ke up sc

ternally, his body was shrieking. A burning, gnawin

en. He hadn't had a flare-up in four years.

he kitchen, pal

ggins!"

wiping her hands on her ap

inst the marble island. "Make the

icken. She wrung her ha

can't? You've worked

spered. "She blended the herbs herself. She bought them f

at her. "It

spent weeks perfecting it when

remembered Elara sitting by his bed, reading medical journals abo

ing. He poured a glass, bringing it to his lips, desperate for the burn to numb the pain. But as the smell hit his nose, his

y. He dumped the scotch into the si

h," he groaned, sink

ding in a bodega in Queens. The air

rice root," she muttered, pla

ars," the c

d the ginger into a chipped mug. She poured boiling water over

phantom pain in her chest, a sudden worry. Is

y. "Not my problem," she sa

was worse. He was a terror. He yelled at the VP of Marketing

eezed past his secretary, carrying a

weren't feeling well. I brought you a green smoothi

He looked at the smoo

here," he

a massiv

raw kale hit his stomach like a

oared, clutchin

eyes wide. "But...

oison!

hrough his custom shirt. He closed his eyes and remembered Elar

ot just to control her.

led the private investigator he

n rasped. "W

footprint is... gone. It's like she stepped off the edge of the earth. Whoever he

r excuses!" Ethan s

nthouse in the middle of the d

eft a note. A di

open drawe

vern of emptiness. The hangers cla

e closet. He felt a loose f

piece of p

etter from Columbia Univer

Ms. V

you a place in the acc

m she didn't get in. She had said, "I'm not smart enoug

letter aga

ad sh

the thought landing like a heav

usion. If she was smart enough to get

iversity Science Block.

on the doo

sharp voi

h grey hair cut in a severe bob. She

re Va

Dr.

a lifetime in biology." Shang finally looked up. Her

ublished. I know you're stuck on the vector delivery system for the synthetic protein

t still.

rted drawing chemical structures. The markers squeaked. She for

ater, she cap

"You're overqualified for a

id. "But I need a

orrow. 7 AM. D

The air felt crisp. She took a deep breath, and for t

e street. A silver Audi

dow rol

ssy brown hair and kind eye

amiliar, but Elara

" he ca

a fr

g in the dark closet, hold

d to the paper. "You quit. And

the letter

said, trying to convince