Flames Of Redemption

83

They ran into the dark alleyways, their hearts pounding rapidly, their breaths out and uneven.

"Iris, where...are...we going?" Regan breathed out, her voice shaky.

"I-I don't know," Iris replied. She was as terrified as Regan. As they rounded a corner of a tavern that seemed to be working, Regan noticed a small red light on the ground. Before she could crash it down, she left Iris's hand. Iris looked at her, scared, "Cornelia, what are you doing?!"

Regan didn't answer. She knelt down the ground and noticed it was a device. A device similar to a radio. It was crackling with static and distorted voices. Regan tried to fix the antenna and frequency and the voices got clearer.

"This is alpha. Targets near. I repeat, targets near. Red haired female, 5'3, and brunette, 5'6. They're within the perimeter. We have them cornered. Over." Regan froze when she realized they were talking about them. Iris's breath was out of place and panic was evident in her face.

"This is delta. Copy that. Proceeding to intercept. Stand by for further orders. Over." The voice responded sharply.

The girls exchanged glances, their hearts on their sleeves. They listened to the crackling radio, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"We have to destroy it!" Iris urged impatiently.

"No, we have to keep it. Maybe we outsmart them," Regan countered and grabbed Iris's hand once more. They continued to run into the depths of the ruins, but they didn't seem to find good covers. Suddenly, the sky lit up with a red light and the blaring of sirens pierced the air.

"What the hell is this?" Iris cried out in fear.

"I don't know. Probably drones to spot us," Regan answered as they continued to run. They heard the distinctive thud of boots on concrete, growing closer with each second. "We need to find somewhere safe to hide!"

The continued to run, their directions unclear and uncertain. They passed by the narrowed paths, but still, they didn't know where to go.

The radio crackled again, the voice of their pursuers authoritative and stern, "This is alpha. Sirius wants visual confirmation on the targets. You are to remain in cover and maintain contact. Over."

Iris looked at Regan, fear evident in her eyes. "We are done, Cornelia. We are dead."

"No, we aren't. Look, maybe if we split up, they'll have it harder. We're both targets and it's easier for them to catch us. So, I'll go one way, you go the other. Okay?" Regan said, her voice shaky. She knew she was going to be caught nevertheless, she deserved it that time. But she felt sorry and guilty of Iris.

"No, no, no, don't leave me alone. Please!" Iris cried out in fear, sweat dripping from her forehead.

Regan couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't using the bond to find her. What was his problem? Or did he just want to terrify them both even more?

The radio crackled again, "Delta, Sirius wants confirmation of the third target. The male who was with the two females. He's also to be considered a high-priority. Over."

"Understood, alpha. Stand by for confirmation," the other man replied.

"Third-d t-target?!" Iris stuttered, her voice shaking with fear, "Who are they talking about?"

"I don't know," Regan answered, her heart racing, "I think they mean Jack. But we should find cover for ourselves. If we split up, we'll have a better chance of losing them."

"No, I don't have where to go. As soon as I go out here, they're gonna kill me," Iris sobbed. "Please, Cornelia, don't leave me here."

Regan frowned and they continued running. A tall, fortified ruin came on the view. It seemed to have better structure and provide better hiding. Its walls weren't weak or crumbling. They quickly entered, stepping down some stairs they found. The stairs were made of broken bricks and they led them down a dark underground basement.