xa'

n are still seated at the long table, leaning toward each ot

or a second, I hesitate at the doorway. If I stand here any longer, I

I say carefully, "I need to head out for

an say anything, Jackson is already responding. "I'll send one of my men to g

ry," I say quickly, waving my hand. "Rodney couldn't hurt a fly. He's harmless." I force a laug

his gaze steady, assessing, and

"It's past seven, Alexa.

ike a performance than anything genuine, and grab my

ull out my phone and dial Rodney, but it rings and rings without an answer. A second later, my screen

far but its still

my stuff and com

iraling roads with barely any streetlights. My shoes scuff against uneven p

en I h

cre

w and it slices thr

gnore it, I know I should. But my body moves anyway, my feet dragging m

g the road. I shove branches aside, and that's when I

ly not." I mu

ulling it open, the rusty h

stantly, damp, stale, filled with smoke that lingers in the air. A weak glow flickers

through the darkne

vering, but I don't stop walking.

enough for voices to spill through. I pre

a chair, beaten

f authority, circles him like a predator. Fou

for him without me finding out?" the man in the suit asks, his voic

ing out desperate and cracked. "Please-I'

e's heard it all before. Then, without h

through the tun

ds over my mouth to smother the s

lumps, his bod

shoves me backward. My foot hits an empty bottle, the clat

his head up. His eyes na

olt, sprinting for the hatch, lungs bu

hear the

re step and

aking hands slowly, my breath ragged

n ar

mering, every nerve

n guns are aime

" one ma

s. "Spy or not, I do

hreaten to give out as seve

n chaos

thick smoke fills the room. The air burns my throat

ne in the fog,

steady and familiar v

e smoke, down a narrow corridor stacked with crates.

figure beside me, head to toe in

he way to a barricaded exit. "Hel

. I know t

until the path clears. Heavy footsteps close in from behind. He

d. He pulls a grenade from his bag, lobs it back in

the mansion's distant lights come into vi

e slows, he yan

t almos

ro

racks, disbelief

arper. "Do you go looking for t

through the fear. "How did

he strap of his bag like he's talking about the weather.

ghtens at the way he says i

d their name like you've always known who they

s tone is fla

ong to them

able. Then slowly, he r

t a gun, the moonlight

error. "Baron, why d

ause what I'm about to tell you could cost you y

dry. "What ar

, but not at me, just enou

g to the