Page 5 (1/2)

"Yeah" Marina nods, glancing at ure that out"

"What’s with the look?"

"It’s nothing, dividing up chores is a good idea," Marina says, then nervously looks away She definitely has so else on her mind

"Come on, Marina What’s up?"

"I just--" She picks up a dishtoringing it while she speaks "For so long, I was living without direction, not really knohat a Garde should be like Then, Six came to find me in Spain and showed ht before you led us into battle against the adorian in existence It was like--, these three really knohat they’re doing They can handle themselves"

"Uh, thanks"

"But now it’s been days since we got back, and I’ain Like we don’t knoe’re doing So I guess, what I’, is if there’s a plan beyond chore duties?"

"Working on that," I mumble

I don’t want to tell Marina that our next ht We have no idea where Setrákus Ra ht in New Mexico and, even if we did, I still don’t feel like we’re ready to take the fight to hi for Number Five; the locater tablet we found in Malcolround bunker showed us a dot off the coast of Florida that pretty much has to be him And then there’s Sam Sarah swore that she saw him in New Mexico, but we never came across him at Dulce With Setrákus Ra apparently able to take on other people’s for to believe that’s who she saw, and that Sa he’s still alive

Sowe should be doing Yet I’ve been dragging my feet these last few days, too stuck on our near defeat in New Mexico to focus ona plan Maybe it’s the comfort of Nine’s penthouse after a near-death experience, not to mention years on the run for all of us, but it seeroup needs a breather If any of the a proper plan, they haven’t shown it

Oh, and there’s souess it’s sort of like Marina wanting to try out all the appliances in Nine’s fancy kitchen; I want to spend so with Sarah I wonder what Henri would think of that He’d be disappointed in my lack of focus, I know that, but I can’t help myself

As if on cue, Sarah wraps her ar her face into the back of hts that I didn’t even hear her pad into the kitchen

"Good ive her a sloeet kiss

Stressed out as I’ve been, I’s where I get to wake up and kiss Sarah, then have a nor she’ll be there when I wake up

Sarah puts her face close to ri out of bed in the h on the roof

"Is everything all right?" Sarah asks

"Yeah, of course," I say, trying to distract her with another kiss "You’re here How could it not be?"

Marina clears her throat, probably worried we’re going to start ht in the kitchen Sarah winks atwhisk out of the air and taking over on the eggs

"Oh," Sarah says, looking back atfor you"

"Great," I reply "What’s he want?"

Sarah shrugs "I didn’t ask Maybe he wants to share sohtfully, studying me "Actually, that probably wouldn’t be so bad"

"What do you ain"

I groan, heading out of the kitchen to go find Nine I realize the penthouse is his hoht toaround shirtless alets I’ over hi to annoyin the penthouse’s spacious living roos are tucked underneath her on a plush white couch, a cup of coffee cradled in her hands We haven’t talkedback fro around her and Sarah at the saht feel the sa me Six looks up when I enter, her eyes half opened and drowsy She looks as tired as I feel

"Hey," I say "Hoas she last night?"

Six shakes her head "She was up all night She’s just now getting sohtmares to the list of proble ever since we left New Mexico, so bad that Six and Marina have been alternating sleeping in her rooet too freaked out

I lower my voice "Does she tell you what she sees?"

"Bits and pieces," Six says "She hasn’t been real talkative, you know?"

"Before New Mexico, Nine and I had visions that seeh

"Eight ht they were Setrákus Ra taunting us so At least, that’s how I thought of the out what Ella’s uess they could be soe," Six says dryly, "but have you considered there’s a simpler explanation?"

"Like what?"