Ch.35
The rusted sedan idled in the alley behind Caleb's apartment block.
The engine rattled, threatening to stall completely. Caleb killed the ignition and pulled the keys from the console. His right arm felt like it was packed with wet sand. The anomaly behind his ribs had retreated into a dormant simmer, but the massive caloric deficit left his muscles hollow and shaking.
Kikaru unbuckled her seatbelt. She looked out the cracked window at the towering concrete of the lower-sector housing blocks. Rainwater pooled in the potholed street, reflecting the flickering neon sign of a nearby salvage shop. She smoothed the front of her gray academy jacket, checking the perfect alignment of her collar.
Four flights of stairs tested Caleb's remaining energy. He kept his hand firmly on the iron railing, dragging his boots over the scuffed linoleum.
He unlocked the deadbolt on apartment 4B. The door groaned on its hinges.
