Ignoring his words, I force my legs to keep moving. I don’t have time to analyze what he just said, but in the back of my mind, I already know it had more meaning.
The secretary keeps her head down and stays silent as I march past her once more. So do all the guards I pass on my way out. I head back to my room, hoping that Ren is not there because I don’t have time to deal with him either.
When I find our apartment empty, a flash of relief hits me. I quickly change out of my gym clothes into the warmest outfit I can find. Then I stuff a backpack full of essentials and strap it to my back.
By the time I’m ready and back in the elevator, a plan has already formed in my mind. When I make it to the surface this time, the cold barely registers as I sneak past the first guardhouse.
The second checkpoint only has one guard, who I easily creep up on from behind. He’s watching a movie on his phone, and I use his distraction to wrap my arm around his neck.
A moment later, he passes out, his body sagging to the ground. Kneeling beside him, I unhook the keys from his belt and grab the gun from his holster. I drag his body into the guardhouse, grab his phone, disable the intercom, and lock him inside.
It shouldn’t take him long to get out of here, but it will buy me a little extra time. I already know if Lucas finds out about this, he’ll stop me. Probably lock me up, too, just to prove a point. The worst part is that I know my father will be on his side. Fuck, probably my mom as well. She would rather have me locked up than out risking my life.
Another wave of guilt washes over me, this time for putting my life in danger, knowing what it would do to my family. Shoving those feelings down as far as I can, I push on and find a truck. I get into the driver’s seat and use the guard’s key to start the engine. The vehicle roars to life, and I pull out of the underground garage onto the only road leaving Corium.
I drive for two miles and stop once I get to the outer concrete wall surrounding the university. Ahead is a large metal gate, and I search the car for some kind of button to open it.Bingo.I find it on a small square attached to the guard’s keychain. I press the button, and the gate opens, and I’m free at last. Slamming my foot on the gas, the vehicle lurches forward.
It’s already dark outside, so the headlight is the only thing to guide me to the forest. The paved road turns into a dirt road, and the trees become more and more dense as I drive in the direction of the flare I saw earlier. I am not sure what my chances are of finding the crash site. I’m not even sure if it’s Aspen who’s alive. I just know this is the only chance I’ve got to make things right.
Please, let me make this right.