dy rain began to fall over Washington D.

blurry streetlights through the wet glass. Her heart beat a

echoed outside. They stopp

Cale stepped in right behind him, holding a matte black insulated thermos. Ella shot up straight. Her eyes immediately drop

-new, perfectly sized clothes. Cale walked over to the bedside table, set down

. He twisted the lid off. The rich, heavy smell of hot chicken sou

all bowl attached to the lid. He held it

e took the bowl, the side of her index

ped between their skin. Javier yanked his hand back

sips of the hot soup. Her eyes darted up thr

the corner. He pulled off his suit jacke

k, black laptop with a military-grade encryption se

e pulled a pair of rimless, blue-light blocking glas

light illuminated the sharp, unforgiving an

icking of the keyboard

he empty bowl on the table. Javie

e adequate?" he as

down the mattress, pulling the t

de, facing the sofa. S

d up and pinched the bridge of his nose

gesture made Ella's st

of the storm, mixed with the sharp clicking of

kept her awake for weeks beg

lanket up higher, leaving only her eyes

sitting there, not

deepened into a slow, steady rh

stantly. Javier's hands hover

glasses at the girl sleeping soundly on the bed.

out a long, heavy breath that sounded like