Chapter 24 Ambush in the Stairwell
Sibley stepped out from the corner, scooping up two guns from the floor before hurrying after Kiara
Alec, all lean muscle from years at the gym, was still heavy enough that Kiara struggled to get him back to the SUV.
By the time she dropped him into the back seat, she felt half–dead.
Finished
Thankfully, those few days learning basic medical skills from Joy hadn’t gone to waste–at least she knew how to stop the bleeding.
She quickly patched Alec’s wound, slipped a hemostatic pill from her storage into his mouth, then strapped him in with the
seatbelt
They couldn’t stay here. Kiara had no intention of sticking around.
She signaled for Sibley to buckle up, threw the SUV into reverse, backed up a few dozen yards, then slammed it into drive.
With a roar, they barreled forward, the van, blocking the road taking the full brunt of the impact. It skidded several yards before tumbling off the cliff in a metallic crash.
With the obstacle gone, the rest of the drive was smooth.
Kiara decided to take Alec back to Skyhaven.
Sibley kept staring at the blood pooled in her palm–a shallow cut from earlier, when she’d tried to grip a blade like Kiara had during the standoff. The tension had made her clumsy, and the edge had bitten into her skin.
She clenched her fist and looked over. “Kiara, can I stay at your place?”
It was no small thing to ask in a world gone insane, but Sibley couldn’t think of anyone else who’d risk themselves for her without hesitation
Kiara didn’t even pause. “Of course you can
Sibley’s place had been broken into far too easily–it was no longer safe.
And the unit right across from Kiara’s on the tenth floor was still vacant. Better to let Sibley have it than leave it for someone
else.
Kiara was already imagining installing a heavy–duty electric trap at the stairwell entrance. Anyone who tried to get in would be fried before they could take a second step. She would make sure it was genuinely safe.
When they reached Skyhaven, Kiara parked and then wrestled Alec out of the SUV.
Ten flights. Once upon a time, Kiara could have climbed them in one go. Now, with a man taller and heavier than she was slung over her back, her legs were trembling so hard she thought she might cry.
Her stamina was lacking.
By the seventh floor, her chest felt like it was about to explode.
She had to stop, clinging to the railing, gasping for air. The stairwell was stifling–hot, airless–and she felt like she might mast alive before she even got to the tenth floor.
On the other side, Sibley was helping support Alec, her breaths ragged, her body sagging with exhaustion.
After two minutes, Kiara braced herself to finish the climb–but a light hand pressed down on her shoulder.
Alee had stirred. With effort, he straightened, eyes sharp and alert as they swept toward the upper landing. His fingers rested on the grip of the pistol at his hip. He gave a quick hand signal for silence, then tilted his head to listen. “There’s someone upstairs. At least ten of them.”
Kiara didn’t even register the fact that he was awake–her focus locked on the number.
Tenk
4:11 AM P P ·
Chapter 24 Ambush in the Stairwell
She reached for her knife, but Sibley pressed a pistol into her hand. “Got it off one of those guys earlier.
Kiara checked the magazine–five rounds. More than enough for now.
Finished
Even if she ran out, she had boxes of ammo stashed away in her storage. If it came to it, she could swap the gun before anyone knew the difference.
On the ninth–floor landing, a group of men crouched in wait.
One man, sweaty and irritable, wiped his face with his free hand while gripping a cleaver. “Damn it, what’s taking her so long? Didn’t she already drive in?”
Another, just as hot and restless, smacked him hard on the back. “Relax. No way she’s not coming up.”
A third, adjusting his glasses and gripping a fruit knife, asked, “Are you sure she’s got a stash? Where’d you hear that?”
The irritable one glared at him. “Would she have an electric gate on her door if she didn’t? Word is she’s trained–knows how to fight. Aim for her heart when you strike. I’ll grab the gate key after
They muttered for a while longer, then went silent, straining to catch any sound from below.
Even with their voices low, the stairwell was so quiet that Kiara caught stray words–enough to guess their intent.
From Travis onward, the number of people who’d tried to target her lately was getting absurd.
And she had no interest in standing around in this heat long enough to dry out like a piece of jerky.
She racked the pistol, ready to rush the landing and drop the first man she saw as a warning–when footsteps pounded from below.
Frowning, she glanced down the stairwell. A crowd was charging upward, weapons in hand, eyes bright with greed.
The moment their eyes locked, the leader’s face flashed with triumph. He swung his bat, and the group surged forward like a pack of sharks sensing blood in the water.
“Kiara! Hand over the food!”
Alec’s face hardened. He grabbed her arm, yanking her toward the seventh–floor hallway.
Sibley, wide–eyed with fear, bolted after them
They flew down the corridor, and Kiara shouted, “Joy! Open the door!“)
