18 Floors Above the Apocalypse

Chapter 368

Stella pedaled her bike with a burst of energy, the wind playing with her hair as she shouted to Rosie, "I'm taking you somewhere special."

Rosie sighed with relief. Her sister-in-law had been gone for days, and she'd feared the worst.

"Sis, I wasn't really bullied," Rosie admitted now that they were alone. "Last night, I snuck up on that guy, threw a sack over his head, and gave him a good beating. Stayed clear of his face, though. He's pissed off so many people he wouldn't have a clue it was me." If it weren't for waiting for her brother and sister-in-law to return, that guy wouldn't have lived to see today.

"Good job," Stella said, finally relaxing. "You've grown up, Rosie. From now on, you can make your own decisions. Just make sure you stay safe."

Rosie beamed at the praise, wishing her brother could see her now.

After an hour of bone-rattling bike riding, they finally arrived.

Cooper, sensing their arrival, ran out to greet them.

Tears streamed down Rosie's cheeks as she saw Cooper and rushed into his embrace. "Cooper, are you okay?" she sobbed, her worry for him having been unbearable. "Woof!"

Rosie, still frantic, clung to the excited Cooper. "Where's my brother?"

pant leg, leading her

gut-wrenching uncertainty, Rosie nearly collapsed upon seeing her

quickly cautioned her, "Easy,

uncontrollably, having feared the

ease her worries, smiled and said, "I'm okay. I'll be up

unless something unusual happened. While Rosie was distracted, Stella pulled out a sleek

it to make it blend in. If someone stumbled upon them,

binoculars. When she returned,

frowned. "Those hunters from the

feeling guilty for the trouble she

atop the hill and spotted shadows pacing in a nearby hollow. Wasn't that one of the hunters, standing there with a cigarette dangling from his lips? So, he thought he could handle them,

were eight of

one to Rosie.

unaware, were about to make their move. The leader, Hunter, his arm bandaged from a bullet wound, was seething with anger. "Are you sure she's in there?" he asked his

the humiliation he'd suffered

out. Hunter's sidekick, the one with