Chapter 5 - The Public Enemy
The woman's scream pierced the quiet subway platform like a siren, freezing everyone in their tracks.
Dozens of heads turned simultaneously, their eyes shifting from the news screen directly to my face.
Panic erupted instantly as people shoved each other, scrambling to get away from the supposed terrorist.
I scooped Lily into my arms, burying her face into my chest to shield her from the chaos.
I sprinted toward the emergency exit stairs, ignoring the blaring alarms that triggered when I pushed the heavy doors open.
I could hear the frantic shouts of transit security officers echoing from the level above, barking orders to lock down the station.
I bounded up the concrete steps two at a time, my lungs burning as I pushed my body to its absolute limit.
We burst out onto the busy downtown sidewalk, disappearing immediately into the dense sea of afternoon commuters.
I pulled my hood up and kept my head down, forcing myself to walk at a normal, unhurried pace despite the adrenaline.
Police sirens wailed from every direction, weaving a tight net of sound around our location.
I knew I couldn't stay on the streets, so I ducked into a massive, multi-level shopping mall.
We navigated through the crowds, eventually finding a service corridor meant only for custodial staff.
I followed the twisting back hallways until we reached a subterranean access tunnel that connected directly to the central train station.
We emerged into the vast, echoing main terminal of Union Station, surrounded by thousands of travelers.
I scanned the concourse frantically, looking for the bank of long-term storage lockers Arthur had mentioned.
I finally spotted the rusted metal boxes tucked away in a dimly lit corner near the old transit lines.
I found locker 402, my heart pounding against my ribs as I slid the bloody brass key into the slot.
The lock clicked open smoothly, and I pulled the heavy metal door wide open.
I reached inside, expecting to find a briefcase or a hard drive filled with the Mayor's damning secrets.
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The locker was completely empty, except for a cheap disposable cell phone sitting right in the center.
The phone's screen illuminated the dark metal box as it suddenly began to ring.
