Then a shout shattered the night. A freelance cameraman had crawled too close, desperate for a shot. His camera slipped from his hands, crashing against metal with a hollow clang. Sahara flinched violently, muscles spasming. She spun, bolting sideways toward a narrow lane that led to the next junction. Tom cursed at the missed opportunity.
The same night, a news helicopter spotlight found her on a nearby terrace, limping, breath ragged. The camera zoomed in, transmitting her exhaustion worldwide. For a fleeting second, millions saw Sahara more as a prisoner than a predator. Then she leapt away, vanishing again, leaving the city gasping.