"Stay low!" Jack shouted, pulling Maya toward the floor.
The room was silent now, except for the sound of Maya's heavy breathing. The shattered glass from the coffee cup lay everywhere. Maya looked at her hand; it was shaking, but she wasn't cut.
"We have to leave. Now," Jack whispered. "They found us faster than I expected."
They crawled toward the back door of the apartment. Jack grabbed a heavy bag and his camera; Maya clutched her grandfather's journal to her chest. They didn't take the stairs; instead, they moved across the narrow rooftops of District 1, jumping over gaps between buildings like acrobats.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the Saigon Railway Station. The air was stifling, even at night. The smell of diesel and grilled street food was everywhere.
"We’re taking the night train toward the highlands," Jack said, checking his watch. "It’s harder for them to stop a moving train than a car."
They boarded the wooden carriage of the "Reunification Express." The cabin was tiny, with four narrow bunks. Maya sat by the window, watching the city lights blur as the train began to chug away from the station.
Jack sat across from her. He glanced down at his shirt, just to be sure there was no red laser dot.
"Jack," Maya said softly. "Why is Thorne so obsessed with this Jade Dragon? It’s just a statue, isn't it?"
Jack looked around to make sure no one was listening. "It's not just a statue, Maya. Legend says it contains a list of every hidden treasure your grandfather found during the war. It's worth billions. And Thorne isn't the only one who wants it."
Suddenly, the train screeched and began to slow down in the middle of a dark forest. The lights in the carriage flickered and died.
From the hallway, Maya heard the sound of heavy metal doors opening. Then, the rhythmic thump, thump, thump of boots.
"They're on the train," Maya whispered, her eyes wide with dread.
The train sat silent in the dark forest. Jack grabbed a small flashlight from his bag, but he didn't turn it on. "We can't stay in this cabin," he whispered. "It’s a trap".
They stepped into the narrow hallway just as a flashlight beam hit the wall behind them. Maya and Jack ran toward the back of the train. They climbed a small ladder and pushed open a heavy metal hatch. Suddenly, they were standing on top of the moving train.