Steel Horizon

Chapter Nineteen

We burst into the apartment out of breath. Jude breezed past me towards the couch. I stood in the doorway, not knowing what to do or say. I was frozen, wishing my mind would catch up with my body before it was too late. I was afraid of what might happen now that Silas knew about him.

Kaileb rushed into the room and spotted Jude grabbing our bags. Worry spread across his face.

"What's going on?" When Jude didn't answer, his eyes flickered to me. "What's wrong?"

I had no idea what to say.

Jude answered, barely glancing at him as he swung his bag across his chest. "We're leaving. You and Elliot should stay here, it would be for the best." With saying that, he turned to me like he was going to tell me the same thing. I shook my head.

I was going with him and nothing he could say would stop me.

"What are you talking about? What happened?" Jude didn't answer as he went searching for my backpack. My vision swam and I shook my head to keep myself upright. Kaileb turned to me with the question still lingering. His sharp features were outlined by the dim lighting behind him through the window, reminding me of the Kaileb before all this happened. I just couldn't tell him the truth.

I was afraid he wouldn't believe me.

"Whatever happens Kaileb . . . please believe us."

There were so many question in his eyes. Jude handed me my pack and I quickly smiled at my cousin one last time before following Jude out the door, swinging the bag around my shoulders.

My legs were weak as I descended the stairs, but Jude's hand around mine kept me strong. The night was almost upon us when we stepped outside, and we could already hear the shouts from down the street. People stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction, probably wondering if they were in danger. We used the opportunity to walk the other way.

"Try not to look like you're in a hurry until we're around the corner, alright?"

I could only nod. The wind bit into our backs and I shivered again, hoping more than anything we would get out of the city before anyone spotted us. My heart wouldn't stop fluttering, more for Jude than anything else.

The shouting behind us suddenly became louder and we turned to look back.

"That's them, right there!" Silas pointed straight at us from down the street. Everyone turned, their faces frozen as we stared back.

Jude tugged my hand and we ran. The frigid air nipped at my cheeks and nose, reminding me of the night the Scrappers took me away. But this time Jude was going to be the one taken away. It was the opposite, yet the same.

The people chasing us wouldn't understand—nobody knew what the Scrappers were doing to the people they took, and Jude wasn't any different to them than any other scrap of metal. All they needed to do was to take a minute to see he was human, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Jude had been right: People would believe what they wanted to see. And right now, all they wanted was a lone Scrapper they could blame their deaths on.

Their running feet could be heard over our own. There was no way we were going to escape the city with dozens of people chasing after us. They were already closing in, coming closer as every second passed.

Fingers grasped my jacket and jerked me backwards. Jude tightened his grip around my hand but it was too late. My fingers slipped from his. Someone from behind shoved me to the ground as people raced passed while others loomed over me. I tried to stand up but they wouldn't let me. They kept shoving me down like I did something wrong.