Chapter 19

We don't talk as we navigate between the streets, keeping close to the walls and the poorly lit sidewalks. We walk in profound quiet as the tension of battle rises deep within. We encounter no obstacles or problems on our way to the compound, but we stay alert.

I don't notice the compound until Nathan points it out. His finger indicates a two-story abandoned building: the windows on the second floor are broken, and the whole structure appears to be decaying underneath the pressure of the years.

I stare at the deserted construction, trying to locate a sign of life but come back empty-handed. The paint that covered its walls disappeared, exposing the concrete below. I look at Ryan inquisitively. This is nothing like the compound I stayed in, hidden in plain sight.

We cross the street as discreetly as we can, trying to blend in with the shadows as we join the rest of the group behind a white van and a few bushes. We're clustered together, squeezed in to ensure that we all stay hidden as