Chapter Three: Don't Look Back

The bus flashed past the intersection. They cut through a mall, hurdling counters while escalators climbed into the ceiling. Glass burst behind them, each shard reflecting a different expression on the double's face. “I have Xu Man,” his voice announced overhead. “Look back once and I'll release her.” A security shutter dropped ahead. Cheng slid beneath it, nearly twisting his neck with the instinct to check behind him. The girl's raincoat snagged. “Leave me!” He did not turn. He backed up, found the cloth by touch, and cut it with his testing pliers. They ran on. For the first time, she smiled. “The rule forbids looking back. It doesn't forbid going back.”