"You didn't have to do this, Christine," Strange said as they ran. "Hijacking a prisoner, breaking into the system... Everything you had in this universe is ruined. Your career, your status—the Illuminati will list you as their most wanted criminal."
"I quit," Christine said dismissively. "I'm sick of working for that bunch of self-righteous bastards. For the sake of some so-called possibility, they can kill people without any bottom line. I don't want to be their accomplice anymore."
She stopped and turned back to look Strange straight in the eyes.
"Besides, I just accepted a ring. I can't exactly let my fiancé get executed on the first day of our engagement, can I?"
Strange looked at her, unable to resist leaning in and gently kissing her forehead.
"That's the most romantic reason I've ever heard."
"Enough talk, let's go." Christine pushed him away, her face flushed.
The two finally reached the exit of the underground garage.
Christine's silver-gray hovercar sat quietly in its designated parking space.
"Get in!" Christine opened the door.
They quickly climbed into the car.
Christine started the engine and plugged the controller into the vehicle system.
"Switch to manual stealth mode. Shut down all external tracking signals. Activate autopilot and set the destination to the emergency protocol coordinates."
The hovercar let out a low roar and slipped out of the underground garage like a ghost, merging into the busy aerial lanes above New York City.
The Illuminati building grew farther and farther behind them.
Neon lights flickered throughout the city. New York was still bustling with traffic at night, and no one knew that a heart-stopping escape had just taken place inside that solemn building.
Christine leaned back against her seat and let out a long breath.
Her hands were still trembling slightly. Only now did