Page 96 of Blood Caged

“This is it,” he says, his voice low and urgent. “Our ticket out of here.”

I eye the vehicle skeptically. It’s seen better days, with rust creeping up the sides and a cracked windshield. But right now, it looks like the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

“It’s not much,” Soren admits, reading my expression. “But it’s not fitted with a GPS tracker. That’ll give us an advantage.”

He quickly unlocks the rear passenger door and helps me inside before sliding behind the wheel. As he turns the key in the ignition, I allow myself a moment to catch my breath.

“We made it this far,” I whisper, half to myself and half to Soren. “I can’t believe it.”

Soren pauses, his hand on the ignition. He turns to me, his eyes intense. “We’re not out yet. But we’re close. How are you holding up?”

I take a deep breath, assessing myself. “I’m okay. Scared, but okay. That magic back there… I don’t know where it came from, but I’m glad it worked.”

He nods, a hint of a smile on his lips. “You continue to surprise me, Mia Blackwood.”

For a moment, we sit in silence. Freedom is so close I can almost taste it, but the most dangerous part of our escape still lies ahead.

“Soren,” I start, “if this doesn’t work—”

“It will,” he interrupts firmly.

I nod, drawing strength from his confidence. “Okay. I trust you.”

A strange expression flits across his features, but it’s gone in an instant.

“I need you to get under those. Stay out of sight,” he says, gesturing to a pile of tarpaulins. I nod without question, breathless, as I cram myself into the footwell and pull the oil-scented tarps over me.

The engine roars to life, and the van lurches forward.

I hold my breath as Soren guides the vehicle through the underground parking area. The rumble of the engine seems impossibly loud in the enclosed space. Every second feels like an eternity as we approach what I know must be the exit.

The van slows to a stop, and I hear Soren’s window rolling down. My heart pounds so hard I’m sure the guards will hear it.

“Evening,” Soren says, his voice casual and relaxed. “Just taking some medical equipment out for repair. Dr. Chen requested it. She’s expecting this equipment back tomorrow, in time for the new assignment.”

There’s a pause, and I strain to hear the guards’ response. They seem skeptical, asking for more details. Probably surprised that Soren would be running an errand like this. I tense, waiting for the moment it all falls apart.

But Soren remains calm. “Are you doubting me?” he snaps.

“Of course not, Lord Daire! But Lord Marlowe gave strict instructions…”

“Fine. Call Dr. Chen,” Soren huffs. “She’ll confirm it.”

I hear the faint sound of a phone being dialed, then muffled conversation. The wait is agonizing. I squeeze my eyes shut, silently pleading for Dr. Chen to back up Soren’s story.

Finally, I hear one of the guards speak. “Alright, Dr. Chen confirmed. You’re good to go.”

The truck starts moving again, and I feel the incline as we drive up and out of the basement. The change in air pressure makes my ears pop.

Suddenly, the quality of sound changes. We’re outside. The truck picks up speed, and I realize with a jolt of excitement that we’ve made it past the guard booth. We’re on the open road.

I want to sit up, to see where we are, but I force myself to stay hidden. It’s not safe yet. But for the first time in months, I allow myself to feel a glimmer of hope. More than a glimmer…it’s that tingle again.

We’re out. We’re free.

“You can come out now,” Soren says after what feels like forever. I shove the tarpaulins aside, gasping for cool air as I emerge. His eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. There are lines of tension around them that I hadn’t noticed before. His jaw is clenched.

“Are you okay?” I ask as I clamber through the gap between the front seats to sit next to him.

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