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The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Sheila and Finn. Sheila could feel the mood shift instantly, curiosity turning to suspicion and then to anger.
So much for no one recognizing us,she thought.
"Police?" someone gasped, the word rippling through the crowd like a shockwave.
Thorne's face darkened, his charismatic mask slipping to reveal something harder, more dangerous beneath. "You dare to infiltrate our sacred gathering?"
Sheila raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Please, everyone, remain calm. We're not here to cause any trouble."
Finn nodded, adding, "We're just here to observe. We have no intention of disrupting your meeting."
But their words fell on deaf ears. The crowd's anger was palpable, a living thing that seemed to fill the room.
Margaret, who had been so welcoming earlier, now looked at them with cold eyes. "You lied to us," she said. "You're not seekers. You're spies!"
"Unbelievers!" someone else shouted from the back of the room.
Sheila tried again to defuse the situation. "We're just doing our job. There's no need for—"
Her words were cut off as a chair came flying through the air, narrowly missing Finn's head. Then a bald man grabbed Finn'sjacket from behind, and Finn threw his elbow back, striking the man hard in the face.
The bald man stumbled, pressing a hand to his bloody nose. There was a moment of stunned silence as the group realized what had just happened. Then a floorboard at the back of the room creaked—Thorne was using the commotion as a distraction so he could escape through a back door.
"Go after him!" Finn said to Sheila as he raised his fists. "I'll buy you some time."
"Finn—" she began, not wanting to leave him behind, but he cut her off.
"Go!" he shouted. "He's getting away!"
With a deep breath, Sheila turned and started running.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Sheila pushed past a group of shouting followers, ignoring their grasping hands and angry cries. She burst through the side door and into a dimly lit hallway. Ahead, she could hear the sound of running footsteps echoing off the walls.
Behind her, she could still hear the sounds of the scuffle in the meeting room. She said a silent prayer that Finn would be okay, then focused all her attention on the fleeing suspect ahead. She wasn't going to let him get away again.
The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, twisting and turning through the bowels of the community center. Sheila could hear Thorne just ahead, his breathing heavy, his footsteps echoing off the walls. She pushed herself harder, gaining ground inch by inch.
Suddenly, the hallway opened up into a large storage room. Shelves lined the walls, stacked high with boxes and old furniture. Sheila skidded to a stop, her eyes darting around the space. Where had he gone?
Sheila skidded to a stop, her eyes darting around the space. Where had he gone? The storage room was a maze of shelves and discarded furniture, shadows lurking in every corner. She strained her ears, listening for any sound that might betray Thorne's location.
A faint scuff to her left caught her attention. Sheila spun, catching a glimpse of movement behind a stack of old filing cabinets. She moved carefully, her footsteps silent on the concrete floor.
"Thorne!" she called out, her voice steady despite her racing heart. "There's nowhere to go. Come out now, and we can talk about this."
Silence was her only answer. Sheila inched forward, her hand on her weapon. She needed to be smart about this. Thorne had the advantage of knowing the layout of this room, and she couldn't risk letting him slip past her.
Sheila inched forward, her senses on high alert. The storage room was quiet, the only sound her own controlled breathing. She rounded a corner, peering between two tall shelving units.
Suddenly, a dark figure burst from the shadows. Thorne lunged at her, his face contorted with rage and desperation. Sheila barely had time to react as his body slammed into hers, sending them both crashing to the ground.
They grappled on the dusty floor, Thorne fighting with the strength of a cornered animal. His elbow caught Sheila in the ribs, knocking the wind out of her. For a moment, he had the upper hand, his weight pinning her down.
But Sheila wasn't defenseless. Years of kickboxing training kicked in, muscle memory taking over. She bucked her hips, destabilizing Thorne's position. In one fluid motion, she wrapped her legs around his torso, using the leverage to flip their positions.
Now on top, Sheila drove her knee into Thorne's solar plexus, causing him to gasp and loosen his grip. Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, she grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back, effectively immobilizing him.
