ed silently down the dark, w

led of expensive polish and ozone. She clutched the black titanium car

staring straight ahead. He hadn't spoke

ron gates. Armed guards in tactical gear stood in t

, steel, and black glass. It looked less like a

Silas opened her

Silas through a cavernous foyer. There was no art on the

the second floor. He stopped in front of a se

buzz sounded, and

nstructed. He di

t all the lights were off. The only illumination came from a

door clicked shut behi

er of the room, behind a massive slab of bl

in a wh

k, terrifying piece of machinery, all mat

he broad, powerful line of his shoulders beneath a dark dress shirt. H

e that made Alaina

lack, carbon-fiber tactical mask. The rumors were true.

pressing down on Alaina's chest unt

Tap

st the marble desk. The rhythmic sound echoed in

d hard. Her thr

aindications," Alaina stammered. Her voice so

her. The weight of his gaze felt physica

urotoxin inhibitor becomes highly unstable if exposed to temperatures above eighty degrees C

, his jaw clenched ti

e fabric of her wet jeans. He wanted to stand up. He wanted to

e needed to fear Mr. Durham

and, cutting her

. She took an involuntary step backward

te on the glowing tablet embedded in hi

letters read: Are

en. A cold sweat broke ou

ckly. "I... I respect the power of t

narrowed. He

. Only after my scientists verify your data. Until then,

. A golden, su

eks, but she thought of her mother lying in the

and dismissively

ractically ran out of the study, the hea

mask. He tossed it onto the marble desk. He took a deep breath, fi

tood

ctly fine. Powerful

ng window and watched Alaina sp

nce just pulled strings at the hospital. They are physica

d. The temperature i

," Kyle said softly. "I n

hone on. It instantly exploded with thir