Chapter 27 Heat

• **Chapter 27: The Heat of Battle**
• Amanda’s legs burned as she sprinted through the darkness, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The cold night air stung her lungs, but she didn’t dare slow down. The mansion was a smoldering ruin behind her, the echoes of gunfire still ringing in her ears. She could barely think, barely process the events that had brought her to this moment. All she knew was that she had to keep moving, had to keep running.
• But then, as she rounded a corner and veered off the main path into the dense cover of the nearby woods, she felt a strong hand grab her arm, yanking her to a stop. She gasped, her heart leaping into her throat, but before she could react, she was spun around and pinned against a tree, her back pressed firmly against the rough bark.