Xavier slowed the car near a dimly lit drop stop on the outskirts of the city — one of those forgotten spots where drones rarely passed and the air tasted like burnt dust. The city's red glow flickered in the rearview mirror, the flames painting the skyline like it was bleeding.
He stepped out, opened the passenger side, and gently nudged Victoria awake. She blinked in confusion, still pale, eyes darting from Xavier to the burning horizon.
"Where… are we?" she whispered.
"Far enough. A bus will arrive in about an hour," he said. His tone was calm, almost detached. "There's a shelter three blocks that way, you can wait there. I have aleady confirmed their personalities, so you don't have to worry about them harming you. Tell them you got caught in the blast. Don't mention my name. Don't mention Ethan. You'll live."
Victoria hesitated, clutching her jacket tight. "What about you?"
Xavier smirked faintly, his gaze drifting toward the orange sky. "I've got things to finish."
