Syd shoved the container deep into her pocket, heard the scrape of metal on metal as the tin came to rest against the gun. In her other pocket, her fingers found her cell phone. She dug it out as she left the Falcon Price lot and headed back toward the Kingsley, watched it restart in her palm. Her boots dragged to a stop.

There were so many missed calls.

A handful from Victor.

Then a dozen from Mitch.

And text after text after text from June.

Sydney took off running.

* * *

SHE tried to call Mitch, but it went straight to voicemail.

Tried to call Victor, but no one answered.

At last, June picked up. “Sydney.”

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Where are you?” demanded June, sounding breathless.

“I had all these missed calls,” said Syd, slowing to a walk, “and I can’t get ahold of anyone, and I—”

“Where are you?” repeated June.

“On my way to the Kingsley.”

“No,” said June. “You can’t go back there.”

“I have to.”

“It’s too late.”

Too late. What did she mean?

“Just stay where you are and I’ll come to you. Sydney, listen to me

—”

“I’m sorry,” said Syd, right before she hung up. It had taken her twenty-five minutes to walk to the Falcon Price. She made it home in ten. The Kingsley finally came into sight, down the block and across the street. Syd slammed to a stop as she noticed the two black vans idling on the corner, one near the entrance, the other at the mouth of the parking garage. They were unmarked, but there was something ominous about the tinted glass, the windowless sides.

Arms wrapped around her shoulders.

A hand closed over her mouth.

Sydney twisted, tried to scream, but a familiar voice sounded in her ear.

“Don’t fight, it’s me.”

The arms let go, and Syd turned to see June, or at least a version of her, one with loose brown curls and sharp green eyes. Sydney sagged in relief, but June’s attention twitched, drawn to something over Syd’s shoulder.

“Come on,” said June, gripping her hand.

Syd resisted. “I can’t just leave them.”

“You can’t save them like this. What are you going to do? Storm in there? Think. If you go in there now, you’ll just get yourself caught by EON, and what good will you be to anyone then?”

June was right, and Syd hated that she was. Hated that her power wasn’t enough to protect them.

“We need a plan,” said June. “So we’ll think of one. I promise.” She squeezed Sydney’s hand. “Come on.”

This time, Syd let herself be pulled away.

* * *

IT was beginning to rain as Victor followed Stell through the streets of downtown Merit.