They stayed hidden longer than anyone wanted.
The helicopter hovered above the road, slow and low, blades beating dust through the broken street. The speaker did not repeat the order, but the words stayed in the air anyway.
Give us Iyisha Clarcke.
Iyisha stayed crouched behind the counter with Malcolm in front of her. His body blocked most of her view. She could still see the others through the broken doorway, pressed under cars and against walls, all of them too still.
The helicopter drifted once over the block.
Then it moved away.
No one moved until the sound thinned.
Malcolm lifted his hand.
"Run."
They came out of hiding in pieces and broke into motion again. No one shouted now. The helicopter had taken that from them. They ran with their heads low, bags slamming against their sides, weapons tight in their hands.
Iyisha caught up to Marybeth and Aljun.
