Chapter 4 (Pt 1)
�What is it?� Christian breathed out from behind her, leaning heavily on the wall for support. The trip downstairs from Xandrie�s apartment left him drained of whatever energy he had left. His head was pounding from the effort, making it almost impossible to concentrate. Xandrie�s back kept swimming in and out of focus, and it was all he could do to keep himself upright.
�They�re here.� Her voice was taut with urgency and something akin to fear. �We�re too late.�
Christian closed his eyes momentarily � it was easier to think when the world wasn�t spinning before him. �Is there another way out of here?�
Xandrie turned toward him, her eyes narrowing slightly, as she took in the deathly pallor of his face. �There is,� she said after a moment�s pause. �I just don�t know if you can handle it.�
Christian snorted. A few days, even hours earlier, he would have considered this an insult, but now�. �Do I have a choice?�
She shook her head, �No, not really.�
�Then let�s go before your �friends� find us,� he clipped, clenching his teeth, as he grabbed on to her arm for support.
***
Several LONG minutes and dark tangled alleys later, they came out to the train tracks just as a freight train appeared from a distance.
�You must be joking,� Christian managed in between heavy breaths, as he looked at the approaching train.
�Do I look like I�m in a joking mood?� she bit back, dragging him forcefully toward the track. �It took us TWICE as long to get here as it normally does for me as it is,� she continued, irritation evident in her voice. �Henri�s probably figured out by now where we went. He could be on his way here already.�
The unwarranted reproach directed at him hurt � more than he liked to admit. �Well, excuse me for getting shot,� he retorted, struggling to stay upright, as he stumbled after her toward the slowly approaching car.
She didn�t respond. Instead, she jumped onto the lowest step of the open car and jerked him roughly by the hand, pulling him inside.