The cold grew sharper as they left the shelter of the buildings.
Ryan felt it against his face first, then through the torn, bloodstiffened clothes clinging to his body. He tried to draw closer to Callighan's back without tightening his arms around his neck.
Callighan moved cautiously, keeping away from the open stretches wherever he could. The darkness concealed them, but it also made the uneven ground difficult to judge. More than once, he stopped to test his footing before shifting Ryan's weight and continuing.
By the time they reached the back of the house where Mei had been held, his breathing had grown heavier. He paused beside the wall, listening, then turned toward the narrow path leading away from it.
