Chapter Five
Two burly pickpockets rushed at them from a shadowy side street. Malice. Excitement. Mel had almost missed it. One went after Daniel and the other sliced at the bottom of her backpack with a knife. The knife caught and hung in the stainless steel mesh that lined the pack. Frustrated, the attacker tugged at the knife, yanking Mel off her feet.
Mel landed on the pavestones, her legs sprawled awkwardly in front of her while the man almost hauled her down the sidewalk, wrestling with his knife and her pack.
As she fought against him, she watched Daniel spin around in the grasp of the other mugger and do something with his feet and hands that looked like a dance. A fast and deadly dance. Then Daniel’s attacker was on the ground, stunned, and Daniel was coming toward her, an expr
