Mara had not escaped through some dramatic act of violence. She had found a weakness during the storm and pushed at it until fear gave her strength. From there, she must have followed the drainage ditch to the creek line and kept moving until the city swallowed her.
In the distance, the zoo truck turned the corner with the transport crate. Lena arrived pale and breathless, carrying Mara’s blue feed bucket like it was something sacred. Behind her, two keepers helped animal control unload the transport crate into the alley beside the bakery. Elias checked the angle carefully. If Mara came down, she needed a clear path away from the street, away from the crowd, and toward darkness.