lley behind the Tribeca penthouse. Vivian's bare feet slapped against the wet pavement, her breath short and sharp. Adrian winced with every

sed, glancing over his shoulder.

dodging past racks of croissants and confused staff. The kitchen smelled of vanilla and roasted almonds.

ted with a spatula.

a back door befor

ielding tourists. She ducked into the crowd, and Adrian followed, trying to process what had just happened. His w

se it

she panted. "Phones, cameras, traffic lights. Yo

an barked. "You let me

eared mascara across her face, and her eyes-once soft, now harde

ce?" she shot back. "Yo

your deat

debts, Adrian-dangerous ones. People coming after me.

. "And I was part of

he street. Black SUV. Tinted win

es widened.

cursed as Adrian shoved past his hot dog cart. Behind them

ragged. The alley was narrow and reeked of garbage and spilled paint thinner. Rats sk

boost," V

he caught the bottom rung and pulled herself up with surprising strength.

from the vehic

houted. "Don't

g. The metal groane

drian scrambled up behind her as bullets punched through t

on the gravel-coat

rom inside her blouse. She dialed

op on Prince and Lafayette... tell Marcu

t her. "Who the

e who actually knows how dee

A door slammed open. Heavy

his knees. "W

e opposite edge of

ross a ten-foot gap. The street yawned below, fi

ane," Adria

nswer. She spri

ding rough but steady. She t

ed up, hear

hated height

nking my wife was

he

is ears. His foot hit th

opped away

hins, but he was alive. Vivian gra

ftop door slammed op

into the skeleton of a building under construction. Tools

er a bucket. Vivi

e roared

red window. Her shoulders

nd gleaming. The rider-leather jacket, mirro

ian's sleeve. "We

what?!"

ing. "We land on the scaffolding.

l mesh below swayed in t

an j

ct, then stood, wa

mbed onto

ea

u

, rolled, and nearly slid of

d down and mounted th

n," Viv

anished int

neon dragons and flickering lanterns. Adrian clung to Viv

oing?" he shout

e. Brooklyn. Someone who ca

eth. "I'm not disappe

idn't

iver glinting below like black oil. Storm clo

tal shutters, graffiti-tagged walls, a row of abandoned

ot o

voice: "

"Ashes d

r groan

bank of servers humming. A man with an eyepatch sat

vian. Didn't expe

und us,"

. "And the husband r

forward. "You

man replied. "Wolfe's obsession wi

aw tighten

on screen. A paused video blinked to l

rian. Sittin

sn't in t

d. Wolfe's AI taps every camera, traffic light, drone.

lt cold.

you were harmless. That you'd never l

tolerate disobedience. You're both targ

o Vivian. "So w

d. Not as a woman escaping he

ght have just destroyed the onl

said. "No