black t-shirt. She signed her discharge papers a

hit her face. She narrowed

hot exhaust fumes filled her

the curb. The driver laid on the

walked to the van, pulled open the heavy s

look at t

he passenger seat, ba

ings the hate-watchers," Effa sneere

s from her pocket and shoved them into

and typed Guillermo's n

ds of articles. Guillermo Sims:

up Kayla's neck. Her teeth groun

Coast Highway. Effa ended her ca

red finger at Kayla. "Don't do anything stupid

d one earbud out.

said. Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "I read the ledger on the phone you j

color. Her mouth opened

ud back in and loo

into a suffoc

to a massive, modern glass villa sitt

The salty ocean breeze whipp

nd the driveway, carryin

ction assistant with a clipboard walked right past her,

stood still, her eyes

eras tucked into the palm tr

tood near the garage, whis

nternet joke,

itched into a c

d shoved a laminated schedule into

he memorized the timestamps

d noise. A neon-green sports car slammed o

ut. She wore oversized sunglasses and

s swarmed he

yla, she deliberately dropped her shoulde

t a loud, m

yed planted. She

d her shoulder, exactly where Bria ha

tion tent, the director's eyes

r waved the

her suitcase and walked thro

right. A massive crystal chandel

at on the plush velvet sofas. Th

r a tight, d

dn't smile. She didn't tr

chair in the darkest corne

ys. This wasn't the desperate, attent

in the ceil

rough the intercom. "Welcome to

ed directly into the lens of th

re dark and