Unavoidable

Paige

I tapped a frantic pattern on my jeans, waiting for the signal from Tommaso. According to Lyle, who I’d bribed with promises of backdoor access to the slate of programs Henley and Stephenson gave me for free, he’d just gone in. Sera sat in the front seat, almost frozen, like she had been the whole time. When I told her I was going to sit outside, she insisted on coming with, to give me moral support, but she’d gone still as soon as we got in this van. It seemed like she needed the support more than I did. Killian gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white, and released it again. Clearly, he’d rather be inside, but Tom said he didn’t have enough uniforms to add another cop to the roster. I thought he just didn’t want to be under his old boss’s heavy gaze. Olivia had also tagged along, though she intended to stay in the car the whole time. I thought she must be there for moral support.

The sharp crack of gunfire split the air. Sera turned green. My blood froze. Eons pa