Sometimes.
Just not children.
“Not you,” I tell her. “Never you.”
Lucas reaches out carefully. “Can you walk?”
The boy nods immediately.
The girl hesitates longer.
Then finally—
A tiny nod.
“Good,” Lucas says softly. “Stay close.”
I key comms. “Two secured. Moving.”
Static crackles.
Then Miles answers. “Russ got Olivia to medical. She’s critical.”
My jaw tightens automatically.
No time for that right now.
“Copy.”
The little girl grabs onto my sleeve before we move.
Doesn’t let go.
That’s fine.
She can hold on all night if she wants.
We step back into the corridor—
Gunfire explodes instantly.
I shove both kids behind me as rounds hammer into the wall.
Concrete bursts across the hallway.
Lucas returns fire immediately.
Two hostiles go down hard.
A third disappears around the corner.
“MOVE!” Lucas barks.
I grab both kids and run.
The little girl stumbles once.
I scoop her up without slowing.
