Chapter 995: Gunfire
In the narrow space between the four of them, Ligo murmured the name of an old friend, but Sahame gave a bleak smile.
Ligo hurried to her side, rambling on as if speaking to Sahame, yet also as if talking to herself. She looped her friend's arm over her shoulder and steadily lifted her up.
"What are you doing?" Victoria asked.
"Whatever happened, we need to get to a hospital first," Ligo said, her voice trembling. "She's like this now—"
"I can't..." Sahame gently shook her head. "I have to... get out of here..."
"She was deeply involved in tonight's attacks on civilians," Victoria said. "Put her down, Ligo."
"Impossible," Ligo said. "There has to be some misunderstanding."
"She's right..." Sahame said softly. "Staying means death, Ligo. Take me to... to..."
"Ligo!" Victoria's gaze was fierce. "You don't understand what happened tonight. Step aside!"
Ligo looked toward Hesta as if pleading for help.
"...She did take part in it," Hesta answered quietly. "I'm sorry."
Ligo lowered her eyes.
"It's okay," Ligo said softly, looking at Hesta. "...If you were the one lying here today, I'd do the same thing."
Before Victoria and Hesta could react, Ligo had transformed into a diving hawk. Holding Sahame, she slipped lightly through several holes in the damaged walls and leaped from a window on the other side of the building.
"Ligo!"
Victoria immediately gave chase.
Hesta froze where she stood for a second. Even as her body began to pursue them, Ligo's words still echoed through her mind.
The two sides maintained a distance of two blocks. Apparently unwilling to reveal her final destination, Ligo kept circling around after leaving the city. They wound through desolate abandoned villages, and though Victoria and Hesta found several chances to flank her from both