ntic rhythm on the hardwood floor. Mia was hunched over her laptop, typing furiously,

muttered. "Using a burner phone

mon said, hugging her arms arou

hone

de all three

ffee table like it was a bomb. The scre

as a

en it," M

hispered. Her trembling

opened. It wa

nto the microphone, creating a distorted, howling noise. The camera panned down to show feet in

amera turn

s eyes wild and bloodshot, his hair matted. But his smile

nd whipped his words away, but the

nnamon cover

o the giant neon 'W' sign behind him. "Your fianc

000. 5,000. Comments were scrolling by faster than

y minutes. Come to the roof. Alone. If I see cops, I jump. If I see that suit-wearin

, grabbing Cinnamon's a

otel... if he blames Arturo..." The IPO. The SEC investigation. A suicid

t Arturo's comp

age! It's my future! And... I need a conf

"I'm going. Mia, is

a parabolic mic and a long-lens camera," Mia con

ive," Cinnamon retorted, her eyes hard.

lready ou

ack seat, she watched the stream. Chase was reciting a poem n

he other line. "Pick up, pi

aned upward, phones recording. A few police cruisers were just arrivi

h the crowd. A uniform

, stay

'm Cinnamon Taylor! He's asking f

s. The hotel manager ran out, pale and sweating. "Ms.

me up.

, Cinnamon looked at her phone. The signal bars dropped to o

r office of Watts Capital, Arturo

on Watts Hotel Ro

drained from his face, leavin

und echoing through the sui

amon. Straight

ne against the w

. Cinnamon stepped out onto the gravel surface. The wind

of the helipad, twenty feet away

ed over the wind. "I

toward the adjacent building, ensuring Mia's operative had a clear

talk. We need to fly. We're going to be t

The box cutter was in the oth

ry instinct screamed at her to run, but she forced herself

d the blade.

as ten feet away. She could

lled the air. It grew louder, vibratin

, screaming som

the tail rose up over the edge of the building