was loose gravel. The thing’s head was turned toward the pale Runner, but Nikki could still see a red eye glowing out of the darkness.
The pale guy stumbled back a step, shaking his head. “Holy Mary Mother of—”
“Gideon?” Nikki whispered.
Nikki, I don’t think he’s—
“What’s your problem?” Apple shouted. He looked back at his buddy, who took another weak step backward, then he turned his head the other way just in time to meet the red stare from the shadows.
Nikki’s boots slapped down as Apple let her go and stumbled back, putting Nikki between him and the thing—the…Gideon.
Run, Nikki . Michael begged. Please, listen to me. Run .
Nikki met the red-eyed stare and saw not the slightest hint of recognition. All she saw was hunger followed by a look she knew better than just about anybody. She saw the decision to attack.
She dropped as the creature pounced. The thing was insanely fast, but for once luck smiled on Nikki. The creature’s powerful leap took it right over her as she dropped, and right into Apple.
Nikki hit the ground hard, hard enough that for a second she couldn’t see a thing except little bursts of light. There was nothing wrong with her hearing though. The rumbling and tearing sounds coming from the other side of the alley made Nikki want to curl up and hide. But as bad as they were, they were nothing compared to the high-pitched wail that had to be coming from Apple.
Nikki pushed up to her hands and knees to see the other Runner already sprinting for all he was worth back the way they’d come. He had the right idea. Nikki staggered to her feet on bloodless legs and fled.
A minute before, Nikki would have sworn she couldn’t run another step. Now, she didn’t think she’d ever stop, no matter how much her lungs burned. She sent a heartfelt thank-you to every god she'd ever heard of for the gift of adrenaline. When an ear-tearing roar shook the air behind her, followed by the sound of claws on brick or pavement, Nikki prayed she’d have enough adrenaline to get her to Coop.
She’d lost her com unit when the creature first hit her, so there was nothing she could do besides hope Coop was there. If he wasn’t…
She knew the creature was closing on her. She could feel it behind her. She could hear its every growling, huffing breath, unless that was her. Nikki focused on the narrow alley in front of her, on the opening ahead where she hoped her ride was waiting, and tried to block out everything else.
Just run, dammit , she growled in her head. You can still do that at least .
Michael didn’t come down on her for being hard on herself this time. He didn’t say a word. She tried hard to believe that wasn’t a bad sign.
The opening rushed closer and closer, and for a shaky second Nikki thought she’d make it. She actually felt the surge of relief start before a dark figure stepped into her path.
Nikki flung herself to the side with an embarrassing shout that ate up what little air she had left in her lungs. She tumbled and rolled out of the alley, adding dizziness and road rash as answers to the question of how this night could get worse. She finally stopped moving, in body at least. From flat on her back, she forced her eyes to focus on the slightly spinning figure above her.
When she realized who it was, she almost passed out from relief, or maybe lack of oxygen.
It was Sam. Praise the sweet Buddha Moses, it was Mr. Perfect Timing Sam standing between her and whatever was coming, his pistol trained on the dark alley.
She was breathing like a Saturday-market bellows, but she dragged in enough air to force out, “Shoot already!”
He didn’t. He just aimed into the alley, unmoving while she struggled to catch her breath. After a minute, he lowered his pistol and glanced back at her. “Shoot what?”
She struggled to her feet but had to put her hands on her knees to ride out a coughing fit before she could respond. “Shoot…sir?”
Sam’s smile
The pale guy stumbled back a step, shaking his head. “Holy Mary Mother of—”
“Gideon?” Nikki whispered.
Nikki, I don’t think he’s—
“What’s your problem?” Apple shouted. He looked back at his buddy, who took another weak step backward, then he turned his head the other way just in time to meet the red stare from the shadows.
Nikki’s boots slapped down as Apple let her go and stumbled back, putting Nikki between him and the thing—the…Gideon.
Run, Nikki . Michael begged. Please, listen to me. Run .
Nikki met the red-eyed stare and saw not the slightest hint of recognition. All she saw was hunger followed by a look she knew better than just about anybody. She saw the decision to attack.
She dropped as the creature pounced. The thing was insanely fast, but for once luck smiled on Nikki. The creature’s powerful leap took it right over her as she dropped, and right into Apple.
Nikki hit the ground hard, hard enough that for a second she couldn’t see a thing except little bursts of light. There was nothing wrong with her hearing though. The rumbling and tearing sounds coming from the other side of the alley made Nikki want to curl up and hide. But as bad as they were, they were nothing compared to the high-pitched wail that had to be coming from Apple.
Nikki pushed up to her hands and knees to see the other Runner already sprinting for all he was worth back the way they’d come. He had the right idea. Nikki staggered to her feet on bloodless legs and fled.
A minute before, Nikki would have sworn she couldn’t run another step. Now, she didn’t think she’d ever stop, no matter how much her lungs burned. She sent a heartfelt thank-you to every god she'd ever heard of for the gift of adrenaline. When an ear-tearing roar shook the air behind her, followed by the sound of claws on brick or pavement, Nikki prayed she’d have enough adrenaline to get her to Coop.
She’d lost her com unit when the creature first hit her, so there was nothing she could do besides hope Coop was there. If he wasn’t…
She knew the creature was closing on her. She could feel it behind her. She could hear its every growling, huffing breath, unless that was her. Nikki focused on the narrow alley in front of her, on the opening ahead where she hoped her ride was waiting, and tried to block out everything else.
Just run, dammit , she growled in her head. You can still do that at least .
Michael didn’t come down on her for being hard on herself this time. He didn’t say a word. She tried hard to believe that wasn’t a bad sign.
The opening rushed closer and closer, and for a shaky second Nikki thought she’d make it. She actually felt the surge of relief start before a dark figure stepped into her path.
Nikki flung herself to the side with an embarrassing shout that ate up what little air she had left in her lungs. She tumbled and rolled out of the alley, adding dizziness and road rash as answers to the question of how this night could get worse. She finally stopped moving, in body at least. From flat on her back, she forced her eyes to focus on the slightly spinning figure above her.
When she realized who it was, she almost passed out from relief, or maybe lack of oxygen.
It was Sam. Praise the sweet Buddha Moses, it was Mr. Perfect Timing Sam standing between her and whatever was coming, his pistol trained on the dark alley.
She was breathing like a Saturday-market bellows, but she dragged in enough air to force out, “Shoot already!”
He didn’t. He just aimed into the alley, unmoving while she struggled to catch her breath. After a minute, he lowered his pistol and glanced back at her. “Shoot what?”
She struggled to her feet but had to put her hands on her knees to ride out a coughing fit before she could respond. “Shoot…sir?”
Sam’s smile
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