Page 86 of Serpent King's Revenge

With one last look at the ominous boat outside, we slipped out of the room and into the dimly lit hallway.

Our first priority was Justin and Derek. Their room was just down the hall, and we made our way there. Abby rapped on the door, her knocks sharp but quiet, not wanting to alert anyone to our presence.

"Justin, Derek, wake up," she hissed through the door. "We need to go. Now."

The door swung open almost immediately, revealing a bleary-eyed Justin and a confused Derek clutching Bao. They seemed to register the urgency in our eyes, and without asking questions, began to hastily prepare for their escape.

"Something's wrong," I explained in a low voice as Derek fumbled with Bao's carrier. "There's an unlit boat outside, and we've heard people downstairs. We're getting out of here before things get worse."

"Who do you think it is?" Justin asked, his voice tight with anxiety.

"I don't know, but my first thought is that Ba found us," I admitted, trying to push aside the gnawing dread that settled in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a storm we might not be able to weather.

"Doesn't matter," Abby cut in, her eyes filled with determination. "We need to move fast and stay together. Let's go."

With each step through the dimly lit corridor, I felt the weight of our situation grow heavier. We had to get everyone out, and fast. Lily's room was next on our list, and my heart raced as we approached her door. Abby gave a series of sharp knocks.

"Lily, wake up," I whispered urgently. "We need to leave now."

The door swung open, revealing a sleepy and disoriented Lily. Her eyes widened when she saw the urgency in our expressions, and without questioning us, she quickly grabbed her bag.

"Something's going down," I explained in hushed tones. "We don't have much time, and we need to stick together. Let's move."

"Okay," she nodded, fear etching itself into her features.

As we made our way through the building, I couldn't help but think about Alex. He was strong and resourceful, but that didn't mean he'd be safe. My gut twisted with worry, but I knew I needed to prioritize those who were more vulnerable first.

"We need to get Alex and Knuckles," Lily insisted, her voice shaky but determined. "We can't leave them behind."

"Look, there's no time," I replied, trying to keep my own rising panic in check. "Alex and Knuckles can handle themselves. We need to focus on getting the hell out of here."

"But—" she began, only to be cut off by Abby.

"Trust Nathan, Lily," Abby said firmly, her eyes darting around as if expecting an attack at any moment. "We'll do everything we can to find them later, but right now, we have to move."

Lily hesitated for a moment longer before giving a reluctant nod, and together, we made our way out of the corridor…

…only to find chaos unfolding around us.

As we crept along, it became painfully clear that this wasn't just another Serpents attack. People were being handcuffed and read their rights—this was an FBI raid. A cold wave of dread washed over me when I realized that we had been caught completely unprepared, leaving not only our lives but the lives of those we cared about hanging in the balance.

"Damn it," I cursed under my breath, feeling a surge of anger at our situation. "How did they find us?"

“Shit!” Abby hissed. “Against the wall and behind something, now!”

My heart pounded in my chest as we pressed ourselves against the warehouse wall, trying to stay out of sight. The flashing lights and chaos around us only heightened the sense of urgency.

“What the hell?” I asked, finding Abby’s eyes. “Did you see something?”

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Abby hissed under her breath. "Diane fucking Hayes is here."

I frowned, confused. "I thought they knew she was dirty."

"Dirty?" Abby shot me a bewildered look.

"Yeah," I replied. "I thought you knew and that's why you tried to kill her…"

"Can you two bicker about your violent tendencies later?" Lily interjected. "We need to get out of here."

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