We sprint towards the sound, guns at the ready. It’s coming from beyond the building, an alleywaybordered by brick walls.
We round the corner, and there he is. A shaking heap of human, gawping at the ringing phone like hecan’t remember what it is. Jaul is bleeding from the belly, grimacing horribly.
“What happened?” Ludmil asks, rushing to the man’s side.
We crouch next to him. I scrunch up the fabric of Jaul’s button-up and press it to the entry wound ashard as I can in a last-ditch attempt to stanch the blood. But the damage is severe. I don’t know if hehas much time left at all.
Jaul blinks a few times purposefully. Then, his mouth falls open and a sound falls out, “Skull …”
Footsteps approach. We race for a garbage can, dragging Jaul with us as fast as we can manag
