Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

She turned and caught movement in the room.

They were coming after her but they weren’t going to be fast enough.

“Bye, motherfuckers.”

A feeling of triumph shot through her as she slammed her hand on the red button outside the door.

An alarm blared immediately as the door hissed shut.

“Upper sector lockdown in progress.” It sounded like it came from the ship’s intercom.

“Upper sector lockdown in progress.”

Shit. Had she done that? She hadn’t expected an alarm.

Nia turned just in time to see the doors at the end of the hallway closing.

Shit.

There was a corridor to her right, but she had no idea where that led to.

Better go the way she came.

She didn’t think twice. She made a mad dash toward the closing door, hoping she would be fast enough.

She made it just in time, or, at least, most of her did. Her cloak caught in the door just as it closed behind her, and she had to pull it hard enough for it to rip.

She was heaving now, trying to catch her breath from the sudden exertion, and she paused, hands on her knees as her breath came hard and fast.

She’d done it.

She’d frickin’ done it.

She shuddered to think what would have happened if she hadn’t even tried.

She’d paused to catch a breath for only a few seconds, but she soon realized something was wrong.

She could hardly see anything.

There was smoke everywhere.

She was in that long corridor with all the levers and stuff. At least, that’s where she should be, from her memory.

Just to make sure, she reached forward with one hand, to brush it against the wall.

Her fingers moved over buttons, wires, and what she assumed was a lever.

She was right.

This corridor should lead back to that lower section with the huge room and the ramp that led outside the ship.

But where was the smoke coming from?

Her heart beat fast in her chest as she struggled to see even her hand in front of her.

It couldn’t have been the lockdown that had caused it. Right?

Definitely not.