Now that they have a plan, Lucian has to make it across a GenRep-infested city on the lookout for him with the help of only Agent Small.

Grey Wolfe, Genevieve, and Arcus tiptoed down the back hallway while Small and Lucian went into the restaurant. They passed through the dining room, around old tables with dusty tablecloths and into the kitchen. The stainless steel counters and tables had tarnished from years of disuse. They came to an old aluminum fire door near the walk-in cooler. Small checked his weapon once more before setting his hand on the crash bar.

“Ready?” he asked.

Lucian pulled his Glock out of its holster. He held the gun up by his face, gray eyes all steel. Small pressed on the release lever and inched the door open. Spurts of gunfire already echoed through the night. They crept down the quiet alley, and Small peeked around the corner. He jerked his head back and cursed under his breath.

“They’re all over. No way we can sneak around this one.”

Suddenly, several GenReps hurried down the street. A few of them ran by without noticing either of them in the alley.

“That must be Wolfe,” whispered Small. “We go in ten. Nine, eight, seven...”

Lucian gripped the pistol tightly. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Six, five, four...”

Lucian’s heart beat so rapidly that he thought it might actually break through his ribcage. His breath came in short gasps.

“Three, two...”

God be with us.

“One.”

Small dashed around the corner with Lucian in tow. They had run ten paces before the first GenRep spotted them. With an electric burst, Small dispatched two GenReps a few meters ahead of them. Three other GenReps chased them from behind, and two more started across the street.

“Left,” shouted Lucian as they reached the corner.

They rounded the corner and spotted two more GenReps on the opposite side of the street. The GenReps aimed and fired a few shots. Lucian slipped on a patch of ice on the sidewalk, and the bullets embedded in the brick wall behind him as he hit the pavement. Lucian fired at the two GenReps and missed. He felt a great force yank at the collar of his coat.

“This way,” Small screamed as he crashed through the front window of a large toy store. Lucian jumped in behind him amidst a shower of bullets. Small crashed through the aisles, knocking over shelves and setting various toys to life.

Two GenReps climbed in through window and stalked through the store. Glowing green eyes scanned the store, jumping at the movement of every toy and blasting them into oblivion. They moved cautiously through the deluge of motion. The first GenRep’s fedora flew off its head as an EMP round pierced its metal frame and detonated inside. The greed glow faded from its eyes as it crashed through another shelf. Before the second GenRep could react, another bullet from Small, who had hidden atop an upright shelf behind a life-sized toy IFP soldier, put it down.

“Come on,” he said.

They ran to the back of the store, and Small kicked open the door. They hurried down the back alley and down another street, ducking into a nearby park to catch their breath. Small released the empty magazine from his pistol and cast it aside, replacing a fresh clip into his Desert Eagle.

“How much further?” asked Small.

“This is the park near my place,” wheezed Lucian. “Just a few more blocks east.”

They snuck to the east entrance of the park and looked out. A group of GenReps combed the area to the north. Small took a grenade from his coat pocket and lobbed it over the group of GenReps. When the grenade exploded, the GenReps froze, and Small took off across the street, taking out three GenReps to his right with as many bullets. Lucian hurried behind.

They rounded the corner and headed east again. The snow fell heavily now, and Lucian had a difficult time seeing through the storm. Small fired at two GenReps ahead of them, but Lucian noticed a GenRep on a balcony above Small. Lucian fired several shots up at the GenRep before it slumped over.

“Come on,” yelled Lucian. “Down that alley.” They crossed the street, and Small lobbed another grenade behind them, disabling more GenReps in pursuit.

They hustled down the alleyway, and then turned to run up another. Lucian halted in the darkness and pointed up to a fire escape. They climbed the ladder and then up several levels of stairs to the window of Lucian’s apartment. Lucian tried the window but found it locked. He looked to Small.

“Ready for evac?” Small said into his radio in a low voice, loading another clip into his pistol.

“Roger that,” Gold replied. “Why have a lock on your location.”

Small looked to Lucian. “Get in, get it, and get out.”