The wild gallop of Marcus’s pulse propelled him along the corridor. Stucco-covered walls stretched ahead to his right, the other side flanked by waist-high plexiglass bordered by metal safety rails. His eyes razed every inch of the space as stagnant, humid air did little to cool his sweaty skin.

Fitz peeked over the railing every thirty seconds. Each time, his plain gold wedding band clanged against the hard metallic surface, sending a thrill of icy fear through Marcus’s chest.

“Matty!” Marcus shouted, panic etched into the rise and fall of each syllable.

“You checkin’ the doors?” Fitz called after him.

Marcus shook his head and slowed his pace.

“I’ll do it,” Fitz said, and strode to the nearest condo entry.

The men’s shouts echoed through the open atrium, fighting for volume against the relentless raindrops pummeling the glass panels that rose above his head.

His mind jolted into a memory: Marcus lay in his bed at home as rain pelted the bedroom window. He twisted his white, wrinkled sheets in tight fists and a long groan leached through clenched teeth.

“Daddy?” Matty crept to the bedside. “Are you ‘kay’?”

Marcus glanced over to his then-five-year-old son and a malicious spasm flashed through his lower back. He held in a cry and forced a small smile. “It’s just hurting a bit, bud. I’ll be fine.”

“I bringed you something,” Matty whispered, shooting him a conspiratorial side-eye.

“Oh, yeah?”

Matty held out a worn stuffed rabbit, whose once-silky brown fur now gathered in matted dull patches after multiple washings. One leg hung at an odd angle, crooked white stitches showing evidence of a hurried repair.

He placed the animal on the pillow beside Marcus’s face and grinned. “Carrots will stay with you.”

“Are you sure, bud?” Carrots the bunny had slept next to Matty every night of his life thus far.

“Yep. You need him. He always helps me feel better.”

Marcus flashed his son a warm smile. “Wanna watch TV in bed with me?”

“Yeah!” Matty whooped and ran around to the bed’s far side. He climbed under the covers and turned to beam at Marcus. The flatscreen television glowed to life as Esme walked in.

“What are you boys doing?” she asked.

“I’m watchin’ TV with Daddy!”

Esme frowned. “No screens now, Matty. Your dad knows that.”

“He just wants to spend some time with me,” Marcus mumbled.

“Well, binging shows doesn’t really count, does it?” she snapped.

Marcus felt his chest tighten.

“C’mon, Matty. Leave Dad alone and come play with your toys.”

“But Mama—” Matty protested.

“Ahora mismo, mijo. Right now.”

Matty’s face fell, shoulders slumped as he crawled out of bed and trudged out of the room.

Marcus lurched into the present at the sound of a splash. He whirled and met Fitz’s wide eyes. They both darted to the handrail and looked over the edge.

SPLASH

Below them, someone threw a large book into the water. High-pitched giggling floated up to them, and Marcus let loose a held breath.

“I can’t see him,” said Fitz.

“Me either.” Marcus searched the hall for the nearest staircase. There. He took off running and flew around the corner, jumping down the steps until he skidded to a stop at the first landing.

Matty stood half a level below him against the railing 20 feet away, leaning over it to watch the water below. A large vase dangled from his hand. He let it go and watched it plunge under the dark surface. He straightened and clapped, laughter lighting his features.

“Matty, stay there!”

The boy whipped his head up and grinned at Marcus. “Daddy! Watch this!”

He leaned behind the half-wall and proudly held another treasure: a crystal dolphin sculpture. Matty hoisted it up and bent over with it, preparing to send it below.

But Marcus could see he had underestimated the dolphin’s weight. Matty teetered on the rail’s edge as his shoulders dipped lower.

“Matty, stop! Let go!” Marcus cried, frozen in terror.

With a shrill screech, Matty flipped over the side and fell, arms and legs flailing, into the flooded lobby.

“NO!” Marcus roared, hoisted himself onto the stairwell railing, and jumped.

Sofia threw her body sideways, narrowly missing the end of a pipe as it slammed into the floor. The impact of metal against concrete echoed in the inky black air, the sound injecting a jolt of adrenaline into her blood. She scrambled to her feet.

No exit lights illuminated this hallway, but she still fled into the corridor’s black maw at full speed. Her pulse climbed as she ran, utter panic driving her forward. Away.

After several seconds in a full sprint, Sofia slowed and listened.

“You’re a damn tease, y’know that?”

Jax’s voice reverberated in her ears.

“You flirted and led me on. And then you took it all back.”

Sofia moved again, but slower. She stretched her arms in front of her and spread them to her sides, repeating the movement to find walls or obstructions.

“Just relaaaax, baby! If you chill out, you might even enjoy it.” Jax’s low chuckle found its mark on Sofia’s clenched stomach, where it bloomed in a wave of nausea.

The air pushed against her, close and oppressive. Sofia stifled her breathing as much as she could. There! Her fingers brushed against a smooth surface. A door!

She ran her palms across the smooth wood and found the doorknob. Relief broke over her like a rogue wave, and a small smile formed on her lips. Until Jax’s flashlight clicked on.

“Gotcha,” he said, and hurled the full weight of his body against hers.

“Get off!” Sofia screamed, bucking against him. But he outweighed her by 100 pounds. Then she remembered the door. The handle.

She groped for the metal lever and pushed it down. The door swung open, and the couple fell forward. Sofia cried out as Jax landed on top of her. Her ribs squeezed and popped, pushing the breath from her lungs. Jax’s light fell to a corner, brightening the stairwell.

In the split second Jax took to get his bearings, Sofia wriggled out from under him and dashed up the steps.

“God DAMN it, you’re a pain in my ass!” Jax dropped the pipe with a loud clank and pelted after Sofia, taking the steps two at a time.

He quickly caught up and grabbed an ankle, yanking her towards him. Sofia yelped and flopped to her stomach. She pulled her other foot back and flung it at Jax’s head with all her strength.

Her heel crashed into his nose, which immediately gurgled dark red blood. Jax yelled and pulled both hands to his face. Sofia clambered up two flights of stairs, the dim glow of Jax’s flashlight showing the way.

Sobbing, Sofia flew to a door marked with a white painted two-foot-tall number “One” and flung it open. Another goddamn hallway.

“I’m gonna fuckin’ KILL YOU!” Jax roared from below.

Sofia dashed into the corridor, which glowed with pale light. There must be windows close by. She turned and jogged down the hall, looking for any entrance to the inner stadium, but saw none.

“You are DONE!” Jax screamed again, slamming through the door. He stopped when he spotted her. “I’m going to kill you,” he repeated with lethal calm, then started running.

She broke into a sprint, following the hall’s curve. Then she spotted doors on her right. As she got closer, she saw they led outside, not to the central stadium or safety.

“No,” she cried. “NO!” She heard Jax’s heavy footfalls growing closer and closer. He was going to get her. She pushed her muscles to work a little harder and longer.

The exterior glass doors grew in her vision, covered in rivulets of hurricane-driven rain. She didn’t slow as she approached. Her reaching hands were punched against the crossbar, and her hip and shoulder smashed against the door.

Sofia raced into the raging winds and didn’t look back.