Chapter 44

But when Kenna finally saw the place, she almost hit the small car parked in front of her. The building was abandoned. All the windows appeared smashed out, and graffiti covered the first level. The same could be said about other houses on the block, and though she’d noticed a slight uptick in visible crime on her way in, Ken had no idea the safe house was compromised. More like devastated, she thought. With a bad feeling in her gut, she jumped out of her truck, armed herself, and walked toward the house.

She stood there, pondering her next move. After a few minutes, a young black boy pulled up behind her on a bicycle. “What are you doin’ here, girl?” he asked. Though it sounded like a line, she could detect some genuine concern in his voice.

No surprise really. A teenage woman, short in stature, hanging around abandoned buildings by herself—anyone would think she was vulnerable. Until they saw her guns, anyway.

“I’m looking for a friend.”