Year 18

-Chapter 24-

We burrow down until the sky has darkened again, void of any lights from search vehicles, void of voices or the whirs of tires and blades. Kane peaks out from under the blanket first, stepping out for a minute before returning to my side, helping Amelia and I up out of the dirt. We stay low, keeping close to the spot. For all we know there are Agents waiting for us to come out, looking for a chance to strike when we are off our guard.

Kane's hand finds mine, and he rubs his thumb over my knuckles, once, twice, three times before he says, "we would do best to travel separately to the safehouse. It'll be bad enough if someone sees one of us out here, let alone if they see all three of us together."

He's right. There's nothing nondescript about us at the point. Our UCPs are gone, and we're identifiable enough from a distance. Kane, myself, and Amelia.

"Here," Kane hands me an old LR-6, typing in the coordinates so I can see where I'm going, not daring to speak them aloud. I know I'll have to destroy the device, but for the moment it will be my guide. "If you need to contact me, use this."

The LR-6 shows that we're less than an hour's walk from the first safehouse.

"I'll go first," he says. "I'll send you information as I go if something comes up, if it's safe." He steps closer, pushing my hair back as he whispers in my ear, "lavender, clock, laboratory. If you don't see those words in the messages, it's not me. Don't come."

I nod, staying silent. Our hope is that by moving inward, we are going the opposite direction of the Feds. It's likely that they're moving outward in search of us. This also means we need to be aware. There's always a chance we may cross paths with them along the way.

It's all a giant gamble, but one I hope luck favors us for.

"I'll see you soon," Kane says, looking surer than I feel.

"Wait," I feel the cool breeze against my skin, reaching for Kane. I rest my head against his chest. His arms remain by his sides, but his breath is warm against the top of my head, the light weight of his chin pressing against my hair.

"We'll see each other soon," he reiterates. There's a droplet of warmth in his eyes, and I press the feeling against my heart, knowing it's enough.

I wait near the cluster of overgrown, thorny bushes, keeping Amelia turned toward me to avoid the thorns as they jut and scratch at my arms as I move farther toward their center. Now all I can do it wait, at least for a short while. I need to allow Kane time to go a ways before I follow after, but I know I can't stay here until he reaches the safehouse. That would put too much time and potential change between our journeys.

Humming, I rub Amelia's back, hoping she'll sleep. She's been jostled and bounced all day long, and despite her small size, her new habit of crawling has created a distaste for being held this long.

Time crawls as I wait. Wait for some word from Kane, wait for something to go awry, wait to be able to move. It's as though time itself has gone into hiding.

The desire to sleep fights against the undercurrent of adrenaline that flows unchecked in my veins. Truly though, if it weren't for the adrenaline, I don't know that I would be able to function at all.

I feel a buzz against my waist. Checking, I see a message.

Clear. Straight lavender path. Saw one chopper due west.

Taking in a breath, I stand, my legs wobbling beneath me as I move with cautious, quick steps. Amelia wakes, her fingers digging into my arm as she makes sense of her whereabouts, not that there's much to make sense of. It's nearly pitch black out in this field, the only light coming from the moon as it casts shadows through the thick swarm of trees ahead. There's a certain relief that comes from being out here, away from the city. In theory there are less eyes on us. In theory our chances are greater away from others. But in reality, the space is too wide open, the places to try and go undetected insufficient.