Vee clutches my hand tight as we dodge beams of approaching flashlights. With the emergency lights in the back corridors flickering, we stick to shadows and dark corners, racing scanners and guards alike. I look back at Vee as we run. Even under siege by the applejack, she’s hardly a damsel in distress. Her reaction time is slowed, but her instincts are sharp, her shaky muscles reinforced with inner resolve. Ferocity lurks right below the surface. In the midst of this insanity, I’m still a little awed by her. We duck into a maintenance closet just in time to avoid a pair of shadows on the move. Their riot gear clicks with military efficiency as they pass the thin steel door. They must’ve had a few special-ops guys waiting just in case. The acidic stench of industrial cleanser dominates the tiny room. Vee huddles close, her shivers radiating cold in all directions. I pull His Majesty’s lighter from my pocket and spark it, casting the darkness aside with a gentle flickering of flame.
