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There are so many ways in which the human body reacts to stress Elevated heart rate Inso Chest pains Dizziness The list is absolutely endless I think I experience each and every item on that list as Zeth and I drive across state lines back into Washington

A s in the other direction A sh the whole da a s to all things holy that no Mexican or English gangsters find their way up there Not us, though Oh, no That would be far too sensible No, we’re on our way to ent—a wo upent Lowell again, but it doesn’t look like I havealong behind us on the loudest motorcycle ever invented I swear, there has never been atogether for the past sixty miles The situation’s not helped by the four other bikers following a hundred feet behind hi Rebel’s Humvee, and Michael’s passed out cold on the back seat, oblivious to the throaty roaring of the bikes at our rear

Zeth’s been relatively silent since we set off at dawn, and I haven’t felt h noe’re drawing closer to our destination I can sense he wants to say soh, stillingit “You knohat you have to do e get there, right?” he says

His hair has grown since he brought Lacey into the ER all those weeks ago I sos as visiting a barber to get a trim He see so very human and necessary shouldn’t really affect him

His aviators shield his deep brown eyes, but I know the kind of look he’ll be wearing: Concern Displeasure Irritation He’s been switching between those outward displays of eent Lowell on my own Not Zeth’s idea of a sain, neither is either he or Rebel turning up to the ht off the bat

That’s leftEnforceency, and I’ knee “Yeah, I knohat I need to do,” I confirive her any infor Make sure I’ follohen I leave—”

“They’re definitely going to be following you when you leave You just have to rips hold of the steering wheel so hard his knuckles blanch He goes back to staring out of the windshield, his jaw clenching and unclenching “You shouldn’t be doing this,” he growls under his breath

He’s worried aboutthis decision And he’s sweating it hard—to let me do as Rebel asks sothis for her anyo But while I doubt I’ll be speaking to Alexis any tiet her hands on her She’stosystem is that he’ll also help us find Lacey if we help hiet on that front

Lacey

We’re still reeling from that one I just can’t wrap one with Charlie after everything he’s put Zeth through After he tried to run as station, for no good reason other than to cause a scene

Zeth won’t even say his sister’s name

I kno he feels

Despite that, I can’t help feeling nauseous Is Lace okay? Is she freaking out? Is she coping, given it’s been forty-eight hours since Charlie took her to see the Duchess, the catatonic woman has no doubt died by now? Sheleft at all, and Lacey believed the wo havoc with her head

“Sloane? Are you listening? Which line are you going to catch?” Zeth’s gravel-filled voice interruptsI concentrate

“The 458 I get off at the university and change over I et the hell out of there”

Zeth grunts, chewing on his bottom lip I’ve never seen him do that before His shoulderto tell her?” he asks “What are you going to tell Lowell?”

I play the script out in ot it all memorized Not hard, really, when Rebel wants me to tell the truth “I don’t knohereat an undisclosed location for her guarantee she’s going to do as we ask, at which point he will hand hi a decree fro you, Michael and ainst us, and then I tell her where he is”