That seemed like a bad sign. He sounded like he was used to being obeyed, which meant that he was about to really lose it when they didn’t.

“I need backup!” she heard him yell. “Immediately!”

“This way,” she panted, pulling Lennon around a corner.

“Alert. Unauthorized visitors. Alert. Unauthorized visitors.” The computer voice came from somewhere above them, and Maisie cast a baffled glance up at the sky. What the hell kind of neighborhood was this?

Headlights appeared at the end of the street. Four of them.

The two identical black cars took up the entire street as they barreled toward them.

“Oh, shit,” Maisie said. Lennon dropped her hand and whirled around. He grabbed it again as soon as they sprinted back the way they came.

She ran as fast as she could, the sound of the cars’ engines growing closer. She cast a glance over her shoulder to see them speeding toward them at an alarming pace.

They dove around the corner just in time, the cars whizzing past them. The permit man from before had a long black object in his hand. It was thin, like a baton, but with a green light glowing at the end. A Taser, maybe. He charged at them.

Lennon hissed in pain as the end of the Taser hit his arm with a bolt of electricity that Maisie could hear. The man grinned and took a step back, triumphant.

Then confusion crossed his face, like he’d expected that small hit to have a much bigger impact.

Maisie jumped forward and punched him in the face with her good hand. He stumbled, blood pouring from his nose.

The cars spun around to face them again, and Maisie grabbed Lennon’s hand as they took off. She glanced at him, trying to judge if the hit to his arm was serious, but there wasn’t a trace of pain on his face.

She heard the squeal of tires nearby. Another car coming their way.

A hand stuck out of the car heading straight toward them, and she jumped back, pulling Lennon with her. The hand aimed a gun at her.

She reached for the hand, yanking it so hard she heard a pop. The man screamed, half his body hanging out of the car. He dropped the gun.

Lennon shot forward, grabbing the man by his arms. The car slowed. The man clawed at Lennon.

Maisie jumped forward, helping Lennon to drag him out of the car. He squirmed against them, knocking her on her butt.

She sprang to her feet. The man kicked her in the stomach, and she doubled over with a wheeze. He dove for the gun he’d dropped, but she was there first. She aimed it at his gut and pulled the trigger. He doubled over and hit the ground.

“Maisie, get in!”

She whirled around. Lennon was in the driver’s seat of the car.

She raced to the passenger’s side and jumped in. Lennon shifted the car into gear.