“What were you doing?” he asked sleepily.

“Nothing!” I flushed. “Coming to wake you up. I did it.”

15. Danny

15

DANNY

We ran towards The Factory, fresh snow crunching under our feet. How did I fall asleep? I’ve spent enough time on watch, in the forces, that I’m good at staying awake. There was just something about Erin’s presence that really relaxed me.

She suddenly slipped on the snow and went headfirst towards the sidewalk. I lunged and grabbed her hand just in time, jerking her to a stop. Then I hauled her upright and both of us just stood there for a moment, panting and shaky with adrenaline. “Thanks,” she managed.

Her little hand throbbed, a block of ice wrapped in my big, warm palm. I told myself to let go but my hand wouldn’t listen.

She’d found an old winter jacket of JD’s and it was way too big for her. Her face peeked out of the fur-trimmed hood like she was looking out of the mouth of a cave, those delicate blue eyes blinking up at me and she was just so adorable…and then I looked down at those soft lips and they were so damn kissable. The snow was falling around us, deadening all sound and isolating us in a private, black void. No one was watching. I could just lean down and—

I squeezed her hand…and then made myself let it go. “Come on.”

Moments later, we arrived at The Factory. Everyone was still there: no one was interested in going home until we had a working plan to get JD.

Erin showed everyone the key she’d made, a six-inch rod of metal with circuitry glued to it, some batteries and a single red button. “You just put the tip next to the bracelet,” she said, demonstrating, “press the button and—”

The bracelet clicked open. Everyone cheered.

Kian tore open a cardboard carton. “I managed to get hold of a second one,” he said, digging through the packaging. He put another ankle bracelet down beside the first one.

Erin passed the key to me. “You try it.”

I nodded and held the key like she had. Pressed the button….

Nothing happened. “Am I doing it wrong?” I asked.

Erin slipped under my arm and pressed in close against my side, so she could see. I could feel the warmth of her body, smell the subtle peach scent of her shampoo. “No…” She took out her tool roll and opened up the second bracelet. After just a few seconds, she gave a moan of horror. “The circuit boards are different.”

“Can you make a key that opens this one, too?” I asked.