The fever left Stella's muscles aching and weak, sapping every ounce of strength from her body.

She was slung over a man's shoulder, every jostling step sending sharp pain shooting through her ribs.

Face contorted in agony, Stella gasped, "Cedric Clarke, put me down... My ribs are killing me..."

The man ignored her completely.

He strode out of the house into the pouring rain.

Within seconds, Stella was drenched to the bone.

"Damn it—!" The shock of cold rain jolted her fever-fogged mind awake.

She wiped the water from her face and started pounding on the man's back with what little strength she had left. "Cedric Clarke, are you crazy? If you're trying to cool me down, this is not the way! Put me down, right now!"

But instead of slowing, the man quickened his pace.

Stella froze, a sudden chill running deeper than the rain. Something was wrong. This definitely wasn't Cedric Clarke.

Cedric might be many things, but he'd never drag her, sick with fever, out into a storm.

"Who are you?" Panic rising, Stella thrashed and fought, kicking and flailing with both hands and feet. "Who the hell are you? Where are you taking me? I swear, if you don't let me go, I'll scream for help!"

The man kept silent, forging ahead.

His rain boots splashed through muddy puddles along a winding mountain path. Wind howled, rain pelted down, and thunder cracked overhead.

Through her disorientation, Stella finally caught sight of their surroundings.

She went rigid with fear.

was taking her into the

was he planning

taken judo classes-under normal circumstances, she could've flipped herself free and had this guy in a

feverish and weak, her body barely obeyed her.

Suddenly, the man stopped.

to process before he hurled

she felt herself suspended in midair-then she

his rain hood, didn't

for a split second. In that brief,

scream before her body crashed

time Cedric Clarke returned, clutching the medical kit, the

blinked in confusion. "Dr.

several times. No

knot of anxiety twisted

sick, and the storm outside was getting worse. Where could

turned to search outside, but something caught his eye- her shoes, still

have

dialed one of the male doctors. "Check with

in the living room playing cards. Wasn't Dr. Joyner supposed to

Dr. Joyner might be in trouble. Get the others, put on your rain gear, and meet me outside. We need to

We're

up and stood, his

Clarke says we all need to

you mean, missing?"

she was resting-she

She barely ate,

and she's sick-we have

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