Sinner

The Run

The last raid was over a decade ago, when I was all but 10. I hadn't done anything to lessen the damage back then but this time, I was prepared.

I looked around the very familiar corridor— the lustrous white walls with flowers carved at the corners, the curtains with red bear prints, the paintings of Chinese New Year dragons... The casino truly was an architect's dream.

I wished Lev was actually Jonathan Morrone. Just an architect interested in how many arcs each corridor had and not my dad's blood.

The halls were drowning in screams. Officers barked commands left and right, scouring the hallways, taking anyone and anything they could get their hands on.

With the fire alarm blazing in my ears, I tore through the sea of people hoping the fire exits weren't crowded. I was still breathless, still unsteady and for some scary reason it felt like the moment I'd find dad, he'd know what I had done.

I was to stay far away from the Riders.
Dad had made it clear; every time he showed me their pictures, made me memorise their names and faces, he made it clear that I was to stay away.
But Lev looked different and we hadn't talked about this in years.

13 years ago— when the last raid happened, to be exact, Calam Rider raided one of our casinos and tried to arrest dad, just like Lev.
But unlike Lev, he actually found dad just before he made his escape. To stop him, he fired his gun and dad, in panic, turned and fired back.

It was impulsive, reckless and we had to vent for a week afterwards.

When it was confirmed that Calam was dead, dad sent me away to Bulgaria to live with my aunt while he prepared to fight Jamie Rider in court. But he never pressed charges and after I returned, dad pretended like he hadn't given me hour long lectures on every member of the Rider family.

Then 3 years ago, the fear returned and now the storm had approached us.

I opened the metal door to the fire exit.
Just then someone pulled me back.

A lump formed in my throat. My grip on the door quivered, maybe because I was afraid or maybe because the nails digging in my arms almost made me feel the eyes that watched me.

If I turned, I was sure to confront deep oceans that hated the sun, the moon and everything in existence. But most importantly, they hated me.

"Lure." I heard.
I let go of the handle, my shoulders dropping in relief.
Jude. It was only Jude.
I turned to face her, eyes squinted.

Jude stood behind me in her bright yellow dress with ruffles around the neckline, to match her personality. She was sharp, bold and most days I tried to avoid her, but today was an exception.

I gave her a reassuring smile as she moved past me and opened the metal door, pulling me along.
"Are you okay?" I asked, "what about dad?"

"He will get out himself, Lure," she said, "we must get out of here."
"It's Lev Rider." I told her, "he wants him. Not me, we need to make sure he doesn't get to dad."
"You don't know what he wants." Jude said her grip on my hand still tight, as we descended the stairs. "Mr. Freeman will manage, we must get away from here."

Two flights down the metal door on the 1st floor opened with a jolt, revealing Sam.
Jude took one look at him, up and down. She was calmer than me, more relaxed, more prepared. "Come along Sanzo."
"Lure comes with me." He said, inclining and taking my hand.

"What do you mean?"
"She comes with me."
"Sam we have no time, let's get out." I put in.
"Come on." He tried pulling me away from Jude, but her grip was firm.
"She comes with me." He repeated and yanked me away from her.