Gunshots tore through the air, loud and uncontrolled.
People screamed.
Some dropped.
Others ran without looking back.
The street turned into chaos in seconds.
Jayden stayed low behind the car, his breathing uneven, one hand pressed tightly against his side. The pain had sharpened again—worse than before.
"Police gonna show up any second," Dre said quickly, eyes scanning the street. "We can't be here when that happens."
The producer was already moving.
"Car's this way—come on!"
Another shot hit the side of the car they were using for cover.
Metal sparked.
Amara flinched.
Jayden pushed himself up despite the pain.
"Move."
They didn't argue.
Didn't hesitate.
They ran.
The producer reached the car first, unlocking it fast.
"Get in!"
Dre jumped into the front passenger seat.
The producer slid behind the wheel.
Jayden got into the back, pulling Amara in with him.
Doors slammed almost at the same time.
"Hold on!"
The engine roared.
Tires screeched hard against the road as the producer sped off, cutting sharply into the street without waiting.
More shots followed behind them—
But distance was already growing.
"Stay down," Dre said, turning slightly in his seat.
Jayden leaned back, his breathing rough now.
Too rough.
Amara looked at him—and her expression changed instantly.
"Jayden… no…"
Her hands moved to his side.
Blood.
Fresh.
Spreading.
"You're bleeding again," she said, panic rising in her voice.
Jayden clenched his jaw.
"I'm good."
"You're not good," she snapped.
The producer glanced in the mirror.
"Damn… that bad?"
"It's worse," Amara replied.
"Just drive," Jayden said, low and firm.
The car sped through the streets, the producer taking turns fast, switching routes without warning.
He knew what he was doing.
Avoiding attention.
Avoiding patterns.
Sirens began to rise in the distance.
Closer.
Louder.
Dre nodded slightly. "That's our cue."
No one spoke after that.
Amara pressed harder against Jayden's wound, trying to slow the bleeding.
Her hands were shaking.
But she didn't stop.
"You should've stayed down," she said quietly.
Jayden let out a weak breath.
"If I stayed… we wouldn't be here."
She didn't respond.
Because she knew that was true.
Dre stayed facing forward, but his mind was somewhere else.
Thinking.
Replaying everything.
"They knew you'd be there," he said after a moment.
Jayden opened his eyes slightly.
"Yeah."
"That wasn't random."
"I figured."
The producer spoke up this time.
"So what—this follows you everywhere now?"
Jayden didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Yeah."
That one word changed the air inside the car.
Amara leaned back slightly, still holding pressure on his side.
"So what do we do now?"
The producer tightened his grip on the wheel.
"We lay low for a bit."
Jayden shook his head slowly.
"That won't stop them."
Dre nodded.
"No… but it gives us time to think."
"Think about what?" Amara asked.
Silence.
Then Jayden spoke.
"We don't just keep running."
Dre turned slightly.
"What you saying?"
Jayden looked up, his eyes tired—but focused.
"We hit back."
The producer frowned immediately.
"With what? You can barely sit up."
Jayden didn't look away.
"They not stopping."
A pause.
"So why should we?"
Dre stared at him for a second.
Then looked forward again.
Thinking.
Hard.
Because now—
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
The car sped through the city, leaving sirens and chaos behind them.
But not the problem.
Not this time.