Chapter Thirty Ren
Chapter Thirty
Ren
I’m staring right down the barrel when he pulls the trigger.
The rifle that’s gonna blast me straight to kingdom come. There’s no time to duck. The officer doesn’t hesitate.
Click.
For a moment, I think it’s happened. I’ve been shot and am already dead, I just haven’t realized it. Then the officer yanks his rifle back. It’s jammed.
I don’t have time to process it. I duck down, yank open the door of the car, and dive inside.
Kai jumps into the other side. Bullets strike the front, making the whole thing shake.
The windshield shatters. Glass splinters over us.
Steam hisses from beneath the hood, sending up a white angry cloud. Don’t understand it. Can’t.
“Tiger,” I gasp, “you okay?”
“Yeah! You, Dragon?”
“I’ll be better if we get out of here.”
Staying low, we clamber into the back seat and then out the passenger doors.
We run down the firebreak at full sprint.
Men race alongside us, trying to escape the bullets.
I realize we’re passing Akira’s barrack.
Someone emerges from it, slamming the door behind them. I careen to a stop. Shock fills me.
Violet.
Time stops. I must get to her. I must get her out of here.
“What are you doing?” I shout, running to her. I don’t wait for her response. I sweep her right off the stairs and into my arms, clutching her to my chest. She bundles into me, small and shaking. Her hands grip my shirt. I hold her, and with Kai next to us, we run.