on the shoulder of I-94, hazard lights blinking in the downpour. Private

e battered Linco

e," Kaela

ained things no pharmacy sold. She walked toward the convoy,

orward, weapon ra

fled by the mask. She flashed the scree

eapon, talking into his

e middle SUV. Th

sweat, and underneath it all, the faint, me

evastating. High cheekbones, a jawline that could cut glass, and dark hair plastered to

ing over a monitor. "Tachycardia. 140 bpm. He'

he door slid shut,

ed, looking at Kaela's muddy boots and

hed out, placing two finger

ered like a trapped bird. But the moment she touched him, h

illness wash

s neck. Sandalwood. And something else. A bi

synthetic s

la said, her voice flat. "He's in a l

out a small spray bottle fille

shrieked. "That is not

the mist directly into Barron's face. "It's concentra

nhaled t

eaving. The monitor beeped-a slower,

screen, mouth agape.

reaming in his head-the drill, the fire, the crash-had silenced. Replac

n his neck. Cool

me in months, th

. "Tell Alistair Kaufman someone is slow-dosing

aled. "Who

hood lower. "Some

d. Transfer com

rned t

, a hand

was crushing. His knuckles turned white. It wasn't the weak gr

ried to pull away.

terling stammered. "

. Veins popped against the sk

nging her masked fac

she whispered. "I

second longer-a challenge-and then, slo

and exited the veh

clear, and focused. There was no madness in them. Only the col