He pushed at her the whole time he spoke and grew angrier with each passing word, so that by the time he said “Walk with me” his voice had grown tight and cold. Sasha steadied her heart, met his eyes with as steady a gaze as she could manage, and said:

“I. Don’t. Want. To. Walk. With. You.”

Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure Alexander and his friends could hear it. But Sasha didn’t move. She was sure any minute now he’d grab her full on and force her forward. But before he had the chance a familiar voice called for her.

“Sasha! Is that you?”

It was Dr. Brandt. In all her focus on Alexander and his posse, she hadn’t even noticed the electric hum of the doctor’s jeep as it pulled up behind them on the main street.

“Yes, sir!” she cried, her voice a bit higher and more frantic than she’d meant it to sound. “What do you need?”

“Get in the back, girl. You can flirt with soldiers later. The Heavenly Kingdom needs your skills. We’ve got a little bit of an issue.”

Alexander’s face went purple. The two men behind him seemed confused. One put a hand on his gun but Alexander waved him back. He shot Sasha a vicious look and then turned to Dr. Brandt, suddenly composed.

“Any idea how long you’ll need her?”

“What are you? A lieutenant?” Dr. Brandt scoffed. “She’ll be gone as long as the Kingdom needs her. I don’t see a ring on either of your fingers, so I’m fairly certain it’s not your place to care how long this takes. Sasha,” he beckoned to her with his index finger, “come on now, girl.”

“Gladly!” she said with a genuine smile. Sasha darted past ­Alexander and his men and hopped up into the backseat of the jeep. She tried to keep her head and eyes down while the doctor’s driver gunned the engine and sped off down main street.

Once they were under way, Dr. Brandt turned back to her.

“Sasha,” he asked, “was anything going on with those young men? Anything…untoward? I ask because you seem positively elated I’ve picked you up to deal with a problem.”

Do I tell him the truth? Sasha wondered. Do I admit I was lured to the Kingdom by a catfisher? He’ll never take me seriously then. This job was her favorite part of serving the Kingdom. Sasha didn’t want to say or do anything that might disrupt it. And besides, Dr. Brandt was a busy man. Lives were in his hands every day. I can’t distract him with this.

“No, no! Everything’s fine. I’m fine.”

Dr. Brandt gave her a stern look. Sasha smiled a tense smile in response. He shrugged and turned his head back to the road.