Eva Sterling's Arc

Chapter 2 of 3

Eva needed to learn the streets before she could protect anyone. She pulled a small notepad from her satchel and began mapping routes through Tongassia's maze of alleys. Every exit mattered. Every hiding spot could save Jacob's life. She marked three escape paths from the safe house, then tested each one on foot. The third route led past an abandoned warehouse. Eva stopped and stared at the dark building. Anyone could approach the safe house at night without her knowing. She needed a solution. Two days later, she installed a tall security light pole near the property's edge. The bright beam would catch movement in the shadows. Now threats couldn't slip past unnoticed. Eva crouched beside a red and white metal storage container she'd bolted to the ground outside. She packed it with supplies Jacob might need: water bottles, a flashlight, warm clothes, and cash. If something went wrong and he had to run, he wouldn't go empty-handed. The weatherproof box clicked shut. She tested the latch three times. But watching wasn't enough. Eva needed real skills. She found what she was looking for in a plain building across town. The Counter Intelligence and Security College taught people how to spot danger before it arrived. Eva signed up for the next class. She would learn surveillance, threat detection, and how to read people who meant harm. Jacob's safety depended on what she could become. Her training started tomorrow.