Page 36 of Uprising

More bullets come at me.

I pick up my feet running as fast as I can and the bastards follow me.

My chest feels so tight. My legs feel like actual lead. I have to get away. I have to escape because if I die here I’m condemning them, condemning Rose.

How I don’t get shot I don’t know. How I manage to dodge every bullet must be some sort of miracle.

They’re hot on my heels. Shouting. Hunting me down like a dog.

Only there’s nowhere for me to go. Nowhere I can hide. It’s too exposed here. I’m too out in the open. The entrance to the tunnel is at least a mile away from where I am and there’s no way in hell I’ll make it in time.

I pump my arms harder, forcing myself onwards.

I’m not going to make it.

I can’t physically keep this up.

I turn the corner, duck behind a car, take a moment to try to catch my breath only someone grabs me from behind and I spun around and slammed into the bumper.

Koen’s face comes right up against mine and I can see how angry he is.

“You fucking idiot.” He growls.

My eyes glance back, seeing the militia getting closer.

Koen looks too then mutters something I know is not meant for me.

More gunshots ring out but this time they’re coming from our direction to theirs.

I can see them, the two men perched, holding position just back from me.

Koen grabs me, half dragging me to a van and he all but throws me in before the others jump in behind me.

Around us the motorbikes seem to roar into action.

“Get moving.” Koen shouts as the militia begin to pepper our vehicle.

The tyres screech as we drive away. I lay sprawled on the damned metal floor like some sort of kidnap victim.

When I pick myself up Koen lands a punch right to my face. I groan, landing flat on my back.

And then he lands another one.

And another one.

Blood streams out of my nose. My eyes are stinging with the tears.

Only I don’t just lie there. I clench my fists slam them back into him, making contact with his ribs. He groans but clearly even my punches don’t have the impact they did.

“You think this is a game?” He snarls as everyone around us just watches. “You rich entitled prick. You think you can just sneak around and all the rules don’t apply to you.”

“What fucking rules?” I growl.

He tilts his head, his eyes are screaming bloody murder and for the first time I realise exactly why everyone shits themselves around him.

“Darius owns this city. I told you that. I fucking told you.” He snaps. “And you still think you can swanny on up to the Governor’s house and what, just ask for him to hand over his wife?”

“I had to…”