Chapter One: The Empty Car

Cheng crashed through an alley gate and climbed a fire escape. The clock tower drew close, then its hand jumped to 12:16:50. Across the street, a girl in a white raincoat reached toward him. A black river without a bridge separated them. “Jump!” she cried. “A train passes in ten seconds.” Headlights appeared beneath the water. A metro train skimmed along its surface. Cheng leaped onto its roof, rolled, and seized a ventilation grille. The girl jumped too, landing two cars away. As the clock began to strike, Cheng stretched out his hand. 12:17. Half an inch separated their fingertips. The whole city went black. “You didn't wait for me,” she said in the darkness. “The first one is awake.”