Chapter 6 - Shadows on the Asphalt
The headlights of a blacked-out SUV washed over their hiding spot, sweeping across the bumper of the maintenance van. Mark dropped to his knees, pressing Lily flat against the cold asphalt. He could feel her heart racing like the wings of a trapped bird.
"Sarah," Mark whispered hoarsely. "The old St. Jude clinic on Elm. It closed six months ago, but the pharmaceutical lockboxes are still inside pending demolition. My brother worked the demo crew. He told me the emergency kits weren't cleared out yet."
"That’s four miles across town on foot," Sarah replied, peering through the van's tinted windows. Two armed operatives were stepping out of the SUV, scanning the ground with handheld ultraviolet trackers. "The moment we step onto the sidewalk, those UV lights will pick up the chemical trace leaking from Lily’s foot."
Mark looked down at his daughter’s foot. In the dim light, the leaking fluid glowed with a faint, phosphor-green luminescence. They were leaving a glowing breadcrumb trail with every drop of blood and sweat.
"Then I’ll be the decoy," Mark said grimly, reaching down to unlace his own work boots.
"No, Mark, don't—"
May you like
Before Sarah could stop him, Mark smeared his own sleeves with the luminous residue from Lily’s sock, kicked open the van door to create a deafening clang, and sprinted into the blinding crosshairs of the vehicle’s high beams.
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