“What other choice do we have?” The second the words come out of my mouth, she must realize it’s true as she turns back, running with me toward the exit. We make it to the door this time and get through but I hear an echo of a door opening and closing somewhere in the stairwell we’re probably trapped in. The sound of boots thudding commences, and our last hope is that this stairwell has an emergency exit on one of these floors. Now I’m the one pulling Reese. As the effects of the gas recede, my adrenaline kicks into full gear.
“A door,” she whispers, breathlessly, as we turn a corner. God only knows what lies behind this door, but from the sounds above us, it can’t be any worse than what we’re about to face if we stay here. I kick the door open and—the thing leads outside—outside, as in sky, gravel and fresh goddamn air! We made it out! The second the door opens, though, the alarm goes off—loud and blaring—announcing an “escapee” alert.
Both of us run forward, looking back over our shoulders, waiting for the exit door to fly open again. I’m grateful it hasn’t yet because every second we go without that door opening is a little more space we’re able to put between them and us. We pass by an alley off to the right and it looks more promising than staying on this main road so I pull Reese sharply down the street. I might drop dead before we make it down this street, but we’ve got to keep going.
“I hear them,” Reese says. “They’re going to find us.”
This prompts me to look for another way, scanning the length of both buildings we’re running between.
“Over there.” Reese takes the lead and pulls us toward a ladder hanging from a metal balcony. The ladder is barely in reach, but I should be able to grab it. I was hoping for a door on ground level, but I’m sure it’s safe to assume any door within reach would be locked down. It looks like heading up is the only option, despite the fact that we are putting ourselves directly in a target view. Considering our limited options, I jump up a few times before I’m able to reach the ladder and pull it down low enough for Reese to grab onto.
She begins ascending first and I follow closely behind, watching behind us as we make our way to the first landing. The second our feet hit the metal plank, a half dozen patrols in biohazard suits turn the corner, running in unison as if this were a physical training circuit.
I tug on the ladder with every ounce of strength I have left, trying to retract it far enough to prevent them from reaching it, but I’m left struggling to make it budge. I feel the veins on my forehead press against my skin and my teeth ache from the strain of clenching my jaw. I’m worried my arms are going to give out before this thing makes it up as high as it was when we found it. With another forceful tug, the ladder moves a touch, giving us an inkling of hope. Reese quickly sneaks below me and wraps her hands around the metal railings, pulling along with me. Between the two of us, we’re able to retract the ladder, finding that it folds into itself on this level—we’re safe for another few minutes.
The men are screaming at us from below, but I try to block them out as we focus on continuing upward. We manage to make it up at least another four levels before Reese stops to catch her breath. While waiting for her, I notice a crack in the window we’re in front of. I look around for something to break it with but there is nothing and neither of us have anything on us except the clothes we’re wearing. I pull my shirt off, wrapping it thickly around my hand, and punch through the glass. Recoiling from the shatter, I cover Reese so the flying shards don’t hit her. Reaching over her, I run my shirt-covered hand around the rim of the opening to clear the rest of the glass away, and without wasting another second I lift Reese up so she can climb in. As soon as I hear her feet touch the interior floor, I follow, dumping myself into what looks like an abandoned apartment. The room is lit only a bit from the dimming daylight but it’s enough to see everything around me. Everything it took my eyes two seconds too long to recognize.
My one thought is that those patrols are not doing a great job at finding their prey.
