ulled the thick, dusty curtains shut, plunging the small room

tapping the metallic hair clip behind her

cure, encrypted communication channel opened, instantly

ded in the micro-earpiece she wore. "Al

accent, cold and sharp as a shard of glass. "Status report

scrubbed. Your file is airtight. Alea Dillard, orphan, missing for ten years, presu

d any and all chatter related to neurotoxins, specifically complex, custom

eploy a tactical unit. We can have a perimeter around

a solo infiltration. I need to get inside that madhouse myself.

house. The sharp, angry staccato of high heels stri

rrowed. "Fenri

e fluid motion, she was back on the bed, pulling the

key. The door flew open, slamming against the wall. Vicky Dillard

ace as if warding off a bad smell.

e bed and ripped th

a cornered animal. Her eyes were wide with perfectly fei

ping with venom. "A little rat, hiding in

ands clenched the thin mattress, her knuckles white. Sh

supposed to be my dressing room, you know. Before

painted nails flashing in the dim light f

p never

ion shifted. The fear in her green eyes was replaced by a chilling emptiness

on it, her thumb pressing with surgical precis

onizing fire shot up her arm, rendering it instantly numb. Her

g intent that she usually kept locked away poured from her. It was the aur

eadly rasp that was utterly alien to the co

terror she had never known. She couldn't breathe. Tears of pain

lea released her grip, tossing Vicky's arm aside like a

ean to! It's just... back home, in the mountains... you have to be qui

om the bed, cradling her throbbing wrist. She

sobs echoing down the hall. "Mom! Dad! She's a psyc

n impassive. The house began to stir, lights

nd turned on the tap. She washed her left hand meti

cked mirror. A pale, plain face stared

n smile touc

going t

to the bed, and lay down, closing he