ON THE RUN

Chapter 3: Blood on the Docks

The old cannery was a mess. It smelled like rust and salt and old dreams that did not come true. The rain was coming down hard on the metal roof. Ethan Carter was hiding behind some crates. He had a pistol in his hand. It was not his. It would have to do. Ethan was looking for Logan Pierce. He was like a ghost moving quietly in the dark. Pierce was not alone. He did not have many people with him. That made him more dangerous.

Olivia Brooks was hiding with Ethan. She was scared. She was trying to be brave. Mason Walker was working on his laptop in the corner. He was trying to help them. The police were on their way. They had to get out of there

"He is trying to get in on the side " Mason said quietly. "There are two people on the west side. The police will be here in ten minutes if we do not leave."

Ethan nodded. "We need to split up the things we found. Olivia you take the papers about Cross. Mason, get the mans switch ready. If I do not make it you have to tell everyone what we know."

Olivia looked at Ethan. "You are not going to die tonight " she said. "We are in this together."

Then they heard a noise. It was Pierce. He was trying to scare them. Ethan told everyone to be quiet. He moved forward trying to be sneaky. He had been a cop for a time. He knew how to move. He had also been in prison. That had taught him how to survive.

Ethan saw Pierce. He was a man with a lot of experience. He was wearing clothes and had a cold look in his eyes. "Carter " he said. "You are good at this. I respect that.. It is over. Come out. I will make sure they do not shoot you."

Ethan did not say anything. He moved to the left using the machines for cover. Pierce was ready for him. He shot at Ethan. Ethan was too fast. He shot back. Pierce had to hide.

Olivia started shooting from the side. She was not as good as Ethan. She was trying to help. Masons drone was flying overhead telling Ethan where the bad people were.

Ethan took down two men who were trying to sneak up on him. Pierce was still fighting. He was very good. Ethan was determined. He was not going to give up.

Pierce threw a flashbang. It was very loud and bright. Ethan closed his eyes. Kept moving. He ran into Pierce. They started fighting. They fell through a wall and into another room.

They were. Kicking each other. Pierce was stronger. Ethan was desperate. He had nothing to lose. They were fighting on the floor rolling around in glass and debris.

Olivias voice was in Ethans ear. "The police are coming! We have to go!"

Ethan hit Pierce in the head. Got away. He grabbed Pierces gun. Shot it in the air. Then he ran back to the others. They had to get out of there

They ran out of the building and onto the docks. The river was very rough. They got into a boat and Ethan started the engine. They were moving fast. The police were still chasing them.

Bullets were flying everywhere. Ethan was driving the boat trying to avoid them. Olivia was shooting back trying to protect them. Mason was working on his laptop trying to send their evidence to the people.

They finally got away from the police. They stopped the boat. Got out. They were all very tired. Mason was still working on his laptop. "I got something " he said. "A man named Nathan Cole. He is a prosecutor. He was involved in your case, Ethan. He might be willing to help us."

Ethan thought about this. It could be very helpful to have someone on the inside. They were all very tired. They knew they could not stop now.

They kept moving trying to stay safe. They finally found a place to hide. It was an apartment building. It was not very nice. It was safe.

Olivia was taking care of Ethans wounds. "You got hurt badly " she said.

Ethan did not say anything. He was thinking about his time in prison. It had been very hard. It had also taught him how to survive.

The morning Mason was working on his laptop again. "I got something " he said. "Emily sent us some pictures. They are about your case, Ethan. They show that the police lied about what happened."

Ethans face was very angry. He was thinking about his partner, Lucas. He had betrayed him. Ethan wanted to make him pay.

They started making a plan. They were going to tell the press about what they knew. It would be a leak but it could be enough to make the bad people nervous.

Mason was working on his laptop trying to make it look like the leak came from someone. They were all very careful. They knew it was a risk.

The day the news was talking about Ethans case. People were starting to doubt the police. It was not much. It was a start.

Then Ethan got a message on his phone. It was from a number. "You are making this harder than it has to be " it said. ". Your sister will get hurt."

Ethan was very angry. He wanted to hit someone. "They are threatening Emily " he said.

Olivias face was very hard. "Then we hit back harder " she said. "Mason can you find out who sent this message?"

Mason was already working on it. "I think I can " he said. "It is a man named Ryan Foster. He is a photographer. He was, at the scene of the crime that night."

They started moving. They were going to find Ryan Foster and make him talk. They were going to make the bad people pay.

Ryan Foster lived in a loft in a part of the Hollows where artists and people who work with computers were moving in. This was a place where crime was still a problem. Ethan went to the loft by himself. Olivia and Mason kept watch from a rooftop

Ethan opened the lock on the door. He was good at this because he used to be a detective. When he got inside he saw that the loft was messy. There were cameras and tripods over the place. There were also pictures of the parts of the city. Ryan Foster was sitting at his desk looking at some photos.

Ethan put a gun to the back of Ryan Fosters head. Ryan Foster was really scared. "Ryan Foster you have two choices " Ethan said. "You can talk to me. I can make sure that the people you are afraid of think you talked anyway."

Ryan Foster did not move. "Carter you are crazy " he said. "They will kill us both."

Ethan wanted to know what happened the night Blackwood died. "You were there " he said. "Tell me what you saw."

Ryan Fosters hands were shaking. "I was paid to take pictures " he said. ". Something went wrong. The person who shot Blackwood was a professional. I saw Lucas Hayes making sure everything was cleaned up. He even put clues at the scene."

Ethan was very upset. He now knew that what he thought was true. "Who told Lucas Hayes what to do?" he asked.

Ryan Foster said that it was Crosss people who gave the orders.. They were not the ones in charge. It was Lawsons people who wanted Blackwood dead. They did not want him to tell everyone about their plan. The plan was to use military contractors to take over the city. Alexander Reed was in charge of this plan.

Then they heard footsteps outside. Ryan Foster looked very scared. "They are watching me " he said.

Ethan took a USB drive from the desk. "You have to come with us " he said. "We will keep you safe."

They got Ryan Foster out of the loft just as some bad people arrived. There was a fight in the hallways and on the fire escapes. Ethan shot two of the people. Olivia was driving a car that they had taken. They all got in. Drove away.

The drive through the city was very crazy. Cars were over the place. People were screaming. The police were trying to catch them. Ethan and his friends were able to get away. Mason was able to control the traffic lights, which helped them.

They were able to lose the people who were chasing them near the river. They got out of the car and into a van. Ryan Foster was very scared. He was willing to talk. He told them more about the plan to take over the city.

As it got dark they went to a safe place. It was a church basement on the edge of the city. The priest who lived there was a friend of Olivias. He did not ask any questions.

Nathan Cole called them on a line. He was a prosecutor. He sounded very upset. "I thought the evidence was real at first " he said. ". Then I saw that some things did not make sense. I want to help you Carter.. They are threatening my family."

Ethan asked Nathan Cole to help them. "Give us the files and testimonies that we need " he said.

Nathan Cole agreed to help them. He would give them the files the day.

The bad people were getting scared. They were killing anyone who they thought might be working against them. Victor Kane had even killed one of his people.

Ethan was standing by a window in the basement. He was looking out at the rain. He knew that he had a responsibility. He had to stop the people from taking over the city.

Then he got a message from Lucas Hayes. "Come and talk to us " the message said. "If you do not we will kill Emily tomorrow."

Ethan deleted the message. He was not going to run. He was going to fight back.

Ethan was with his friends in the basement. Olivia was looking at some papers. Mason was working on his computer. Ryan Foster was showing them some pictures. Ethan felt like they were getting closer to the truth.

The truth was a thing. Ethan was learning how to use it.

The bad people were still out there. They were trying to kill anyone who got in their way. The city was a dangerous place.

Ethan was not going to give up. He was going to keep fighting for his sister, for the city and for what was right. The war, for the city had just begun.