Lucas went first, then helped Paige down on the other side. As I crested the fence, a vision flashed and I nearly toppled over. The sudden movement snapped me from the vision, and I let Karl help me down, then closed my eyes, trying to recapture the vision. After a moment, I heard a voice.

“About time. How long does it take you—” The man swallowed the last words. “Jesus, Frank, what are you—?”

“Hands where I can see them,” a second voice hissed.

I struggled to see faces, but could make out only shadowy figures against a black backdrop.

“Have you lost your mind?” the first man said. “Whatever you’re doing—”

“How do I get in the room?”

“Room? What—?”

The vision snapped as abruptly as before. As it faded, I felt a faint lick of chaos. Lucas, Paige and Karl all stood around me, waiting.

“Someone with a gun. Someone named Frank. He was asking about a room. How to get into a room.”

“What room?” Paige asked.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t—” I gave an angry shake of my head. “I’m sorry. That’s not enough, I know. Let me try again—”

“No,” Karl said. “We’re here now. Quicker to look ourselves. The cell phone sounded from just over there.”

Lucas handed Karl his phone. “Hit redial if you need it. Paige and I will head to the house. If anyone’s in the yard, we can warn the guards inside.”

“Any problems, call my cell,” Paige said.

Karl turned to me. “Stay close.”

I nodded.

“I mean it, Hope.”

“I know.”

HOPE DEATH INTERRUPTED

HOPE

DEATH INTERRUPTED

Security spotlights lit up the house, but most of the yard was dim and shadowy, and the perimeter black. It was still so quiet I could hear the waves.

Karl stuck to the dark edges. He had me walk beside him—on the fence side, where presumably he thought it was safer, but was also tough for anyone not blessed with a werewolf’s night vision. I switched my chaos sensors on full.

As we passed between the fence and a small stuccoed outbuilding, Karl tugged me closer and I snapped from my reverie. Before I could reorient myself, a blinding light made me stumble back.

“For Christ’s sake, Nico, do you mind?”

A flash of darkness as the man shielded his eyes against the light. But it moved closer, a halogen beam, so bright that the figure holding it was only an outline.

“Can I get a little privacy here? I’m taking a—”

The pffttt of a silenced shot.

I reeled, the vision fading. Karl gripped my forearms to hold me steady. I tugged free and followed the vibes to the outbuilding.

He caught up in two long strides, and I braced myself to be pulled back, but he only took my arm and whispered, “Gun?”