Chapter 6 - The Long Road
Her mind raced. Was he a spy? A trap? She slowly slid her hand into her purse, her fingers wrapping around a heavy perfume bottle—her only weapon. "Nice medallion," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. The man glanced at it and scoffed. "Took it off one of his goons when they came to break my brother's legs. Keep it as a reminder." She exhaled, though the tension didn't fully leave her body. They drove for hours, the sprawling city giving way to endless, desolate highways. Lily finally fell asleep in the backseat, her head resting on the mother's coat. "I'm dropping you at a bus station in the next town," the driver said. "From there, buy a ticket with cash to somewhere small. Nowhere he has corporate offices." When they finally pulled into the dusty station, she thanked him, clutching the wad of stolen cash. She bought two tickets to a remote town in the mountains. They boarded the nearly empty bus. As the engine roared to life, she looked out the window. Across the street, a dark SUV with tinted windows was slowly pulling out of a gas station, following right behind the bus.
