“I told you.” Scooting my chair closer to him, Garrett takes a small silvery pouch out of his pocket and slides it toward me. “This is for you.” His voice is low, and his breath is warm on my cheek, sending sparks up my arm.

“What is it?”

“Your cache. Do you know where you’re going to hide it?”

Nodding, I slip the bag seamlessly into the garter on my thigh so nobody will notice the exchange.

“I hope I don’t need it.” The cache contains new AMPs, a currency card—everything I need to create a new identity if something goes wrong—and I plan to bury it in the Presidio Pet Cemetery.

“Me, too, but you always need an exit strategy. Never tell anyone where it is. Not even me.” Leaning in, he clasps his fingers behind my neck, tugging my face so close our noses practically touch.

Blood rushes to my head, dizzying me.

“Give me a five-minute head start before you leave, and make sure you aren’t followed,” he whispers. “Slow down, speed up, stay alert, make random stops. After you’ve hidden the cache, meet me at the apartment. Take an unusual path to get there—don’t have any patterns. Use your map of the city, not devices, and don’t be nervous.”

“Easy for you to say,” I mutter, certain my heart is going to slam out of my chest.

His eyes hold mine. “Believe me, I’d rather not let you out of my sight, but this is something you have to do on your own. You’ve got this.”

My insides clench, and I squelch the urge to giggle.

Giving my neck a final squeeze, he stands. “See you in a little bit. We have an exciting night of kidney failure research ahead of us.”

“Can’t wait.” I attempt a smile.

He heads out the door.

Instantly chilled by his absence, I rub my arms, realizing how much I’ve come to rely on him. I spread my map on the table and trace the path to the cemetery even though I’ve been studying for months and have committed it to memory. The preparation settles my nerves. Breathing calm into my lungs, I grit my teeth.

He’s right. I’ve got this.

…

I bury my cache behind the grave site for Tweek and Buffy—beloved hamsters—and make it to the apartment without incident. Punching in the code Abignail gave us before we left, I open the door to find Kyran, Rayelle, and Garrett lounging on couches in the stark living room.

“Rayelle!” My heart leaps. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise!” she says. “Apparently your heist needs ours, so we get to be roommates!”

“Really?”