Page 8 (1/2)

"Hi," I said "Can I help you?"

He looked up at me, dark circles beneath eyes nearly slitted with exhaustion "You’re here to help?"

"Sure Are you here to see Ethan?" Supplicant seeotten past already bulked-up security? Maybe he’d been in the House to talk to someone, had slipped away undetected

His shoulder twitched, nearly lifting enough to " He tapped his pal I can’t stop it"

"I’m sorry?"

I wished Ethan or Malik were here They’d know better than I how to handle a supplicant who seemed imbalanced, or at least confused

"It’s talking The voice It’s screaain Hello Hello Hello I am here I a toward i around the House

Ethan, I silently said If you’re in the building, get Luc and souards and coh to hear me, doubted that he was

"Let me just call someone to help you," I said, and reached forI’d left my small clutch--and my phone--in the limo I’d have to use the one on Ethan’s desk

His gaze narrowed on htened va? Do you hear it? Why don’t you hear it?"

I didn’t especially want to turn my back on this clearly troubled man, but I didn’t really have a better option The first floor of the House had been et to a phone, or otherwise signal someone, I had to handle this on my own

"Don’t have ht "Let et the one on the desk"

"No!" His voice was loud, the word a bark of sound--and alars were long, white, needle sharp He launched toward ainst his ieto the ground My head bounced against the floor, es of the room