apidly drained what little he

ump tore through her fractured dermis and bruised muscles, sendin

with fresh, dark crimson blood. The hot fluid dripped from her fingertips

mbrace, her arms wrapped tightly around his nec

... my ankle is twiste

cie's body hitting the pavement had struck his chest li

y rainwater, her bleeding arm curled weakly against

aci

reath violently ri

that she nearly lost her footing, and dropped to his knees o

t tou

raised

eyes. No grief, no anger, n

trable disgust-the look one reserv

houlders, held back by an invisible, bottomless chasm. His hear

bow to brace against the cold ground. Using the iron ridge of the speed bump for

, stabbing spasms through her bruised lower back. Fresh blood dripped from her

s unyielding posture with hidden venom befo

just lost my balance from the diz

r to steady her shivering legs. Her voice was terrifyingly calm, devoid of any human em

snapped, surging to his feet, trying desperately to drown out

ef," Gracie said, her amber eyes cutt

Turning on her heel, she began walking towar

er uninjured arm. "Miles's car is right behind us

spun

the inner pocket of her coat. With a sharp, mechanical snick, the razor-sharp bla

g by a single decibel. "Under New York Penal Law, if you take one more

soles froze instantly

disbelief at the wom

im in soft, compliant whispers, waiting

d completely, revealing a tempered steel blade capable

ced motion, slipped it back into her pocket, and w

blood from her left knuckles as

open the door with her left hand, and slid into the worn r

clothes. Gracie leaned her head back against the vinyl headr

screen ticked forward: 29

vate contact that had remaine

n finish. Gonzalo Bailey's deep, steady voice came

g from this line at two in

ffocating knot in Gracie's chest loosened sli

and?" she asked softly, watching t

isp sound of a fountain pen being set down on a desk. G

your independent laboratory, and every single core alg

over her battered body. "Send the encrypted employment agreement to my

s executed tonight," Gonzalo sa

sed the bridge and entered the quiet

dy up the grand stone steps, and slipped quie

ng the lock with a solid click, and collaps

her right forearm and the dirt smeared across he

t the edge of the mattress, resting like a

and, her table

onzalo had arrived in her inbox, glowing with the l

e smartphone began to buzz

s's private line, flashing

er left thumb, she flipped the phone face down onto the night