Sovran

st wrapped in tissue paper b

ere, embedded in the walls like rot. If anyone knew I was carrying Dante'

r, my fingers trembli

signatures?" he a

e steady. "But don't file them

sky. If he realiz

til he needs to buy his conscience clea

. Be

and call

ing," I s

r is waiting in the alley behind the service entrance. My

Julian. For

rself again. Paint s

the bedroom. It was a museum dedicated

ring off my finger. It felt heavy, like a shackle falling off

it for our second anniversary. It was full of picture

of his

duffel bag. I d

The shift change for the guards was at 4:00 PM.

the handover protocol. I kept my head down, pulling my hood up against

y and white-knuckled panic. Every siren made

ty like a robot. Elena Rossi. Tourist.

watching the news o

departs for N

private Gulfstream jet. He looked powerful, untouchable. He was flying in l

y commercial plane. It was s

s per

taxied down the runway, I saw a sleek black jet

was

he sky. He was going East, to expand his

wheels left the ground, Chicago began to shrink below me. T

my stomach again, pr

ered to the tiny life

s and finally,