Swift

erupted like

g!

led the night as bullet

!" my fat

tepped on the accelerator. The vehicle surged forward. Armed men scattered as the SUV crashed through the blockade.

r scr

und my little brother

" I s

k red blood soaked through his shirt. A bullet had struck his side. Another had pierced his shoulde

're hurt!

noth

urning to the road. Behind us, Jackson's men continued their pursuit. Several black vehicles followed close

I begged. "You

saw pride in his eyes. Then he smiled. It wasn't the smile of a man who ex

s calm. "You must pr

head furi

u m

talking l

ed. "You've alw

ng. I was only fourteen years old. No matter how hard I tried

ad

ully." I nodded. "If anything ha

those words. He was saying goodbye. And we both kne

g into a dense forest. The vehicles behind us struggled to

d. The SUV rol

e had taken too much damage. We weren't going any farther. The distant s

he opened them again, all fear had di

Adam." I looked at him

ha

aylor a

N

un

ocked me. My little broth

eamed dow

" Taylor

reached out and gently touched Taylor's hair.

e you,

father then looked at me. Hi

man of the

htened. "I ca

u c

ng headlights

out. My father

G

ad

no

bed Taylor's hand and climbed out of the SUV. We ran into the forest

icles stopping filled the a

ng his life so we could live. Tears streamed down my face as I ran. I

den

hoed through

bled. My he

ylo

nd. Blood spread ac

ed my lips in a whis

tiny body trembled. His ey

." he w

t the wound. Trying to stop the bleeding. Trying to

me!" He smi

mile. The kind only

her." Then his ey

e me died that night. I don't remember

emember is hearing fo

l wooden cabin. An elderly man sat nearby. His white h

vived,"

instantly. My father. Taylor. The betra

imply allowed me to cry. After

ill you

s. The answer came

ven

tudied me. Th

oo

, he became my master. He taught me everything. How to f

shed me beyo

hrough exhaustion. Through despair. My body transformed. My mind transformed. The weak b

iers. I survived bullets. I mastered blades. I learned to turn my body into a weapon. Hundreds fell b

ht me back to the present. I stood b

ting. I knelt down and touched the gravestone. A faint smile app

inally

grew softer. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner.

retched across the horizon in the dis

for mourning was over. The

this

would s