Page 33 (2/2)
Scarlet checked her own port when they reached street level The city was quiet in the still ofThey were at the Gare de Lyon, surrounded by avenues of shops and offices Though Wolf tried to hide it, Scarlet could tell he was sniffing for so
All she could s bread from a closed patisserie on the corner
Wolf headed northwest
The street was lined with iing from stone-wrapped s An ornate clock tower stood in the distance, its face lit up and showing two broad pointed hands and roital screen that read 04:26 beside an ad for the newest model of house android
"How far are we?" Scarlet asked
"Not far We can walk"
They turned left at a traffic circle, Wolf half a step ahead of her, hunched over like he was barricading hied wound that no longer seeers She wanted to reach out to him, but found it impossible She tucked both of her hands into her hoodie’s pockets instead
There was an abyss opening up between theh whatever they’d shared on the train They were alrandmother, al her to her death
Maybe Wolf wasto frighten herself with her own randmother, and she was so close So close
The ancient residences drew in closer to the road as they left the busy intersection behind There was only the occasional sign of life--a cat cleaning itself in theof a hat shop, ahover They passed a netscreen that showed a coe the color of one’s hair based on their moods
She already yearned for the solitude of the farrandmother and her weekly deliveries And now, Wolf That was the reality she wanted
Wolf quickened his pace, but his shoulders were squeezing inward again Locking her jaw, Scarlet reached forward and grasped his wrist
"I can’t let you do this," she said, angrier than she’d intended "Just tell o on by myself Just tellwith and I’ll figure soo withreen eyes, but the warmth and desperation that had been so apparent on the train were now replaced with a cold resolve He pried his ar in front of the closed café on the other side of the street?"
She slid her attention off hi at one of the outdoor tables One ankle was propped on his knee, his elbow dangling off the back of his chair He was staring at theht his eye, he winked
A chill crawled over her skin
"Pack rail station two blocks back And…" He craned his head "If the stench is any indication, we’re about to cross paths with another e turn this next corner"
Her heart was suddenly sto "How did they knoere here?"
"I suspect they’ve been waiting for us They’ve probably been tracking your ID"
That’s what people did when they ran away and didn’t want to be found--they cut out their ID chips
"Or yours," she murmured "If they do have access to an ID tracker, thenyou"
"Maybe" His voice was nonchalant and she realized this wasn’t news to hiht this could be possible? Was that how Ran had found theo find out what they want" Wolf turned away and she had to race to keep up with hiht three of them, can’t you? You said you could take--" She hesitated Wolf had told her he would win in a fight against six wolves When had those wild animals become synonymous with these et away There’s still a chance," she finished
"I said I would protect you and that’s what I’ to do It’s pointless to discuss this any further"
"I don’t need your protection"
"Yes," he said, the word biting over the synthesized noise of a music video on a nearby billboard "Yes, you do"
Scarlet darted in front of hi into her
"No," she said "What I need is to know that I’m not responsible for whatever they’ll do to you You need to stop being stupid and get out of here At least give yourself a chance!"
He peered over her head at so if he’d picked up on the presence of a fourth pack lanced at thetheoing to try and protect you," Wolf said, pulling his focus back down to her "What’s stupid is that I almost believe it willoff the hand that reached out to stop hi she had a choice She could run aith him, leave the city, and never corandmother after all, and maybe save his life
But it was not really a choice She barely knew hi She would never be able to live with herself knowing that she’d abandoned her grandmother when she was this close