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Natalie Taylor was fu as she attached her belt to the rope that had been lowered to the balcony She’d been planning this strike for weeks at Carlton’s direction, ever since he began suspecting Mallik of betrayal, and it had gone off without a hitch until that guest in the turquoise gown attacked her She had to be some kind of undercover security operative

Her ne up, even now Taylor saw her leap to her feet and run toward the balcony But it was too late The rope began to pull Taylor up

As she rose toward the roof, she looked down to see the woaze with a sneer

When she got to the top of the building, the ex-soldier who had hoisted her up pulled her onto the roof She detached herself froot into the chopper It took off before anyone could reach the roof to stop them

She was glad she didn’t have her phone Telling Xavier Carlton that theforward to

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Eddie and Linc e survivors and a devastated ballroom

MacD and Raven were on the balcony

“Are you two all right?” Eddie said

MacD nodded “This party got a little out of hand”

“We’re fine,” Raven said in a disgusted tone “But the Jhootha Island woot away I just saw her escape helicopter take off”

“Then let’s get out of here before the cops arrive and make us answer difficult questions”

To avoid the crowd of guests exiting by theto the stairs next to the service elevator