aist like a brand. She forced her shaking legs to move, following hi

and impending death. The rhythmic, mechanical hiss of the ventila

s hands deep into the pockets of his tailored trousers and stared out at the Manhattan skyline.

t hanging from the footboard. She flipped it open, forcing her eyes to focus on the

ing vibration shattered

ced at the screen. It was K.C. Pierce, his most trusted ex

dn't care who was listening. He swiped th

Collis

to know something catastrophic had just been delivered. She watched as Collis's entire body went terrifyingly rigid. The absolute zero temperature in his eyes instantly sh

ore; it was the suppressed, agonizing roar of a wounded beast bleeding out. "Yo

edge of the paper chart. Her

The main su

iolent, physical spasm, as if a sniper'

stared at it for a fraction of a second.

is snarled. His voice was

o other adult survivors were found in that tent during the airstrike five years ago. Asi

tly flooded with red. The veins in

n't human. It was the roar

e next to him. The force of the blow shattered the th

face. The two nurses in the corner gasped, sh

her lower lip so hard that the skin split. The m

d to

d through her mind. That was where she had lost everything. That was where her newbo

sharp it felt like a physical

a violent, unhinged grief. "Turn that entire fucking desert upside down! Si

and hurled the phone

the window. The screen shattered into a spiderweb of

aved violently. His bloodsh

right through her, his fractured mind desperately searchin

e shed tears of rage over her death. It was the s

. She tightened her grip on the meta

hip across the room. It was loud, sharp, and entirely

hed. He stared at her,

ient's heart rate," Alivia continued, pointing a sti

sed the distance between them in three massive strides. He stopped inche

s breath hot against her fa

efused to step back. She looked

hal whisper. "I answer to the monitor keeping your gra

combustible energy. Eleanor held her breath, t

nizing seconds. His jaw clenched

laring out behind him. He marched to the door, ripped it open, and

d heavily into the plastic chair beside the bed, her fingernails di