Chapter 1 - The Sanctuary
The rain was coming down in sheets, turning the neon lights of Miller’s Convenience Store into blurry streaks of red and blue on the wet pavement.
Roman didn't ask Elena if she wanted his help. He knew the look in her eyes—the feral, terrified pride of a mother who had been running for so long that she viewed every outstretched hand as a trap. Instead, he simply unbuttoned his heavy wool trench coat and draped it over her shivering shoulders.
“My car is across the street,” Roman said, his voice a low, unyielding rumble that cut through the sound of the rain. “You are getting in. Both of you.”
Elena tried to push the coat away, her hands trembling violently. “Roman, no. You don’t understand. If he finds out you helped me—”
“If Marcus Vance finds out I helped you,” Roman interrupted, his eyes darkening to the color of storm clouds, “then he will finally have the privilege of looking me in the eye before I end his miserable life. Now, get up.”
He didn't wait for her to argue. Roman signaled with two fingers. From the shadows of the alley across the street, a matte-black armored SUV rolled forward, stopping inches from the curb. The rear door opened, revealing the warm, leather-clad interior.
Leo stood protectively in front of his mother, his small fists clenched, the plastic grocery bag dangling from one arm. He looked at Roman, then at the car, analyzing the risk with the mind of a seasoned soldier trapped in a seven-year-old's body.
“Is it warm in there?” Leo asked, his voice deadpan.
Roman looked down at the boy. “Yes. And there are blankets. And no one will ever hurt your mother while you are inside it.”
Leo held Roman’s gaze for three seconds. The same test he had administered at the checkout counter. Roman passed. Leo turned, grabbed his mother’s arm, and gently pulled. “Come on, Mom. We have the apples. We can go.”
Elena yielded, her strength entirely spent. Roman helped her into the back seat, securing the heavy door behind them. As he slid into the passenger seat, his driver, a hulking man named Silas, glanced at him through the rearview mirror.
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“Where to, Boss?” Silas asked.
“The compound,” Roman ordered, pulling out his cell phone. “And call Doc Harrison. Tell him to meet us there. We have a medical emergency, and he needs to bring everything.”
