Chapter 97

Chapter 97
Lila ran as fast as her tired legs allowed, even though her lungs burned and her shoes slapped the ground like they wanted to fall apart. The moment the police lights turned the corner and painted the street in sharp red and blue, her body reacted before her mind caught up. Nate grabbed her hand without a single word, and Mia pressed against her other side, urging her forward.

The storm clouds had finally opened, and rain poured down in a heavy curtain that made the road shine like black glass. Every sound felt louder, every breath felt harder, and every movement carried the fear that one wrong step would end everything.

“Keep going,” Nate said, his voice low and steady even though he was breathing hard. He kept glancing back over his shoulder, checking the lights that raced closer and closer down the long street.

Lila stumbled over a broken piece of pavement, but Nate tightened his grip and pulled her up before she fell.

“Sorry,” she whispered, even though she knew it did not matter.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said without looking at her. His voice was firm, almost angry, but the anger was not aimed at her. It was aimed at the world.

Rain hit her face, cold and sharp. Her hair clung to her cheeks and neck as she kept running beside him. She could hear Mia trying to keep up behind them, mumbling prayers under her breath. Mia always did that when she was scared, and Lila almost smiled at the familiar sound.

A loud siren ripped through the night, and Lila’s heart jumped. She looked back just in time to see one of the patrol cars swing wide, its tires sliding on the wet road. The beam of its spotlight cut across the street before locking onto the three of them.

“They see us,” Mia said with a shaky voice. “Nate, they actually see us.”

“I know,” Nate said. “Just stay with me.”

They dashed across an empty intersection, the rain falling harder with every second. Lila could barely see, and for a moment she wondered if the storm itself had chosen sides. It felt like everything in town was pushing against them, fighting to keep them trapped.

“Where are we even going?” Lila asked between breaths.

“Somewhere they cannot trap us so easily,” Nate said. “Keep moving.”

Mia pointed ahead toward a row of old brick buildings near the industrial part of town. Most of the doors were boarded up, and the windows were dark. Lila had passed this area a few times before, but never this late at night and never with fear pressing against her ribs like a tight belt.

“There,” Mia said. “Beside the warehouse. There is a path behind it that leads to the train tracks.”

Nate nodded, pulling them in that direction.

Behind them, the police car accelerated again.

Lila felt the vibration of the engine through the ground. It was a horrible reminder that it did not matter how fast she ran, because these people had the power to trap her whenever they wanted. They did not care that she was the one who had been abused and hunted. They only cared about Carla’s lies.

A tight ache formed in her chest. She had spent so many years trying to follow the rules, trying to be quiet, trying to stay out of trouble, trying to survive. Now that she was finally fighting back, everything was coming down on her at once.

“Lila,” Nate said softly without slowing down. “Stay with me. Do not go inside your head right now.”

She pressed her lips together and focused on breathing. His voice steadied her, even with danger chasing them.

They turned sharply into a narrow alley behind the warehouse, their feet splashing through puddles that soaked them down to the bone. The alley smelled like wet metal and old trash. A rusted gate blocked part of the way, but Nate shoved it hard and forced it open enough for them to squeeze through.

Mia slipped inside first, trembling as she fought to catch her breath. Lila followed after her, and Nate came last, pulling the gate shut behind them with a force that made it shake.

“There is the side entrance,” Mia said, pointing to a small metal door at the far end of the alley. “It might be unlocked. The workers use it sometimes.”

Nate reached it first and pushed. The handle scraped but the door did not move.

“Locked?” Mia whispered, wide eyed.

Nate pushed harder, then leaned his shoulder into it. Nothing changed.

The sirens outside grew louder. Closer.

Lila pressed her hands against her head. Rain kept sliding down her neck and into her clothes. Her body kept shaking from the cold and the fear.

“Move back,” Nate said.

She did. He stepped away from the door, took a deep breath, and then slammed his foot against the metal. The door rattled but stayed shut.

“Nate,” Lila said quietly. “We do not have time.”

He looked at her with rain clinging to his eyelashes. Something fierce came into his expression.

“Yes, we do,” he said.

He kicked again, harder. The metal bent around the lock. He kicked a third time, and the lock snapped loose. The door flew open with a loud clang that echoed through the alley.

“Go,” he said.

Mia rushed inside first. Lila followed her, the darkness swallowing her whole. Nate entered last and shut the door silently behind them.

The inside of the warehouse smelled like dust and oil. Old shelves lined the walls, and the ceiling stretched high above them with thin beams and hanging ropes that looked like they had not been touched in years. Puddles of water had gathered from leaks in the roof.

Lila pressed her back against one of the shelves and tried to catch her breath. She could still hear the faint echo of sirens outside, but it was softer now. The walls around them felt thick enough to buy them a little time.

Mia sat on an empty wooden crate and rubbed her face with shaky hands. “I cannot believe this is happening. I really cannot.”

Nate stayed near the door, listening. His shirt clung to his body, and water dripped from his dark hair onto the floor. His silence made the moment feel even heavier.

Lila took a slow breath and walked to him. Her legs still felt unsteady.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You saved us back there.”

He looked at her finally, and she saw something raw in his eyes. It was worry, anger, fear, and something else that squeezed her heart.

“I am not letting anyone take you,” he said softly. “Not again.”

She swallowed, and her throat felt tight.

He reached up and brushed a wet strand of hair away from her cheek. His hand was gentle even though everything around them was falling apart. The simple touch warmed her in a way that made the cold fade from her skin.

For a moment, the world felt quiet. Safe.

Then Mia stood quickly and pointed toward the far end of the warehouse.

“There is someone in here.”

Lila’s heart dropped.

Footsteps echoed between the shelves. Slow footsteps. Heavy ones. They grew louder with each second.

Nate moved in front of Lila without hesitation.

“Stay behind me,” he said.

The footsteps stopped.

A familiar voice drifted from the shadows behind the shelves.

“You really thought you could hide from me, sweetheart?”

Lila felt her whole body turn cold.

Carla stepped into view.