Lucid Sanctum

Chapter Two

There were two options. She could stay there, hoping and praying Dexon would be back soon, with Leena, and they could get out. Or, she could leave the house and get Leena herself.

She just stood there as if her feet were stuck in dried cement while her heart thrashed around in her chest.

Dex was a capable man, more than capable. But he and Leena should have been in the house with Sandra. On his way to safety with her and the others, but he wasn't, and it was her fault. She made a foolish choice to let Leena stay over, and the snowball effect it had on everyone around her was weighing her down.

A passing helicopter overhead pulled her back to reality. The beat of the blades drowned out any and all sound. She needed to get to Leena and find a place to lay low. After that, they could meet up with whatever was left of the Underground and find a way out.

Enforcers were out in full force. She needed to take her time, be smart about her movements. She knew where Leena should be, but there was a strong chance the Henderson family was in the wind. If they were, so was her daughter. Bile burned her throat, and her hands trembled. A deep breath didn't calm her. Nothing would until she knew Leena was safe.

There was only one option.

Cory ran out the back door, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the searchlights. Normally, the nights were silent, aside from soft music and false laughter coming from the houses around the neighborhood. Now, it was full of people screaming and horns blaring and helicopter blades pounding. Blood rushed in her ears, melding everything into one overwhelming sound.

There were too many people leaving at once, it was chaos. They all ran like roaches when the lights came on.

The Underground had been planning to get people out before the government had time to notice. A few here, a few there, but now it was obvious they were tipped off. If there was a mole in the Underground's ranks there may not be a safe place at all. Cory pushed that thought out of her mind as quickly as it came. No room for negativity when her hands were already shaking from the crippling fear coursing through her veins.

She hopped the Boone's fence, landing on the gravel divider instead of grass. She stalked the shadows between the Boone's home and the neighbor's. The lights in the home next to Sandra's were on, and Cory peered through the open window.

The occupying family sat on the couch, staring at the television pumping out propaganda like the well-oiled machine it was. Nothing outside the walls of their home seemed to register to them.

Non-detoxed.

She'd been like that once.

It was a blind paradise in a world of chaos.

Her new plan was bad at best, but it was all she had. Making sure Leena was safe was her only priority. Vince needed to get the others out and, Sandra couldn't have done it alone. If they'd been given time, he and Dexon would've gotten them all out perfectly fine.

Leena should be in the house across the street, and down one more on the right. Close, yet so far when you were being hunted down like rabid dogs.

Peeking her head around the corner of the house was a mistake. A red sedan was swerving from one side to the other, a black SUV on their tail. Cory pulled her head back into the shadow as a helicopter appeared low in the dark sky behind them. The whirring sound of the guns opening up had Cory on the verge of a scream. Bullets flying, scraping pavement, piercing metal, were all a horrific shock to her senses.

A hand clasped over her mouth catching the shrill scream on her lips. She clawed at the gloved hand, but did no damage. Whoever caught her pulled her back against their hard body outfitted with weapons and thin armor. The gear stung as it dug into her back.