They ran. Hard and fast.
They hit the street, took a sharp left and merged into the crowd. Dathan was a damn fast runner, all liquid, athletic grace. Eos could barely breathe as he pulled her into the thickest part of the crowd.
They moved into narrow, twisting alleys. She saw him glance behind them repeatedly and up at the roof lines. Once, she risked a glance back.
And saw the man in black pursuing them with a fast, efficient run.
Oh, Suva.
Dathan yanked his backup Sync communicator from his vest. “Z, we have company and need a rapid pickup.”
“Be there in two, bro. If you can get high, it’ll help.”
Dathan slipped the Sync away. “This way.” He pulled her into another alley.
“It’s a dead end,” she yelled.
He pointed ahead. A ladder leaned against a stone building.
He gripped it. “Up. Get to the roof and don’t stop.”
She took the rungs as fast as she could. She felt the ladder move as he followed her up. She stepped onto the flat roof and looked down. The man in black was at the end of the alley, holding something in his hand.
The next second, a shuriken embedded into the wall beside Dathan’s head.
Eos leaned down. “Hurry.”
“Move it, Eos. I said not to stop.” He clambered onto the roof. He spun on one knee, yanking a blaster from his utility vest. A hard look settled on his face. She couldn’t see the carefree treasure hunter anywhere in this hard, dangerous man.
The thermal carbine made a loud roar as he fired.
Down below, their attacker ducked behind some crates, then jumped up, aiming at them again. A rain of shurikens whizzed past them.
“Eos, go. Now. Zayn will track you and pick you up.” Dathan returned fire. “If I’m not there in thirty seconds, tell Z and Nik to leave.”
“No.” Everything in her rebelled. He was a selfish, greedy treasure hunter. He wasn’t supposed to risk his life for her.
Whatever he was, she wasn’t going to leave him here.
Ignoring him, she knelt and grabbed the butt of his backup laser pistol tucked into his pants.
She heard him curse but she just aimed at the man in black and fired. They worked in tandem, coordinating their attack.
When their pursuer scuttled backward and disappeared out of the alley, Dathan laughed. His reckless grin made Eos want to smile.
“You’re not bad with a weapon, Dr. Rai.”
“The Institute trains everyone who goes into the field.” Suddenly, laser fire ripped past them.
They flattened against the roof. A quick glance, and she saw four armed men headed for them on the neighboring roof.
“Time to go.” He gripped her arm. “Stay low.”
They ran along the line of the roof.
“Up there.” He pointed to some sort of tower topped with a small terrace.
She followed and resisted looking down. She wasn’t afraid of heights, but she didn’t love them either.
