Chapter 15: The Logging Town
She stayed in the water for two miles before hypothermia forced her out. Shivering uncontrollably, lips tinged blue, she stumbled through the dense forest until she hit blacktop. Route 119. A logging road. A mile down the asphalt, a small cluster of buildings emerged from the mist: a gas station, a diner, and a small motel.
Chloe sneaked around the back of the diner, finding a row of dumpsters. She dug through the trash, finding a half-eaten burger and a discarded, grease-stained flannel shirt. It was filthy, but it was dry. Wrapping the oversized shirt around herself, she peeked into the diner's back window. A small television mounted above the counter was playing a local news broadcast. Chloe’s blood ran cold. There, on the screen, was her own face. AMBER ALERT: Chloe Pierce, 16. Believed to have been abducted by her non-custodial mother, Lilith Pierce. Mother is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Child is in need of vital medication. Julian hadn't just sent hit squads; he had weaponized the police and the public. She wasn't just hunted by assassins anymore. Every civilian was a potential pair of eyes.
