Page 11 of Omega Alliance

"Where to next?" I manage to ask between pants.

It's Jax who answers. "Straight past the next two turns, then left, right, skip the next turn off, right, left, find the glass door, and you should be home free."

Even though my brain is still reeling from the rush of adrenaline, my body seems to pick up the cues as it springs to action practically of its own accord.

"I can't believe you just did that," Dani chimes in, breathless like myself. "We saw the whole thing. The way you just eviscerated that guy. It was awesome!"

But I don't have time to enjoy her praise, not when I'm still at risk of being caught and dragged back to my own private hell. We're so close…

I veer left and then almost immediately take another right.

Jax stays in my ear, confirming that each move is correct and reminding me of what comes next.

Dani mentioned they could see me as I attacked the man in the hall. Did that mean others could too? Is the whole world watching? And will they all be ready to nab me as soon as I push through that door to a false freedom?

I don’t know, can’t know, but I do need to keep going.

I reach another turn but pass by it as Jax has instructed. My path is suspiciously clear. Almost as if somebody's instructed everyone to back down, to let me go.

I take a couple more turns, then at last find my target, a lone glass door tucked into a small alcove near a staircase that only leads down.

Relief washes over me in a tidal wave as I reach forward and wrap my hand around the handle. I push, but the door holds firm.

So I pull.

Still nothing happens.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I mutter under my breath. Then louder to Dani and Jax, "It's locked."

A dark shape looms outside the window, closing in at a terrifying clip. A man. Not the one I faced before, but bigger and with a bulkier build. I hardly have time to take him in before he slams something into the glass, causing it to splinter between us.

I shrink back as he reaches his hand through the broken door, beckoning for me to take it. "I won't hurt you, Sin," he says, but I remain unsure.

"That's Kieran." Dani's voice fills the air around me. "He's with us."

I gulp down the last dregs of my anxiety, and then I place my shaking hand into his much larger palm and step through.

KIERAN

I stare at Sin through the shattered glass. I can't believe it's really her. We've been watching her for years through the OA, and now seeing her in person feels like a miracle.

But she isn't smiling as she constantly does on her live feed. Instead she's hesitant, afraid.

"I won't hurt you, Sin," I promise, hoping she can see the earnestness reflecting in my eyes.

For a moment I consider coming in after her, knowing we have precious little time to pull this off. But then something changes abruptly in her demeanor and she is entrusting her hand to mine.

She steps through and falls against my chest, her entire body overcome by shivers.

"It's okay. I've got you now," I whisper into her hair. "You're safe."

If I could, I would give her more time to adjust, but we need to be quick. Everyone will be looking for her—and for us too. I told her she was safe because I thought the lie would help her. The truth is we're now in more danger than ever.

I'm not connected to the others via comm. We decided it was safer that way in case Levi was discovered, and by extension Jax and Dani. Now it's my job to bring her to our pre-selected hiding spot. Rather than head straight home with Sin, we found an abandoned house on a lonely country road about a hundred miles from the OA complex where we plan to lay low for a few days.

"Follow me," I tell her as I slink around the building toward the trees that line the far end of the parking lot.

She surprises me by clinging tight to my arm as we walk. Her nearness sends tingles across my skin in a way I've never quite felt with Dani.

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