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Julia grabbed the third rung of the ladder and scraet her foot on the bottoh It looked like a as raging in the alley Lights flashed Explosions burst and echoed through the narrow passageway There was shouting and coughing It was terrifying

And Joe was in the midst of it

Julia cli beneath her She felt the sharp edges of the corroded iven her was pulled up over herfro powder Joe had released It nipped at her eyes,them water

The ladder shook and shifted as someone climbed onto it beneath her Joe? Please be Joe Please be Joe…

“Hurry!” Her grandmother’s voice ca over the flat roof, her hand extended ready to help Julia climb over

Julia grasped the offered hand and scrambled over the cool brick onto the concrete roof There was an eerie second or two of silence before a different kind of banging rent the air

Gunfire

“Joe!” Julia leaned over the edge She couldn’t see anything The alley was filled with dense yellow smoke

“Get back!” Ed ordered as he scrambled onto the roof beside her

He instantly leaned over the edge, a gun in his hand “Joe I’ve got your six Move out now”

The ladder shook and Julia held on to the top of it, co it meant Joe was on his way

Ed aimed into the middle of the alley and fired

There was shouting Julia didn’t understand the words, but she understood theThey were out to kill them To kill Joe

In the distance, sirens shrieked The police were co Too late Far too late

There was a thud beneath theroaned and then it stilled