Echoes of the Past

Chapter Two

The cool morning air bit at Scarlett’s skin as they stepped out into the narrow alley behind the house. The city’s distant hum seemed louder, more menacing, in the silence that followed their hurried escape. Daniel’s hand hovered over her back, guiding without touching, his eyes darting around, scanning for any sign of danger.

“Mama?” Liam’s small voice was a whisper against her neck. He clutched her tighter, his little fingers digging into her shoulder as she held him close. His bear dangled from his grasp, its stitched smile bobbing with each of Scarlett’s hurried steps.

"It's okay, baby," she murmured, trying to fake a sense of serenity. Every step she took caused her heart to rush, and the thump in her chest matched their rapid steps.

Daniel nodded to the left as they reached the end of the alley and said, "This way." He led them through a maze of backstreets and narrow corridors between buildings, his moves accurate and practiced. Scarlett's thoughts were racing as she attempted to figure out how everything had fallen apart so suddenly. What had previously been an everyday morning was suddenly anything but.

At the edge of a block of deserted buildings, they came to an old warehouse. The building towered over them, its brick walls pocked with time and graffiti. Daniel came to a halt, pushed his fingers against the corroded door, and entered a code on a tiny keypad concealed behind a panel covered with ivy. The interior, which smelled like rust and dust, was barely lit when the door clicked open.

Daniel looked over their shoulder and said, "Come in," before crossing the threshold.

Scarlett hesitated for a heartbeat, eyes flicking back down the alley. Perhaps it was her imagination, but shadows moved. With a deep thud, the door behind them closed as she entered the warehouse, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

It was surprisingly clean inside. There were piles of papers, a few tables with old computer monitors, and concrete floors that had been cleared of debris. As she put Liam down, she shivered at the industrial, frigid feel. His eyes were wide with unanswered questions as he gazed up at her.

“Is it a new hiding place, Mama?” Liam whispered, his voice laced with trust that made Scarlett’s chest ache.

“Yes, baby,” she said, kneeling and running her hand through his hair. “We’re safe here.”

“For now,” Daniel muttered, pulling a chair from one of the tables and sitting down. He rubbed a hand across his jaw, eyes clouded with thought. The ensuing quiet was heavy and dense against Scarlett.

"What made him discover us now?" Scarlett made a low-pitched demand. Under her anxiety, anger boiled beneath her words. David, five years. I preserved our off-grid status. How did he learn about it?

She briefly noticed the remorse in Daniel's eyes as they locked. It was unpolished and as sharp as a knife. "Scarlett, Victor has a long reach. He has eyes where most people wouldn't ever think to look. When Victor learned that someone close to him had learned about Liam, I knew I had to track you out.”

Scarlett’s jaw clenched. She wanted to scream, to lash out at the man who had walked away and left her to fend for herself and their child. But now wasn’t the time. The only thing that mattered was Liam.

Footsteps echoed outside, distant but unmistakable. She tensed as the sound bounced through the silence. Daniel looked toward the boarded-up windows and stood, his stance tight. As he gestured for her to remain low, Scarlett drew Liam near to her, her breath catching in her throat.

Each second was tense as the moments passed in quiet. Liam shifted in her arms, and Scarlett hushed him softly. Daniel’s eyes remained locked on the slivers of light sneaking through the cracks in the boards, watching, waiting.

The footsteps faded, dissolving into the city noise beyond the warehouse. The tension in the room subsided a little as Daniel's shoulders relaxed and he let out a breath.

His voice was calm yet stern as he stated, "We can't stay here long." His gaze shifted from Liam to Scarlett and back again. "I'm somewhere else. safer.

Scarlett felt a knot in her stomach. She was aware that trusting him was risky because she had already paid a high price for trusting anyone. But this wasn’t about her. It concerned the youngster who held on to her, still thinking she could protect him.

Unwilling to let her feelings influence her choice, she inquired, "How far is it?"

“Far enough that Victor’s people won’t find us easily,” Daniel said, moving to one of the tables and sifting through a stack of papers. He pulled out a folded map and opened it, revealing a series of red marks that trailed across the city.

Scarlett softened her voice and murmured, "Liam." "Please, you must remain near me. We are embarking on a small adventure.”

The word caused Liam's eyes to lighten a little, but he kept his teddy in place. "A journey?"

"Yes," Daniel replied, a fleeting, melancholy smile raising the corner of his mouth. “And you’re the most important part of it.”

Scarlett shot him a look but said nothing. The momentary respite ended, and they were reminded of this by the sound of engines roaring outside. Daniel's eyes were strained as he folded the map and slipped it into his coat pocket.

"Let's go," he said, approaching the door and slightly opening it to take a quick look outside.

Scarlett's pulse raced as she got up and pulled Liam back into her embrace.

The weight of Liam grounded her as they retreated into the darkness, and she trailed Daniel out into the alley.

Delivery trucks and early commuters were now making their way through the congested streets in the early morning light. They followed Daniel through a series of twisting streets, each one more perplexing than the last. Half of Scarlett's mind was focused on the questions she was asking herself, while the other half was on their surroundings.Why had Daniel returned at this time? And how far was Victor willing to go?

They arrived at a parking area hidden behind an old structure. The elegant, black vehicle that Daniel was driving was parked under a canopy of overgrown trees. Scarlett climbed in and placed Liam on her lap once he opened the back door. The boy's strong heartbeat was a comfort as he pressed close to her.

With a deep, silent purr, the engine came to life as Daniel climbed into the driver's seat. Scarlett watched the city disappear behind them as they pulled out onto the street, the skyline blending into a mixture of concrete and glass. The weight of the morning pressed down on her, and a thousand unresolved questions tore at the very edge of her resolve.

"Where are we heading?" The silence was broken by Scarlett's question. She spoke in a low, reserved tone.

Daniel's eyes were focused on the road ahead as he said, "To a place Victor won't think to look." She was uneasy because of the resolve in his voice, but she was even more uneasy because of the expression in his eyes when he turned to face Liam.

“Hold on,” he said, as the car sped up, weaving through the city’s waking traffic. The tension crackled between them, unanswered questions simmering as they hurtled into the unknown.

Scarlett turned to gaze out the window, where the tall skyscrapers gave way to smaller, tree-lined roadways. An unexpected sense of unease stabbed at the edges of her mind. The worst was still to come, and she knew deep down that this was only the beginning.

The road stretched out ahead, long and uncertain.