eft behind was loud

est. The threat hung in the air like the smoke from his cigarette. F

was sleek, heavy, clearly custom hardware. It might fetch a few hundred at

ed the si

hing the light just right. Faint smudges from his fingertips revealed the swipe pattern. A g

n it vi

ed on the sc

She knew the name from the society pages, from the whis

sn't he

n Dorian Mcc

across the room. This wasn't just a phone; it was a tracking beaco

ge appeared. It wasn't a normal text bu

Security Team dispat

ed her brain into gear. She wasn't just a thief in their eyes. She was a security breach.

return it.

diving into the phone's core settings. She located the accessibility suite, a set of tools for users wi

the last nu

against her ribs

" a voi

e was low, cold, and st

emale voice of the app spoke for her

the other end. A he

t sound convinced. He sounded like a

'll leave it at the Bryant Par

ai

hung

le on the floor-an oversized gray thing that swallowed her frame-and jammed

, Ines stood on the

hing subway cars twice, checking for tails. It was par

ffice workers on lunch breaks, st

. She placed the phone on the wood and covered it with a disca

osk, her eyes fixed on the bench. She needed to see

lade pulled up to the

her paper coffee cup un

r door

clain ste

ning. He was in a charcoal suit that fit him like

walk towar

eyes scanned the crowd, bypassing t

locked

opped b

How did

was precise within inches. He wasn't looking for the d

eft the phone

ted her

tic met h

the wrong phone. She had left her own cracked,

" she m

n't need to. The crowd parted for him like the Red Sea.

urned

e took two steps before a h

it was absolute. His fingers

s spun

startling shade of gray, flecked with something tha

?" he murmured. His voice was a low

tightened, pressing against the thin, white

er throat locked. Her mouth opene

He pulled her closer, ig

ngs to discu

er. He turned and dragged