figure out what Step 2 was supposed to be.
“A couple of the boys were talking about you earlier. I think they want to ask you out after seeing your ... fight.”
Piper twitched. Oh joy. That would be fun. She needed out of here.
The doors creaked open. Piper let Kylee get off then stopped in the doorway. “Actually, I did forget something.”
“Oh.” Brow furrowed, Kylee turned to get back on.
“No, no,” Piper said as the doors began to close. “Just wait there.” She smiled, guilt squeezing her as Kylee’s confused frown disappeared.
Since a better plan hadn’t occurred to her, she hit the M button. Hopefully her guards would waste time checking the eighth floor before coming after her. As the elevator trundled downward, she pulled her hood up and tucked her hair inside it. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she affected a slouch and waited for the doors to open.
As soon as a large enough gap appeared, she slipped through and into a lobby with chipped marble floors and a dry fountain with a broken sculpture in the middle. The entryway opened up to the second floor, with balconies on either side looking over the fountain. It was a straight stretch to the triple set of glass doors—most of the glass missing—and the fading afternoon sun beyond.
She strode straight for the doors, eyes scanning alertly while she kept her body language relaxed. Nothing to see here. Just a haemon teen out for some fresh air.
“Hey there.”
It wasn’t an aggressive call. Glancing over, she didn’t break stride. Two people came into view on the other side of a wide pillar. They were sitting behind a desk, looking bored and sleepy.
“Don’t forget to sign out,” the woman called out in a friendly tone. “Don’t want to get barred on your way back in.”
Piper didn’t slow, just extracted one hand and gave a casual wave.
“Hey, you need to sign out.”
She sped up. Footsteps sounded behind her—the two Gaians circling the desk to follow her. She broke into a run, shooting for the doors. Dodging crumbled marble, she jumped a smashed statue and aimed for one of the broken doors—
An unseen blow caught her in the chest, knocking her backward. She stumbled and tripped, falling to one knee. Where had that come from? Damn hood had cut off her peripheral vision.
A man stood in front of her, dressed in dark, military-like clothing. Shoving her hood off to prevent a repeat blindsiding, she spun and kicked hard. Her boot hit his ankle. He staggered. She sprang up and struck his diaphragm. He backpedalled, faint surprised registering on his face.
Two more guys came running as the first two caught up with her. Damn it. She’d been expecting more goons like Travis guarding the entrance, but these guys were older and probably a lot more skilled.
Dropping to the floor again, she swept out her leg, taking out the legs of one man. The other jumped over her kick but stumbled on the landing. She jumped to her feet and spun around to see a hand flashing toward her. She threw herself backward, going into a backflip as she kicked out with one foot, forcing her attacker back. On landing, she dropped into a crouch to avoid the fist of the woman.
Spinning around, she ran at the two between her and the doors. At the last second, she turned on one and jumped, slamming both feet into his chest. Her weight and momentum knocked him over backward. She landed on his chest and bolted for freedom. The Gaians scrambled after her as she shot out of the broken doors and onto the sidewalk. A sharp wind gusted across her face, wonderfully fresh. She skidded around the corner and tore down the sidewalk.
The air a few feet in front of her rippled. A flash of black.
Something hit her in the face, snapping her head back and throwing her off her feet. She hit the ground, her head slamming against the sidewalk. Sparks flashed across her vision, almost obscuring the black swirl as it shimmered and solidified into a man—the creepy, pale-haired
“A couple of the boys were talking about you earlier. I think they want to ask you out after seeing your ... fight.”
Piper twitched. Oh joy. That would be fun. She needed out of here.
The doors creaked open. Piper let Kylee get off then stopped in the doorway. “Actually, I did forget something.”
“Oh.” Brow furrowed, Kylee turned to get back on.
“No, no,” Piper said as the doors began to close. “Just wait there.” She smiled, guilt squeezing her as Kylee’s confused frown disappeared.
Since a better plan hadn’t occurred to her, she hit the M button. Hopefully her guards would waste time checking the eighth floor before coming after her. As the elevator trundled downward, she pulled her hood up and tucked her hair inside it. Shoving her hands into her pockets, she affected a slouch and waited for the doors to open.
As soon as a large enough gap appeared, she slipped through and into a lobby with chipped marble floors and a dry fountain with a broken sculpture in the middle. The entryway opened up to the second floor, with balconies on either side looking over the fountain. It was a straight stretch to the triple set of glass doors—most of the glass missing—and the fading afternoon sun beyond.
She strode straight for the doors, eyes scanning alertly while she kept her body language relaxed. Nothing to see here. Just a haemon teen out for some fresh air.
“Hey there.”
It wasn’t an aggressive call. Glancing over, she didn’t break stride. Two people came into view on the other side of a wide pillar. They were sitting behind a desk, looking bored and sleepy.
“Don’t forget to sign out,” the woman called out in a friendly tone. “Don’t want to get barred on your way back in.”
Piper didn’t slow, just extracted one hand and gave a casual wave.
“Hey, you need to sign out.”
She sped up. Footsteps sounded behind her—the two Gaians circling the desk to follow her. She broke into a run, shooting for the doors. Dodging crumbled marble, she jumped a smashed statue and aimed for one of the broken doors—
An unseen blow caught her in the chest, knocking her backward. She stumbled and tripped, falling to one knee. Where had that come from? Damn hood had cut off her peripheral vision.
A man stood in front of her, dressed in dark, military-like clothing. Shoving her hood off to prevent a repeat blindsiding, she spun and kicked hard. Her boot hit his ankle. He staggered. She sprang up and struck his diaphragm. He backpedalled, faint surprised registering on his face.
Two more guys came running as the first two caught up with her. Damn it. She’d been expecting more goons like Travis guarding the entrance, but these guys were older and probably a lot more skilled.
Dropping to the floor again, she swept out her leg, taking out the legs of one man. The other jumped over her kick but stumbled on the landing. She jumped to her feet and spun around to see a hand flashing toward her. She threw herself backward, going into a backflip as she kicked out with one foot, forcing her attacker back. On landing, she dropped into a crouch to avoid the fist of the woman.
Spinning around, she ran at the two between her and the doors. At the last second, she turned on one and jumped, slamming both feet into his chest. Her weight and momentum knocked him over backward. She landed on his chest and bolted for freedom. The Gaians scrambled after her as she shot out of the broken doors and onto the sidewalk. A sharp wind gusted across her face, wonderfully fresh. She skidded around the corner and tore down the sidewalk.
The air a few feet in front of her rippled. A flash of black.
Something hit her in the face, snapping her head back and throwing her off her feet. She hit the ground, her head slamming against the sidewalk. Sparks flashed across her vision, almost obscuring the black swirl as it shimmered and solidified into a man—the creepy, pale-haired
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