The first shot came from the Saint Eaters' side.
Alexei saw the muzzle flash on the left, near a truck door. He turned his rifle before the sound finished. The round from their side went wide and struck the wall behind him. Brick dust fell, but not a single speck touched them.
His shot, on the other hand, did not miss.
The man who had fired dropped straight down. That broke the line, turning what might have been a semblance of order into nothing but chaos.
Engines revved harder. Boots hit pavement. Men began to spread from behind bikes and trucks. The street, which had been still, turned into moving targets.
"Left," Alexei grunted, already moving.
Lachlan nodded his head, his body acting almost instinctively.
Lightning crawled over his forearms in short bursts, not for show but to prime his muscles. He ran toward the wider space between two bikes to keep them from circling.
Zubair stepped past Sera.
