- THE FI

idn't

dn't e

y dressed, knees pulled up, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The neon sign outside blinked through

survived

rmed men chasing h

ep heir to one of the most powerful corporate empires in the countr

not survive he

dictable systems-those things felt safe. Comforting. She cou

her mind felt

ry footstep in the hallway sounded like a mercenary moving into position

d the door

he dea

the c

sleeping either. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, fingers steepled under his chin. His dark

ing again," he

," she m

u a

Embarrassment washed over her in a hot wave. She didn't like being watch

n wasn't j

thing that made her chest tighten. Concer

d," he said, voice low. "Trust me. I've seen seaso

her feel better.

want my life back. I want my job. My apartment. My boring lit

m fell

a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap and handed it to her befo

he said softly. "But not witho

nd today involves... w

d. "Just long enough to ex

the only reason she was breathing right now. As if it wasn

r aside and star

She couldn't say the words. Murder. Bribery. Laundering. It didn't feel real. "Why not send it to

s jaw ti

in the building uses flash drives daily. It could've been dro

ted, offended and oddly

-harmless. Invisible. Nobody notices you,

r knees close

hispered. "Someone knew exactly wh

ack in the chair. "That's

eath h

ries y

a seriousness that m

o recover the drive," he said. "They were

blood drain f

d to kill me, not ju

dded

l. Too hot. She struggled to br

eed you to listen to something, an

up, body

fe. This isn't about the flash drive anymore-they know your face. They k

eyes shut, trying

she said. "I didn't

kno

ally-he seemed to sense she was too close to breaking. But h

re in it,

retched be

suddenly

t if they followed us here? Wh

haled. "Th

n't kno

l and cut the cameras before we entered. As far as my father's mercenaries are

blin

cut the

don't

pered, "are you som

m 'disappointment

n't know whether to trust him, fear

knew o

ying about

't exag

't pret

etween her and a violent death sh

her in ways she c

–––

es pa

e hum of the broken AC unit rattling in

to look at the drive again," she said weakly. "Maybe

s head immediate

y n

austed. Your hands

she said t

f you look at the drive in your current

mouth to argu

as r

scrambled, f

g a pillow like a shield. Not to slee

ing through the curtains with the wariness o

re body

caught. "Wha

he said quietl

art pl

urtain and turned to

just pulled into

ulse

w m

. "SUV. Blacked

acked. "Wh-w

er, his voice low, ste

spered. "And we pray th

finish the

d hit them both

erate knock o

ntire wo

eyes snapp

breathless whis

U

didn't c

what made

ulated-like the person outside was listening, waiting, s

blanket as though it could shield her from bullets. Her pulse

, precise, predatory. He crossed the room with fluid ste

ide.

instincts finally kicking in. This wa

s hap

, barely breathing, but Donov

t close

ing with me?" she whi

t them," he said quietly. "And

dropped. "Do

rmured. "Unless

ame-a faint click from the lock outside. N

to

ng th

ody turn

e breathed, cov

athroom door mostly shut, leaving nothi

d the tub. Keep your head down. D

tched painful

o

hind the old enamel tub, crouching low, her body folding into a trembli

, balanced budgets, colo

ver run fo

metallic snick. The do

wer

ing. She couldn't see them, but she heard everything-boots cros

ces. Ma

y. The other breathed throug

hese things wit

me next-calm, stra

boys

a f

provoki

"Unless you're here to fix the AC. In which c

cut through the ro

dn't

can hide from your fat

led. "Hide? I

eathing, as another set of boots

e of

med merc

st her ribs so violently she

e?" another

ls dug int

h

re here

e flas

ything

e

mocking. "Which 'she' are we tal

ed was sharp-a fist c

hole bod

e knew he didn't fall because the m

n," the m

t blood ont

have to be more s

ith being charming is t

n co

knees. Please don't shoot hi

d, "The accountant. T

pear. Melt into the

e didn't waver. N

heard o

lammed him aga

eeth chattered. The mercena

to tell us w

n said smoothly, "you id

choed-the sound of a gu

ree. Donovan was doing this-baiting, provokin

s wor

rror made

nd entered the room-

cr

re spli

nt of

n c

ing. A body slammed into the television. The lamp crashed to the ground

ed-low, furio

stayed home ton

ts exp

e sh

the sonic shock, lines fracturing

and over her mouth

The tub trembled beneath her.

ut-one short, sh

h

t the gro

le

er soul lea

o, no

trembling, reaching t

?" she w

ans

tiled floor and pressed her ear to the door

l no

urred he

g," she whisper

he hea

ed breath on t

. stay

fr

was

as a

ots dragged across the floor. One of

sped, "She's he

ood turne

e. "Don't yo

rd the bathroom door-stumbl

ainst the bathtub, terror

mercenary hissed, "a

he thin wooden barrier that

handle

twi

h

L

threw his shoulder into it. The hing

scr

the door a

od spl

dered near

nearly

e erupted, fur

Y from t

h. A punch. An

"You can't stop me, Hal

gun

e? F

ouldn't breathe. Couldn

re motel room

terrifyin

onising mo

ano

anot

rang from

shook unco

d under the

until it felt like i

-the door hand

n

ic

shed the d

ed just

ough to

no

y sta

, a cut across his cheek,

sharp, wild, elect

al

m his mouth with t

omething fierce-something p

rasped, "we

barely whispering,

t dead. But unconsciou

e floor, one arm steadying her, the other gripping

pulling her close. "We have to mo

"I can't-I'm shaking-

steady, unbreakable. "Because I

d her to

er into

looked down

et, next to the unc

that turned

ph

conn

on a

t up with one

A.L.E. SECURIT

n broadcasti

d