“Do you really have a plan, or are you just saying that because I told you to?” He gave an out-of-breath laugh that still managed to convey his uncertainty.
“Come on,” I said, taking a left at the next intersection, another major thoroughfare. We weren’t likely able to outrun anyone chasing us; there just wasn’t enough open space to get up sufficient speed. But they had the same problem when it came to catching up to us.
I wished I’d had time to memorize more of downtown Chicago.
It seemed the roads ran on a grid, which was good. As long as I kept us out of a narrow alleyway or a semideserted street, we might have a shot of losing our pursuers temporarily, just long enough to double back on them.
I spied what we needed, up and around the corner ahead. Bright gold lettering on a sign—THE SHOPS AT NORTHCROSS—and four stories of windows with glittery eye-catching backdrops. It appeared to be a mall, laid out vertically instead of the sprawling horizontal mass I was more familiar with. Still, it would work for what I had in mind.
“This way.” I darted into the street, cutting through traffic in the middle of the block. The fastest route to any destination is a straight line.
However, the collection of cabs and personal vehicles in the street disagreed. Loudly. Squealing brakes, honks, and screamed curses followed my path.
“Jesus, Ariane, be careful!” Zane shouted behind me. He sounded far more winded this time.
I slowed once I was on the sidewalk on the other side. “Are you all right?” I asked when he reached me.
“I just…I’m not…” He waved away his attempt at an explanation, concentrating on catching his breath. His face was flushed from exertion. “Let’s just go.”
I nodded, but made sure to keep a pace closer to his as we headed up the block.
Even without his words, I was pretty sure I understood what was going on. The virus gave him enhanced strength and stamina, not to mention nifty powers that were similar to mine, but it was also fighting his body. Or his body was fighting it. Either way, not the best condition to be running flat-out with adrenaline pumping.
“We’re almost there,” I said, touching his arm. “Just a little farther.”
I looked back to see three agents closing in. My cross-traffic maneuver had saved us time and given us a clear view of those chasing us. Two men and a woman were currently attempting to navigate through the traffic. The woman was in the lead, and absurdly, I felt a brief flash of pride in that.
I dropped back a step or two behind Zane so I could guide him. If this was going to work, I needed him ahead of me.
“See the mall up ahead, on the right?” I asked Zane, keeping my voice down. “About a quarter of the way down the block on the cross-street. Don’t move your head, just shift your eyes.” I didn’t want to telegraph our next move to the agents.
“NorthCross? Yeah, I see it,” he panted. “I didn’t know you hated the highlighter shirt that much.”
“It’s got to go,” I said. “But that’s not our main purpose.”
The sidewalks were crowded here, but in front of the mall, clusters of people loitered. Even better, they appeared to be roughly our age. Camouflage. Not enough, but it was a start.
“We’re going to get lost in the crowd,” Zane said. “Right?”
“Something like that, yes.”
According to my father’s training, the best way to lose a tail on foot is to simply give them what they want, what they’re expecting to see. Human beings track based on sight. And when they track in a crowd, they fixate on a single characteristic that makes their target stand out.
I knew the agents would be zeroing in on my hair and/or Zane’s bright yellow shirt. We could split up and confuse them momentarily. But I didn’t want to take the risk of separating from Zane.
So a different tactic would be required.
“Head in and straight for the back,” I said to him as we crossed the street, thankfully with the light this time, dodging tourists, strollers, and people walking with their heads bent over their phones.
“What if there’s not an exit?” Zane asked.
“We’re not looking for the exit.” We needed a distraction, sleight of hand on a larger scale. “We’re coming back out the front,” I said grimly.
He turned slightly, raising his eyebrows at me in disbelief.
“Trust me,” I said, sounding more confident than I felt. God, I hoped this would work.
We threaded through the people on the sidewalk, forced to slow down because there was simply no room to run. I could feel the agents gaining behind us.
I pushed Zane ahead of me through the glass double doors, following on his heels.