Escape

"It looks like we have finally lost them," said the young girl whose name was Sarah, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Fatigue weighed heavily on her, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

Her breaths came ragged and hurried, and she could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage. As she slowed her pace and was about to come to a stop, a sudden, piercing cry echoed from behind her, tearing through the tense silence. "Dad, no!" The voice carried a mix of desperation, fear, and disbelief.

Startled, Sarah's instincts kicked in, and her body tensed. With a swift motion, she positioned herself defensively, her hands raised in a battle-ready stance. Her wide eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings for potential threats.

However, her apprehension soon transformed into a wave of relief as realization dawned on her. The voice hadn't belonged to an enemy; it was the voice of the child she carried on her back. A relieved sigh escaped her lips in a huff, accompanied by a soft, amused chuckle. "Puff."

Her panic turned to a gentle warmth as she leaned forward, her breaths steadying. Gently, she reached up and tousled the boy's hair, offering him a reassuring smile that held a hint of exhaustion. "You gave me a good scare there, Sean."

The child, Sean, still clung tightly to Sarah, his grip on her increasing as tears streaked his cheeks. He knew she was trying to comfort him, but the pain of loss was too fresh. His cries held both grief and frustration, and his small frame trembled against her back.

A pang of empathy shot through Sarah's chest as she felt his anguish. She wished she could take away his pain, but she knew that time was the only balm for such wounds. Sean's tears dripped onto her clothes, his emotional turmoil palpable.

Sarah offered him soothing words, her voice a soft, steady murmur in his ear. "It's okay to be upset, Sean. Your feelings are valid." She knew her words could only do so much, but she hoped they would offer him even the slightest comfort.

Sean's sobs began to wane, though his sadness remained. Frustration seemed to take over, and he bit his lower lip with enough force to draw blood. The metallic tang mingled with his tears, a tangible reminder of his helplessness.

Observing Sean's distress, Sarah's expression grew more determined. With a tenderness that contrasted her stern resolve, she crouched down to his eye level, her gaze locking onto his. "Hey, listen to me," she said gently but firmly. "You're stronger than you realize. Your dad would want you to be strong. And you know what? We'll find out the truth about what happened."

Sarah's words had a calming effect on Sean, but his eyes still glistened with unshed tears. He nodded hesitantly, his tiny fists clenched in determination. His response was a mix of hope and skepticism, a fragile thread he clung to in the face of overwhelming grief.

With a determined nod of her own, Sarah straightened up, her gaze shifting to survey their surroundings. A tense silence enveloped them, broken only by the sound of their uneven breaths. Sarah's senses remained alert, her ears attuned to the slightest disturbance.

Finally, her assessment complete, Sarah exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her shoulders relaxed as a sense of relief washed over her. There were no pursuers in sight. They were safe for now.

Sarah's voice regained its composed, steady quality as she turned to Sean once more. A seriousness underlined her next words. "Sean, do you want to know the truth? About why they targeted your dad and you? About why they wanted to kill you both?"

Sean's eyes locked onto Sarah's, a mixture of curiosity and trepidation swirling in their depths. He managed a single, determined nod, accompanied by an almost indignant snort.

A small, knowing smile graced Sarah's lips. She recognized his eagerness for answers, even in the face of his sorrow. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, her grip light but reassuring. "Stay calm, Sean. Let's get through this, and then you can have your revenge. We'll make it out of this, together."

Sean's gaze bore into hers, his expression intense and unyielding. His lips curved into a grim smile as he responded, his voice edged with a determination that belied his age. "I will get revenge for my dad."

Sarah's smile grew wider, tinged with pride at Sean's resolve. She had no doubt that he meant every word. The boy's eyes burned with a fierce fire, a fire that both unsettled and inspired her.

As their eyes locked, Sarah's thoughts swirled with a mix of emotions. She marveled at Sean's resilience, his strength of spirit far beyond his years. But a nagging thought gnawed at her, a quiet realization that Sean's bloodlust was as unsettling as it was impressive. A young boy shouldn't possess such a terrifying thirst for vengeance.

Lost in her thoughts, Sarah's phone suddenly erupted into a shrill ring, shattering the tense atmosphere. Startled, she fumbled for the device, her fingers slightly clumsy in her haste. She answered the call with a hurried, "Hello?"

"Agent Sarah, I've received notifications that the boy is with you," a voice on the other end of the line stated, crisp and authoritative.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sarah replied, "Yes, sir. I'm bringing him to HQ right now."

"Good. I've dispatched another agent with teleportation abilities to pick you up. They should have arrived at your location by now."

Before the speaker could finish his sentence, an abrupt, sharp sound cut through the air—like the tearing of fabric, swift and final. The world seemed to warp, and out of thin air materialized a figure. Clad in a black outfit, the Agent sent to pick her up wore a starter cap that cast a shadow over their eyes.

The Agent's presence was both abrupt and unsettling. Sean's eyes widened in surprise, his grip on Sarah's clothing tightening as he instinctively drew closer to her for protection. Sarah's hand instinctively moved to her side, reaching for a weapon that wasn't there.

With a solemn and serious tone, the Agent addressed Sarah directly, confirming her identity. "I presume you're Agent Sarah, the one my superior tasked me with picking up."

Her heart pounding, Sarah answered in a voice that mixed deference and professionalism. Her raised hand offered a salute as she replied, "Yes, sir."

The newcomer's gaze then shifted to Sean, their expression inscrutable. "And I presume the boy beside you is the target, correct?"

Sarah nodded, her hand still held aloft in a salute. "Yes, sir."

Without further ado, the stranger's tone became businesslike. "Let's cut to the chase. We don't have time to waste." A sense of urgency infused their words as they stepped forward, placing their hand on Sarah's shoulder.

Sarah's shock hadn't abated, and confusion clouded her expression as she began to ask, "What are you trying to—"

Her question was abruptly cut off as a sensation of weightlessness enveloped her.

Fshhhhhhhhhh

The man activated his abilities teleportation and Sean, Sarah and the man vanished from the spot their were standing on .

*****Light Fades Out********