Fantine

The damp smell of the alley hit my nose as we stepped out of the drainage pipe, and I immediately placed myself between the tunnel exit and the open road while Riley carried his weakened uncle toward the back of our parked transport truck. Silas and his mountain spearmen were already loading three extra crates into the vehicle, but before Riley could lay his uncle down on the bench inside the truck bed, the loud screech of car tires echoed down the street, and two black syndicate sedans pulled sideways across the alley entrance, blocking our escape route completely.

"Get your uncle inside the truck cab right now, Riley,...