Vanishin
was deliberate,
and, Mr. M
nveyed somethin
le def
sal to
s expectation h
ur confirmat
ause was
y's file and make
e went
er was palpable, eve
don't
u, sir," Ethan repl
my company, a
cations w
swayed by Montgo
a's mani
voice dropped t
scuss thi
ne wen
d tall, hi
dn't ba
Montg
to a
ne buzz
e, it wa
ia's left
eyes n
curity rem
firmation w
s,
ughts turne
fi
termin
rept onto
Montgomery dicta
ful, Montgomery's wor
dawned, he shoo
lm envelope
d Rachel
ir," Rachel answ
nday. You're
files, Rachel,"
bring Emily with yo
pause w
at church
ything once the
e drifted t
within
firmation wa
s,
nded th
hts turne
think of this
, Ethan's mi
he f
's deter
gomery'
rough Ethan's estate,
his chair, his
ntrance, where Rach
hel said, her vo
ily and her file
mile was
you,
nded Etha
an said, tur
iscuss y
sparkled wi
that, Etha
ker of
of attr
ssed the
the tas
y no
turned
y leave, sir
n no
you,
d, Ethan gestured
ourself comfort
er hands cla
d her, open
ew your wor
eyes
a mo
n focused o
ized Emily's
s caught hi
plain these discre
rward, her eyes
I was working on a gr
ates submitted a
the professor
gaze n
didn't re
cheeks
didn't want to ruin
xpression
d by her
time, he tru
y hair cascade
t artificia
elain sk
lingered on
rked wit
ophia des
nted, kind,
oughts sta
ned his
he unwanted
the tas
clarifying, Emi
rofessiona
rk is im
y sm
shing ove
could explai
n no
ication i
discusse
ed to maintai
sence had u
couldn't
offering Emily
de inte
to reveal his g
gged the t
t a day, I supp
y no
ld head
river take you,
hesi
han in
ames," Ethan said
r arrived
Mr. Ethan,
arted with
tched he
ett
since his parents
guarded
d breached
l Em
humi
be
ted
oved aside t
sn't
lo
lnerab
he file still o
y's threa
orities rem
ine
tec
m for
e
le lingered
sense of
ushed i
dn't su
t
ning passed
wandered
ey
ok his
on Mon
he t
phone
e flashed on
en asking questio
ut E
grip t
d you te
ing,
oo
nded th
's med
elc
t let her
thout
ght wo
ghts remaine
termin
kind
t shake th
ly was d
ec
defenses r
om fo
for vuln
e told
ting a warm glow o
larm blar
the sleep f
00
start
freshe
d her
d her
o a crisp b
ents already sat at
g, sweetie,"
om. Dad," E
oo sm
day a
y no
s to do at
a steaming bo
kly, don'
oured her
i, and scra
r the b
see you tonigh
ly!" Min-So
rabbed
out t
rning air in
walk to
bus
d the morni
the cit
led toward Thom
ughts turne
eting ye
ercing
t skippe
uld tod
us st
y st
tion's sleek bu
face t
etermi
epped of
bustlin
whatever Monda
into Thomps
nist greeted
orning,
ing," Emil
way to her
tle
up her
ing her task
at the
50
dn't arr
wond
alway
oday an
shru
d on h
g sunlight
floor-to-cei
ting the
immerse
r pro
utes ti
10
no E
curios
e wa
erythi
she po
tor doors
steppe
fid
ing att
scanned
onto
leeting
sp
h
toward h
ut a
ing
der
nce seemed to
a flutter i
used on h
ake off the
gaze dri
closed of
what lay
eting ye
ntens
ing qu
bustled a
gues c
rds cl
phone
e flashed on
han wants
eart skip
" she
e head to h
ok a dee
d her t
od
ed her
ward Etha
or swu
eyes m
orning,
voic
man
rning, M
y re
, have
gest
ir opposit
ly
it
ed back in
e a new assig
ld pro
curiosit
objective?
document cons
ous mark
son res
y no
derst
nded her
ils i
directly
ook the
ific requ
Ethan
nderc
Innovation
end
eyes w
scr
n no
olut
s mind
quest
an's ex
reso
n tom
9
ort
one
y st
erst
rned t
s voice st
mi
es
care
es locked
care
through the b
and pen
consumer
ding
nstr
ted dow
hasing
or inter
in he
didn't
men watc
ross th
s locked
nister
sensed
la
n appr
asped
ot
ted
er h
h us," he
heart
me
stru
y dragg
rom th
waiti
ding
the m
y's
d from
cr
ff
the
ppea
city's
's wa
in he
care
la
an st
andoned
's ca
d her
ou?" Emily
remained
aces ob
mas
ulled
otog
Eth
nd out soo
ily's
ken
Contin
mily e
her capt
an inv
pense b