Davies's kia optima stayed ahead, weaving through traffic with practiced ease.
Liam kept a steady distance behind, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the center console.
Tasha sat beside him, silent, her eyes tracking the buildings as they passed.
The cityscape shifted gradually.
The cracked sidewalks and faded storefronts gave way to cleaner streets.
The buildings grew taller, their facades fresher.
Paint that wasn't peeling. Windows that weren't boarded up or covered in grime.
Trees lined the sidewalks—actual trees with green leaves that rustled in the breeze.
Not the half-dead, skeletal things they'd passed earlier, but full, healthy oaks and maples that provided shade over benches where people actually sat.
"This is different," Tasha said, her voice quiet.
Liam nodded. "Yeah."
Traffic thickened slightly as they entered what looked like a commercial district.
People walked with purpose, carrying shopping bags, pushing strollers, talking on phones.
