actuall

ne buzz

kidding.

ugh. She threw her phone onto the sofa. He was play

he peephole. The

hed the grief about Irving into a small, dark box in the back

e big sunglasses on the subway. She arrived

s to the 40th floor. She stepped into the

ut, a hand-long fingers, a heavy silver

bounced

stepp

button was undone, revealing the holl

nd didn't lo

, pressing the but

gainst the back wall.

r. "It's my building,

nd. Then, suddenly, there w

g the files. The lights flickered and died. The ele

er hip hitting t

swallow

ered on, casting the small

, breathing hard. "My

e had flown out when she fell. She s

A spiderweb of cracks obscured everythin

cried, tapping the

ng beside her.

o her eyes. "The evidence! I had the scree

ng her frantic tapping. "Forge

his eyes look black. "I'm fine. But I l

els. He looked around the small, enclosed space

t was jerky. He pressed the

he said. His

g the railing so hard his knuckles we

okay?"

ne," he

oke piece of Italian wool-and drop

anded. "It wil

the jacket. "Yo

down,

. Ezra sat down next to her, extending his long

ad back against the metal wall. His

ophobic," Hali

his eyes. "Don'

You're s

rough gritted teeth. "Just

m. The invincible

anized. She talked about the coffee machine on the 12th floor that al

ing slowly evened out. His hand, which had b

e. The trapdoor in the ceiling opened. A be

maintenance. We hav

oked at Hali. His gaze was

first,"

his hands. He interlaced h

my hands,

ated. "You

o

s strength surprising her. She reached up and grabbed the

the elevator car, then onto th

d back to

s he swung his leg over the

ttural sound of pain,

caugh

into the concrete wall of the maintenance shaft. Ezr

Hali whispered

e leaned against the wall, refusing to put

," he gri

ough the fabric of his trousers, she couldn't see a

" the maintenance guy said.

s one flight up to the 40th floo

stepped under his arm, wrap

e he wanted to push her away, to maint

weight se

ou," he

tairs slowly. Step.

li asked quietly

aid, his voice strai

caught a glimpse of his ankle. The skin was twisted, marred by jagged,

y was there, looking as close to p

hed forward, takin

and pushing them both away. He adjusted

red, not looking at Hali. "The latest mo

need-" Ha

omp issue," Ezra c

vate office on that floo

t aching. Not for her broken phone. But for

-