pte

Vitiel

door, staring out the tinted window at the dead, leafless trees of the New York suburb

backseat. His long legs were crossed. In his

ack. Clic

uiet cabin. It was a habit he used durin

o my neck. The red rash from the rose pollen was still visible, angry

out a bottle of sparkling water. He poured it into a crystal glass and h

ding trees outside. I didn't turn

lammed the crystal glass down onto the walnut

to snap at me, his private phon

from my angle, I could see Sofia's name fl

ines around his mouth softened. A tiny, almost invisible smile t

pletely forgot about the glass of water. He for

o his screen. Slowly, smoothly, I slid my rig

It was no bigger than a business card. It was my last lifeline, a relic from my days as

scle memory took over. I traced the tiny keypad, key

His sharp blue eyes loc

ed my hand out, grabbing the lapel of my coat and p

ht I was just fidgeting for attention. He looked

to the pocket. My thumb moved rapidly over the tiny but

spin-o

ould receive that ping. She would initiate the final s

phone in my pocket gave a si

e rece

out the window. The reflection in the glass showed my eyes. They weren'

road of the Adirondacks. The tires crunched loudly over the thick, packed ice. The wind

me, his expression arrogant and bored. "When we get

against the cold glass. I answered

h stop halfway up the mountain. Two heavily arm

slap. I pulled my coat tighter around my

oak front doors were already pushed wide open. The warm, oran

e entrance. My pupils

ug of hot cocoa, was Sofia. She was wearing m

ur secret hid