spital tasted like exh

adrenaline was fading, leaving her kne

Car pulled up. It was

, a man named Gary who had always

"He says stop making a scene an

the car. It was

o to hell," sh

o ride, lady. You got no

mble cut

ment, growing into a deep, throaty ro

looked in his rearview

r, a phalanx of

rilles that gleamed like bared teeth. They moved in perfect for

or the traffic. They si

to slam on his brakes and mount the curb. The other cars box

ame out. This was a motorca

clack-

six cars opened

ck suits, earpieces, and sunglasses. They were

recision, forming a per

e with the flag holde

out. Instead, a gl

f a man named Marcus, walked up to Aleigha

t his movements formal, hiding the familial warmth he f

ooming enough for Gary to hear. "The Cha

gha. Not

ary dropped his phone

ack lapel pin, devoid of the Kemp family

es again, but these

re a glance at the Lincoln. She sli

nd sandalwood. It was quiet, hermetica

e face of an older man appeared. He had s

The billiona

Aleigha w

u look thin, habibti. Did

leaning back into th

an said firmly. "And th

. He was just in time to see the tail light

sta

s that?" Bart a

ooking pale. "Boss... they picked her up. Like

He looked at t

last dime renting a fake motorcade to make me jealous. That's why there wer

hone to call her, t

umber you have reac

not exist. It was as if the digital identity of

like a ghost had just walked over his grave. He shook it off. "Chea