Ace ducked back behind the chain-link fence, his heart pounding against his ribs like a trapped bird. Deke's thugs were watching his storage unit. They knew about his new base. The twelve-day deadline suddenly felt like a noose tightening around his neck.
He couldn't go in the front way. Not now. Silently, he backed away, moving carefully down the alley beside the motel. He needed a different route. Remembering the overgrown bushes at the back of the storage lot, Ace walked the long way around the block. He found the spot he'd used earlier – a section of rusty fence partly hidden by thick weeds. Using all his strength and the System's efficiency bonus, he carefully bent a few loose wires just enough to squeeze through. He emerged inside the storage lot, hidden from the thugs at the front gate. He hurried to Unit B-17, unlocked the heavy padlock, slipped inside, and rolled the door shut behind him with a quiet sigh of relief.
