Page 54 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

They moved quickly now, no longer concerned with appearing casual since they were out of public view. The back door of the restaurant was proppedopen, kitchen staff moving in and out with supplies and trash.

Kyra guided Parisa through, ignoring the startled looks from the kitchen workers, who clearly weren't accustomed to customers entering this way. They passed through to the main dining area, then exited through the front door, rejoining the pedestrian flow on the street.

Kyra's comm unit activated again, Jade's voice coming through with unexpected urgency. "Situation at the school has evolved. Targets secured but facing pursuit. Diverting to fallback position."

"Copy that," Kyra replied. "We'll meet you there."

The fallback point was a small mosque three blocks east—chosen specifically because it offered multiple exits and the cultural protections that might give pursuers momentary pause.

"Change of plans," she told Parisa. "We're meeting your sons at a different location."

"Are they safe?" Parisa's voice was tight with worry.

"They're with Jade," Kyra replied, which wasn't quite an answer but was the best reassurance she could offer.

As they altered their route, Kyra's pendant suddenly flared with intense heat—a warning so urgent she instinctively pushed Parisa into the recessed doorway of a closed shop, her body shielding her sister as she scanned for the threat.

She spotted them almost immediately—four menapproaching from different directions, converging on their position.

"We're boxed in," Kyra murmured, her mind racing through diminishing options. "They must have anticipated our route."

The Doomers going to all that effort to catch them didn't make sense, even for the potential in their genes. It was probably revenge for last night and maybe for the Tahav operation as well. The Doomers must have connected the dots and realized that the same people had been involved in both.

They should have come to Tehran with a much larger team.

"What do we do?" Parisa whispered behind her.

Kyra assessed their surroundings, looking for any potential advantage or escape route. The doorway they stood in belonged to a shop that was closed for renovation, its windows covered with paper. Behind them, a construction tarp covered the entrance.

Making a split-second decision, Kyra pushed aside the tarp, finding the door beyond, which was locked as she'd expected. One strong shove and the lock splintered, the door swung inwards, and they slipped in quickly, the tarp falling back into place behind them.

The interior was dark, dusty, and filled with construction equipment and broken displays. It was perfect as a temporary hiding place but a potential trap if they didn't find another way out.

Kyra activated her comm unit. "Jade, we'recompromised. Four hostiles converging on our position. Currently concealed but pinned down at—" she checked their location quickly "—Ferdowsi Street, north side, vacant shop mid-block."

"Copy," Jade replied, her voice surprisingly calm. "Holding position with the boys at fallback point. Can you break contact and rendezvous?"

Kyra moved through the darkened shop, Parisa following close behind until they reached the rear, where a back door would likely lead to service corridors or an alley.

"Negative," she responded after trying to push it open like she'd done at the front, only to realize that it was cemented in place. "We're trapped. Need assistance."

There was a pause, and then Yamanu's voice came through. "Kyra, hold position. Diversion team inbound to your location, ETA less than five minutes."

"Acknowledged," Kyra replied, turning to Parisa, who was watching her with worry in her eyes. "Help is coming," she assured her. "We just need to stay hidden for a few more minutes."

"My sons?" Parisa asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Secured with Jade," Kyra confirmed. "They're safe for now."

Parisa nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Then we wait." She looked around. "Should we find a place to hide?"

Outside, Kyra could hear the Doomers communicating, their voices just audible through the papered windows. They were checking each storefront, working their way toward their hiding place.

Five minutes suddenly seemed like an eternity.

"Over there." She pointed to a pile of construction debris. "We can get behind it."

It wasn't much, but at least it would keep them hidden from a cursory view.

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