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I feel like I can’t speak For whatever reason, there’s a huge knot in uess it’s not whatever reason It’s about 6’4, lean, and staring directly at me—that’s the reason for the emotion

But I’th It’s just been a while since I felt weak enough to have to fake it

“Will do,” I say to S up before he can ask me questions

As soon as I put my phone down, Axle asks, “Lathaniel?”

“My father’s name,” I answer on autopilot “It’sheld at gunpoint or so Precautions and all that It’s required”

His glaze flicks over ain “And the word that tells hiunpoint?”

I smile weakly “Blackbird It’s the only word I could squeeze in that wouldn’t be an obvious panic word When I speak over the phone, I refer to ain, protocol”

He nods, both of us talking about anything but the giant elephant in the room

“If you’ll send in ain Obviously free of charge,” he says so matter-of-factly

Things between us have been an array of things, but this is the first time it’s been uncomfortable

Deciding not to slip into for that’s around, and isolate one place that ork Then I send Smitty the coordinates of the extraction point—that is pretty much in the middle of the desert

He texts back immediately

SMITTY: Five hours Be ready

“What does it say?” Axle asks, his voice a little raw

“They’ll be picking me up in five hours I should probably conference in the other three Fa hoive me a ride”

Standing, I put my phone back in the pocket ofaway a few fallen tears As soon as I’ ether

But the tears keep co

My chest feels like a building is pressing down on it

Every s is painful

Every breath is hard to catch