They moved along the edge of the restricted zone and kept low as Malcolm led them through the darker blocks. Most of the guards were closer to the river, and the streets here were thin on patrols, which made the gaps easier to find.
Malcolm stopped at a section of fence and worked through it without wasting time. The metal gave, and they slipped in one after another.
They were inside uptown Manhattan.
The buildings around them stood quiet and dark, windows black, doors shut, no movement inside.
They kept moving.
Block after block.
They stayed low and moved in bursts, crouching, then running, then stopping again when Malcolm raised a hand.
It wore on them.
Iyisha felt it in her legs first. The strain built with every step, and her breathing got heavier the longer they pushed.
Behind her, Lance was struggling to keep pace. His breathing was loud now, uneven, and she could hear it every time they stopped.
