Chapter 11 Flight Through Shadows

• The moment Scarlett locked the door behind them, she realized: the war had come home.
• The safe house, once a sanctuary, was now a trap. The air inside was thick with tension, the scent of gun oil and damp fabric lingering in the dim light. Outside, rain drummed against the windows, distorting the world beyond into a blur of shadows and movement. Headlights danced on the rain-slick asphalt, casting eerie reflections that slithered across the walls. Four silhouettes lingered behind tinted windows, their presence ominous. Engines idled, a low, predatory growl in the night. Waiting. Watching.
• Scarlett’s pulse spiked.