateful street corner. Then it’s gone, snuffed out like a candle in the wind.
But wait—did her fingers twitch? The barest movement, so slight I might have imagined it.
But it’s something. A sign that Aria’s still in there, fighting her way back.
“That’s it,” I whisper encouragement and push away the desperation in my voice. “Come on, Aria. Fight. We’re getting out of here, I promise. Just stay with me.”
A sound from outside freezes the words in my throat. Faint but growing. Not the usual city noise. Something—purposeful. Engines? But not the rumble of traffic. This is different. Focused.
The guards tense, hands on weapons. Urgent whispers, too low to make out. But their fear is palpable, filling the air like poisonous gas.
Bruiser stalks over to my cell, face twisted in a snarl. “What did you do?” he growls, meaty fist slamming against the chain-link. The whole structure shudders with the impact.
“From inside this cell?” I snap back, fear making me reckless. “You think I stuck my thumb in my butt and magically called in the cavalry?”
His eyes narrow, searching for any sign of deception. For a heart-stopping moment, I think he’s going to open the cell and deliver another brutal “lesson,” but then Soft Eyes calls out, voice tight with panic.
“Boss wants us up front. Now.”
Bruiser hesitates, clearly torn between his suspicion and his orders. “This isn’t over, street rat.” Finally, with a last poisonous glare, he turns away.
As soon as he’s out of earshot, I turn to Daniel. “Any idea what’s going on?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he replies, voice barely above a whisper. “But whatever it is, it’s got them scared, and that can’t be good for us.”
He’s right. Scared people make desperate choices, and we’re the most expendable pieces in this sick game.
I force myself to breathe. To think. Whatever happens next, I need to be ready. To grab any chance, no matter how slim.
My gaze darts around the cell, cataloging everything anew, this time looking for weapons. The bucket in the corner could be used as a blunt instrument, but it’s too unwieldy. The chain-link fencing is too strong. The blanket has been far too intimate, with far too many filthy bodies to be worth sacrificing.
But it can burn.
I grab the candle, feeling its weight.
“Daniel,” I whisper urgently. “If something happens—if there’s a chance—you take it, understand? Don’t wait for us. Just go.”
“What? No, I can’t just?—”
“Yes, you can,” I cut him off. “Aria’s the priority. The rest of us… We’re collateral damage. You get out, you get help. Clear?”
If I can get the kids out, I can get them to safety. Daniel’s too big. Aria questionably so. I’m still small enough to fit into those dead places no one else would ever go.
Daniel falls silent for a long moment. Then, so quietly I almost miss it, he responds. “Clear.”
And then …
Chaos.
Explosions rock the building. The concrete floor trembles beneath us. The chain-link rattles and dust and debris rain down from the ceiling. For one terrifying moment, I think the whole place is going to come down on top of us.
Gunfire, sharp and relentless, shatters the night. It’s everywhere—outside, inside, a storm of lead and muzzle flashes. Screams and shouts blend into a cacophony of terror and confusion.
Something’s burning. Smoke burns my lungs and my eyes. I can’t see, can’t breathe.
A massive shape looms out of the chaos. Bruiser, face twisted in a mask of rage and fear. My cell door hangs open—when did that happen?
“You’re coming with me, street rat.” He snarls at me, and his meaty hand closes around my arm. His grip is like iron, hard and bruising.