e arrived

e hallways like smoke. Mateo bolted upstairs, heart hammering, as they tore down Clara

cer shoved him aside, prying the painting from the wall. Plaster crumbled, revealing the

back. "They'll a

n broadcasted the raid live: "Vandals

Mateo's

etter onto the table. "Found

I disappear." Inside, a single pag

offshore accounts, bribes to the DA. It's buried in the garden, under the sunflower

ok. "She knew. Sh

e letter. "We ne

County Co

a), frowned at the charges: "Conspiracy, vandalism, hacking." "Prosecutors wa

He's framing us

es." Ms. Rivera lowered he

Demolishe

re Clara's patch once bloomed. Lila unearthed a rusted lockbox. Inside: spre

Lila wh

m. Eric's voice drippe

him, silent and

ed the lockb

ail vanishes. She rots in

ch us and I leak copies to

nd hissed thro

. "This i

M. Saf

ledger. "You risked

napped. "While y

. "I wanted to

oice cracked. "We're

pulled away. The scissors on

M. News

d her earpiece. "W

er. Clara's hand brush

Lila wh

a light b

ue: Mi

face at the docks. By morning, #DropBill207 trended globa

igned. Clara's bail hearing loomed.

"Eric Laure

small. "They're offering a ple

her's mural sketch.

se. "

, pale and