Chapter Two: The Exit Leads to the Stands

Lin Xi did not scream. She shoved the cap into her sock and ran through the staff passage. At 6:01, the plaza outside should have been packed with late arrivals. If she could see taxis, the metro entrance, and vendors selling counterfeit scarves, she could prove the last hour had been some kind of seizure. Exit Thirteen opened from the inside. She pushed through and emerged into the food concourse on East Three's second level. A popcorn machine crackled on her left. A man in a blue jersey searched for coins. Behind her, there was no exit—only an advertising wall beside the restroom. She tried Exit Eleven, Exit Nine, and the loading dock. Every door returned her to a different part of the stadium.