Ella froze the moment she heard the footsteps again. Lucas squeezed her hand so tight her fingers almost went numb. Ben leaned against the warehouse wall, breathing hard, trying to steady himself.
The footsteps kept coming. Slow. Calm. Almost relaxed. Like whoever it was knew exactly where they were going and wasn't in a hurry at all.
Ben whispered, "Stay behind me."
Ella whispered back, "Ben, you can barely stand."
"I don't care," he muttered. "Move."
Lucas tugged Ella's shirt nervously. "Is it him again?"
Ella swallowed. "We don't know yet."
But she did know.
She felt it in her chest. She felt it in her legs that suddenly didn't want to move.
Gray never rushed. He didn't need to.
The footsteps stopped at the corner. Silence spread over them like a thick curtain. Lucas held his breath. Ella tried not to make a sound. Ben clenched his jaw so tight a small hiss slipped out of him.
Then someone stepped out.
His clothes were dirty. His face was scratched. His hair messed up. He looked like he had been running for hours. But he still managed to gasp out a laugh when he saw them.
"I knew I'd find you here."
Ella blinked, confused. "Marco… what are you doing? You were supposed to stay with the others."
He raised his hands a little. "I did. But guess what. Everything got messed up. Someone leaked our location. And he showed up."
Ben grunted. "Gray."
Marco nodded. "Yeah. Him. He almost got to us. I managed to slip out through the back. The others scattered." He walked toward them slowly, like he didn't want to spook anybody. "I came to find you. I figured if he didn't catch you earlier, you'd be heading this direction."
Lucas let out a shaky sigh. "We thought you were him."
Marco looked at Ben, then at the blood on Ben's shirt. His voice softened. "Damn. He got you pretty good."
Ben muttered, "We don't need commentary. We need to move."
Marco turned serious. "Then you're in luck. There's a car a few blocks away. I hotwired it."
Ella stared at him. "You what?"
Marco shrugged. "Desperate times."
Ella looked at Ben. Ben looked like he could barely stay conscious, but he nodded anyway. "We can't stay here."
Lucas tugged Ella again. "Ella, I don't want to go back in the dark. What if he follows us?"
Ella crouched and held Lucas's shoulders. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Marco motioned for them to follow him. "Come on. Car's this way."
They moved fast. Ben limped. Ella held him on one side, Marco on the other. Lucas stuck close to Ella, glancing behind them every few seconds.
The streets felt empty. Too empty.
Every time a piece of trash rolled across the ground, Ella flinched. Every time a streetlight flickered, Lucas whined softly. Ben's breathing got heavier, but he kept going. Marco kept scanning the corners like he expected someone to jump out at any second.
When they reached the next street, Marco lifted his hand. "Okay. The car is parked behind that old shop. Stay sharp. He was close when I ran."
Ella looked around. "Marco… how did he find the safehouse?"
Marco's eyes shifted. "That's the thing. Someone told him."
Ella felt her stomach drop. "Who?"
Marco hesitated for a moment. His tongue flicked across his lip nervously. "I don't know."
Ben mumbled, "He's lying."
Marco snapped, "I'm not lying. Why would I lie now?"
Ben looked at him with half-closed eyes. "Because your voice shakes when you lie. And it's shaking."
Marco huffed. "Ben, you think you can read everybody just because you're older. You're bleeding out and still acting like you know everything."
Ben pushed off the wall, standing straighter than Ella expected. "Answer the question."
Marco clenched his fists. "Fine. It was one of us."
Ella stepped forward. "Who?"
Marco kept his eyes down. "Shawn."
Lucas gasped. "Shawn? But he's our friend."
Marco answered, "Not anymore."
Ella felt something cold crawl up her back. "Why would he betray us?"
Marco didn't answer immediately. He looked away, jaw tight, shoulders heavy. "He said Gray promised him something. Something big." Marco rubbed his forehead. "I didn't want to believe it. But he let Gray walk right into the house."
Ella felt anger build like fire. "We trusted him."
Marco nodded slowly. "I know."
Ben growled, "We'll deal with him later. Right now we need distance between us and Gray."
They hurried behind the old shop. A beat-up blue car sat near the dumpster, doors locked, windows dusty.
"There," Marco said. "Get in."
Ella opened the back door for Lucas. He jumped in quickly and scooted to the far side. Ben followed slower, groaning as he sat. Ella climbed in last.
Marco slid into the driver's seat. "Everybody in?"
Ella nodded. "Drive."
Marco started the engine. It coughed loudly then rumbled to life. They pulled out of the alley and rolled onto the main road. The streetlights flickered over them as they passed.
Lucas leaned against Ella, shaking. "Do you think he's still behind us?"
Ella wrapped an arm around him. "Even if he is, we're ahead now."
But then something happened that made her heart drop to her stomach.
They passed the corner near the train tracks.
And someone stepped out.
Just walked into the street calm and slow with his hands in his pockets.
Marco slammed the brakes. Lucas screamed. Ben cursed loudly. Ella grabbed the seat in front of her.
The car screeched to a stop inches away from Gray.
He didn't move, not even a flinch but just looked straight at Ella.
Marco whispered, "Oh no."
Gray tilted his head the slightest bit. Almost bored. Almost amused.
Ella whispered, "Marco… go."
Marco shook his head. "Ella… he's right in front of us."
Ella's voice cracked. "Go!"