Cora picks up the third call and I narrow my eyes at her even though she can’t see me. I can tell she was screening my calls and only picked up because I’d never, ever triple-call her unless something had happened.

“Ella?” I hear her worried voice say, “what’s wrong?”

“Where are you, Cora,” I demand, letting my tone tell her not to fight me.

“What -”

“Where. Are. You.”

“I’m I’m at the clinic -” she says. “What’s happening?”

“We’re sending a car for you at the clinic, now,” I say, glancing at Sinclair, who nods to me to let me know he’s on it. “Get in it immediately, Cora. Don’t speak to anyone else. Don’t ask any questions.”

“Ella,” she hesitates, her voice wavering. “I can’t-

“This is not a request, Cora,” I growl. “They came for him. They tried to take Rafe. We are sending, a car for you, and you are getting in it.”

I hear a sharp intake of breath from her side of the line, and then a moment of hesitation, and then she agrees. “All right,” she says, and I can almost see her nodding anxiously. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

I exhale a deep breath of relief and nod. “Okay. I love you, Cora,” I say, my voice wavering a little.

“I love you too,” she replies, with I don’t know what regret? In her voice?

But before I can ask more, she hangs up.

“The car is five minutes from her,” Sinclair murmurs, squeezing my hand again. “We’ll get her. It

will be fine.”

I say, closing my eyes and resting my head back against the leather

rest of the hour-long ride away

into

the car slows down and Sinclair sits up in his

lets me know that we’ve arrived because really, it

anywhere.

past five minutes have been a very uncomfortable ride and Rafe let us

it…where?” I ask, looking around at the trees on

one of the buttons usually reserved for a garage door opener. And then my mouth drops open as, in front of us, the earth just…opens, sliding upwards like the jaws of

going wide as I stare into it. “That

cool,” Sinclair corrects, shooting me a little

continue as we drive into the entrance and start to drive down a steep incline

window to hide his

who stops screeching and looks around in wonder at the sudden change

anything else as the car drives a long way down the tunnel before the passage opens out into a wide space, like a large underground car park.

if just for the moment. I hadn’t realized that I was waiting for that but, perhaps a little bit of me was expecting another blindside on the ride. It is good, honestly, to be here, underground, where I hope no

the next free space and Sinclair and I quickly unbuckle our seatbelts and prepare to get out of the car. The other car pulls up next to us and I see Sinclair’s

the move.

it all underground?” I ask, looking

of it,” Sinclair replies, “for safety. Though there are some

if we deem it safe to use

carrier with me as I back

our two guards through the entry that

entire structure is very military As

rooms we pass and note that the

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