xia

hythmic, incessant

was the steady cadenc

rile sheets. The acrid bit

s al

te-hot pain sliced through my side. I

ened. It wa

as J

tton undone, his jaw shadowed with stubble. He walke

y hand-my

," he said, h

my throat feeling like

"Just in time. The blast

at our joined hands, his t

ed, Alexia. It was bad.

art hammering a

ou mine,"

n its axis. Jacob

r? The man who sprinted away to sav

" I a

said, his eyes locking onto

jacket pocket and pu

cure the future. The explosion... it drew attention. The Commis

aper on the b

y enemies. It reaffirms your loyalty to the Cummings Syndicate. It grants me po

him. Really

ney to save me. He gave

I could never be free of him. It was

" I asked. "Was

misunderstanding. She is safe. She is... resting. The poor

i

uted, but the headline was screaming in bold font: *Ma

photos of t

"ghost." He l

eping my voice flat, "I

aid quickly. "Onc

n. My left ha

ove her?"

he warned, his tone d

yo

You... you are strong. You

ro

wanted to excuse their neglect. A c

ed the

ned m

lready made

f consciousness before the surgery, I had acc

owing Cassandra skimming money from the drug shipments. The ones

he code of silence. T

he paper b

y, Jacob," I said. "I wi

He thought

toning his jacket. "I have to go check o

l

illows. I felt the fresh

tock,

end to the Commission and th

ed a loy

s my a