The sound hit first—boots pounding against concrete.
Lena's head snapped up. "They're here."
"How—?" I started.
"Doesn't matter. Move!"
She grabbed my arm, yanking me off the crate. The next second, the warehouse wall exploded inward.
Dust filled my lungs as I stumbled back. Three figures in black coats stepped through the gap, faces hidden behind torn scarves.
One of them spotted me. "Male!" he shouted.
Lena fired her crossbow before he could take another step. The bolt slammed into his shoulder, spinning him around.
"Go, go, go!" she barked.
We sprinted toward the far wall. A ladder led up to the catwalks. She didn't slow—just shoved me up ahead of her. My hands slipped on the cold metal rungs, but adrenaline pulled me higher.
Shots rang out below, wood splintering inches from my legs.
"Faster, Daniel!"
I hauled myself over the top. Lena was right behind me, reloading in one smooth motion.
We ran along the catwalk, the metal groaning under our weight. The warehouse roof loomed ahead, a rectangle of broken panels and moonlight.
"They'll cut us off," I said.
"Not if we're gone first."
We reached the end. Without hesitation, she jumped—straight through the broken roof.
"Wait—" Too late. I followed, crashing through dust and rusted beams before hitting the sloped shingles hard. My shoulder screamed in protest, but the cold wind in my face left no room for pain.
"Run!" she shouted.
We sprinted across the roof, boots slipping on moss. Behind us, the hunters clambered up through the hole, shadows in the moonlight.
"Left!" Lena yelled.
We leapt the gap between buildings, my stomach lurching as the alley spun below. I landed hard, knees jolting, barely keeping my balance.
"They're still on us!"
"Of course they are." She grabbed my sleeve and pulled me toward the next jump. "Two more rooftops, then we drop."
My breath burned in my lungs. My legs felt like lead, but the sound of boots slamming behind us kept me moving.
We reached the edge. Lena jumped first—clean, graceful. I followed, less graceful, nearly eating the landing.
"Last one!" she said.
The gap was wider. My gut twisted.
"Go!" she ordered.
I ran, heart in my throat, and leapt. For a heartbeat, I was flying—then my foot caught the edge. My body pitched forward.
Lena caught my jacket and yanked me up before I slid off entirely.
"Thanks," I panted.
She didn't answer—just pushed me toward a metal fire escape.
We clattered down the stairs. At the bottom, Lena spun and kicked the release lever, sending the ladder crashing down.
"That'll slow them."
"Slow, not stop," I said.
"Exactly. Which is why we keep moving."
We darted into a narrow street, the shadows swallowing us whole. My heartbeat roared in my ears, but for the moment, the boots behind us had faded.
We kept walking—fast, silent—until the street ended in a wall of crumbling brick.
I turned to her. "So… we're trapped."
She smiled faintly. "Not yet."
Her hand pressed against a section of brick. With a groan, part of the wall swung inward, revealing a pitch-black passage.
I stared. "You're full of surprises."
"And you're full of questions," she said, pushing me inside. "Both will have to wait."
The wall closed behind us. Darkness swallowed everything.
Somewhere far above, a horn wailed again—closer this time.
---
If you want, I can make Chapter 4 start inside that hidden passage — with Daniel hearing something moving in the dark that isn't Lena…
That would keep the tension high without letting the reader breathe too soon.