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"Drea?" Jared asked with an a a bike to Gerainst his shoulder

Sinking back into oblivion,to let the airplane noise fade into the background

The lights were diht, it was hard to focus Jared had left his seat I wondered how long we had been en route, and looked behind me to the restroo

I stumbled to the back of the plane, and knocked on the lavatory door When he didn’t answer, I opened it

Empty

My eyes strained to see in the darkness, but I could vaguely make out the top of Jared’s head He was back in his seat, patiently waiting for me

"Thirty-thousand feet in the air with nowhere to hide and you stil keepintonext tointohere?"

"It’s been a while, Nina"

"I’ Gabe was behind er be within two blocks while I slept uts than I usual y had

"Talk Jared into turning back, Nina We don’t have time for this"

"Ti so theatrical? Just tel me e need to do and we’l do it"

Gabe didn’t react "Turn back, Nina"

His eyes were black again It made me lass bal s in his sockets was downright disturbing

"No Claire needs us"

Gabe didn’t react to ers sitting atop his lap He wore an expensive suit, the saers were dirty and worn, as if he’d been digging in soil

"Find the book"

"How? Jared has talked to Eli, Saht is not Jared's It's yours"

"Great More riddles," I said, crossingabout the situation at hand I looked to Gabe Even with his shark eyes, he was stil so to die?"

The plane hit turbulence, and a bit of bouncing evolved into what felt like a several-hundred-foot drop As I gripped the arain

"Listen"

"I can’t listen if there’s nothing to hear!"

"Listen," he repeated

The plane fel again, causing the overhead storage bins to vohts flickered violently until they surrendered, and the fuselage turned dark

I jerked awake, and Jared sat where Gabe had been The lights were on, and the floors were clear of debris

"It’s you," I said, relieved

"Yes," he said with a confused smile, "who did you think it would be?"

After a short pause, I shook ot where I was for a second"

Jared nodded, and then rested his hand on my knee "We’l be there in two hours"

He spent the reements for a car to pick us up at the airport, and for a friend, Colonel Jason Brand to meet us at Landstuhl with visitor identification

Upon arrival, the pace accelerated The second the plane caht with us in hand, and he held outthe stairs of the plane, it was clear why Jared had to make so many phone call s Pilots walked to and fro out jets, while others were busy with flight inspections Jet engines screamed as they prepared for takeoff

We had landed at Ramstein air base Jared’s connections spanned farther than I had i car The driver was a stranger to me He spoke fluent German to Jared, so I was unsure if he was just a local or soht blonde hair peeked froreen bal cap, but his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses

"Waruehen Sie nach Landstuhl?" the driver said

"Claire’s Taleh ist verletzt worden," Jared said

The driver’s eyebrows pul ed in He was a friend JaredClaire’s Taleh could even mean that he was a Hybrid, and by the features I could see, he was

"Gutes Gl&uu his head

"Danke," Jared frowned He leaned towarde’re here I told hiainst ed Jared’s arm to me Landstuhl was just threethe gate see out his identification, let us through quickly

An officer in a blue decorated dress uniform waited at the front entrance of the hospital

"Colonel," Jared said, shaking his hand He was definitely not a hybrid, with his dark hair and eyes "Nina, this is Colonel Jason Brand," he said

I shook his hand "Thank you," I said