A gunshot cracked through the air.

Before Avery could react, a hand shoved her head down. She was yanked into someone's chest, hard.

The bullet hit the spot where she had been standing. Wall chips scattered everywhere.

She looked up. It was Dominic.

His chin pressed against the top of her head. His gun was already in his hand. He fired at the dark figure on the windowsill.

His arm locked around her waist, so tight it almost crushed her bones. His other hand moved fast to the gun at his hip. In the span of a turn, he had already fired.

The figure grunted. The bullet grazed his arm. He stumbled but didn't back off. He pulled a smoke grenade from his pocket and slammed it to the ground. White smoke billowed everywhere, stinging their eyes.

When the smoke cleared, only a few drops of blood remained on the windowsill. Dr. Greene was gone too.

Avery gasped for air. The sting on her cheek grew sharper.

Dominic looked down at her. "Are you hurt?"

"Just a glass cut."

Her eyes landed on the floor. A small metal pin lay among the glass shards.

She bent down and picked it up.

It was the logo from her parents' lab.

Something that should have disappeared seven years ago.

"What is that?" Dominic's voice came from beside her.

"The logo from my parents' lab." Her voice tightened. "It was all destroyed seven years ago."

Dominic took the pin, looked at it, and put it in his pocket. He pulled out his phone.

"Drake. Track down the figure who just escaped. And take a team to the hospital's underground storage. Get Julian out."

A pause on the other end.

"Boss. We already went to the storage. It's empty. Just a pen and a note. 'If you want Julian, meet at the abandoned pier.'"

"Got it. Get the car ready."

He hung up.

Avery's fingers clenched. That pen was the adult birthday gift she had given Julian. He never went anywhere without it.

She said she was going with him to the pier. Dominic looked at her and said coldly, "Don't slow me down."

The abandoned pier. The air smelled of rust and seawater. Shipping containers formed a maze.

Drake kept his voice low. "Boss. Target is in warehouse three. Six men. Armed."

Warehouse three. The door was open. Inside was dark.

Julian sat on a chair. His hands were tied. Tape covered his mouth. A man stood next to him, his back to them.

"Finally." The man turned around.

Dominic moved half a step in front of Avery.

"Let him go."

The man smiled. "Mr. Kessler. You came alone?"

"My men are outside."

"You brought them, but you won't let them in." He stepped forward. "Because you know that if you start shooting, this woman's brother dies."

Dominic didn't answer. His gun stayed fixed on the man.

"Leave her here." The man looked at Dominic. "You take your people and go. She stays. The kid lives."

"No."

"Then the kid dies here today." He pressed the gun against Julian's temple and looked at Avery. "Your choice."

Avery's fingers tightened.

Dominic lowered his voice, close to her ear. "Don't move."

The man waited a few seconds. He pressed the gun harder. "I'll count to three—"

"Let him go." Dominic's voice cut in. "You want her, not him. He's useless to you."

They stood frozen. Neither moved.

Dominic kept his gun raised.

"Your men are in the warehouse. Mine are outside. You can't get out. Right now, you only have one card to play."

He paused. "But if you play it, you're not getting out either."

The man stared at him. He didn't speak.

Outside the warehouse, footsteps closed in from all sides. Then a gunshot rang out from above. Short. Precise.

The man's wrist took the bullet. The gun flew from his hand and hit the ground.

He grunted. Julian broke free.

Julian stumbled. His knees hit the floor with a dull thud. He didn't cry out. He just pushed himself up and crawled toward Avery with everything he had.

His hands were still tied. He moved on his knees, one push at a time.

Dominic lunged forward, kicked the gun away, and pressed his own against the back of the man's neck.

"Mr. Kessler." The man clutched his wrist and looked up. "You're slower on the trigger than you were seven years ago."

Dominic's finger hesitated.

"Seven years ago on that boat, you weren't like this."

The man glanced at the smoke, then back at Dominic. "Wenger said you were broken. Looks like he was right."

Drake's men flooded in. They pinned the man down.

Dominic holstered his gun. He didn't say anything. His right hand hung at his side. The bandage was completely red.

"Take him away."

Avery knelt beside Julian. She tore the tape off his mouth and cut the ropes.

The moment Julian's hands were free, he started scratching the inside of his left arm. His nails dug into his skin. Avery grabbed his hands. He didn't react. His eyes stared at nothing.

"Let's go." Dominic had already called his men to take Julian. "We'll talk back at the villa."

Back at the villa, Avery helped Julian inside and sat him on the couch.

As soon as his hands were free, he started scratching his left arm again. Avery held him down. He didn't react. His eyes were empty.

Dominic crouched down. He turned Julian's left arm over and looked at it.

The scar wasn't long. Its edges were clean. Not from an accident.

Raised lines marked the surface, like someone had used a fine tool to carve into the skin.

"That's not from a needle," Dominic said, frowning.

"Someone carved it on purpose. Wenger's people like to mark their subjects. 030. That was the project number for your parents' lab subjects."

Avery stared at the scar. Project 030 again.

But she never expected to see it carved into Julian's skin.

Julian's hands slowly stopped. They dropped to his sides. His eyes were still vacant, but his lips moved. No sound came out.

Then Dorothea walked over. She quietly slipped her hand into Julian's.

Julian's fingers twitched. Then they slowly opened.

In his palm was something. Crumpled. Damp. But still whole. A folded piece of paper.

Dorothea looked down at it, then handed the paper to Avery. She didn't say anything.

Avery unfolded it.

It was letterhead from Dr. Greene's office. A line of unfinished writing, the ink messy, like it had been left in a hurry.

"D—the next target isn't her. It's—"

The rest was torn off.

She stared at the line. Her fingers tightened.

Dominic took the paper from her and looked at it. "Greene's handwriting. He ran before he could finish."

"Who's the next target?" Avery's voice wasn't a question.

Dominic didn't answer. He folded the paper and put it in his pocket. "I'll find out."

He turned and walked quickly toward the study. But Avery noticed him brace himself against the hallway wall. His knuckles went white. Then he let go just as fast.

Julian fell asleep. The doctor gave him a sedative.

Avery sat on the couch, clutching the pin in her hand. Her mind was a mess.

She thought about everything at the warehouse. The scar on Julian's arm. The fire that killed her parents.

A crackling sound filled her ears. Flames.

Smoke poured through the crack in the door. Her father stood in front of her. His mouth moved. She couldn't hear what he said.

She curled up in the corner of the couch, holding her head. Her whole body shook.

A sharp clink came from the coffee table.

Dominic had set a glass of water in front of her. He crouched down so his eyes were level with hers.

"Done crying?"

She didn't answer. Tears were still on her face.

"Wenger is still out there. The truth about your parents is still buried." He looked at her. "You're just going to curl up here and cry?"

"I've been carrying Wenger's drug, watching his backer, for three years without breaking. What about you?"

Avery looked at him. His eyes were cold. No warmth at all. But the hand at his side was clenched into a tight fist.

She picked up the glass and took a sip.

"I'm not wallowing." Her voice was still hoarse. "But you're right. I have people to protect."

Dominic stood up. He gave a small nod.

Avery stood too. She looked at the bandage on his hand.

"Tomorrow, we start real treatment. We're throwing out Wenger's methods. We do it my way. No toughing it out. No stopping the meds."

He looked at her. "Fine. Your way."

He paused. "We're even."

Avery looked at him and smiled. "Even."

Just then, the doctor walked down the stairs. He held a lab report in his hand.

"There are traces of a neuro inhibitor in the patient's blood. Not standard medication. The kind that interferes with short term memory and subtly controls behavior. This doesn't look like normal treatment. It looks like the continuation of a long term experiment."

Dominic looked at Avery. "Is this connected to what Wenger gave me?"

"The ingredients are similar, but this one is more targeted. Designed specifically for adolescent nervous systems."

After the doctor left, Avery opened the USB drive. She pulled up the numbered list.

"You're 047. Julian is 030. I'm Candidate A," she said.

"I've been going through my parents' records these past few days. This project started as legitimate research. Trauma intervention for C-PTSD. It could have saved so many people."

She paused.

"But someone turned it into something else. Wenger was just the executor. The person behind him wants the experiment to continue."

Dominic looked at the screen. He didn't say anything.

"They don't want a treatment plan," he said. "They want a tool to control people."

Just then, a noise came from upstairs.

Avery ran up and pushed the door open. Dorothea sat on the carpet, drawing. Nothing seemed wrong.

But the drawing showed a long, narrow hallway. At the end, a closed door. A star shaped mark sat on the door.

Next to it, a string of numbers. 030.

"Dorothea. What are you drawing?"

Dorothea looked up. Her eyes didn't blink.

"Mommy. When 030 doesn't behave, he gets locked up."

Dorothea lowered her head and went back to drawing. The crayon scratched across the paper.

"Dorothea." Avery crouched beside her daughter.

"Who told you that number?"

Dorothea didn't look up. "I saw it."

"Where did you see it?"

The little girl's hand stopped. She put down the crayon, picked up her rabbit, and buried her face in it. No answer.

Avery didn't push. She stood up and walked to the door. Dominic leaned against the wall in the hallway, holding the pin she had left downstairs. He was tracing the pattern with his thumb.

He hadn't stepped into the room. He just stood at the door and glanced at the drawing.

His fingers slowly lifted and pressed against the star shaped scar on his wrist. He paused.

"That mark," he said, voice low. "It's on that door."

Avery saw his fingers on the scar. She didn't ask how he knew.

"Your parents' lab. 17 North Industrial District." He placed the pin back in her hand. "That's what your daughter drew."

Avery's fingers closed around the pin.

Dorothea had never been there. She had never even heard that address.

"Someone taught her." Avery's voice trembled, but she forced herself steady. "Or someone made sure she saw it."

Dominic pressed his fingers to his brow. The bandage on his arm scraped against the wall. A faint smear of blood appeared. He didn't notice.

"Drake." He pulled out his phone. "Get me everything on 17 North Industrial District. All recent entry and exit records. And Wenger's movements. Everyone under him. Every detail."

"Also, what about the surveillance you were checking yesterday?"

Drake's voice came through. "One of the household staff we questioned last night is missing. The woman who cleans the living room. The one Dr.Clair mentioned, who touched her pocket."

Dominic's eyes went cold.

"Find her. Every exit from the villa. Perimeter cameras. City traffic footage. Dig her out."

He hung up.

Avery looked at the blood stain seeping through his bandage. She stepped forward and reached for his arm.

Her fingertips had just touched the edge when he caught her wrist.

"Don't."

She didn't pull back. "I'm a doctor. Let me handle it. If you tough it out and get an infection, it won't just affect you."

He looked at her. The pressure on her wrist slowly eased.

"The study," he said. "There's a medical kit there."

They walked into the study. Dominic unbuttoned his cuff and revealed his bandaged arm.

Avery unwrapped the gauze. The wound was worse than she thought. The edges were red and swollen. The inner layer of bandage had stuck to the dried blood.

She pinched a corner and peeled it off slowly. He didn't make a sound, but his fingers gripped the armrest of the chair. His arm trembled.

She put on fresh gauze. Her fingertips pressed gently at the edge of the wound. She waited for him to breathe through it.

"Hurt?"

He didn't answer. His throat moved.

She didn't ask again. The iodine swab brushed over the wound. His arm tensed, then relaxed just as fast. She looked up at him. His eyes were lowered, watching her hands. There were dark circles beneath his eyes.

"Dominic."

"Mm."

"You were watching surveillance all night?"

He didn't answer.

She finished re wrapping the wound. His fingers were still clenched around the armrest.

"Your hand."

He looked down and slowly let go. She saw four nail marks pressed into his palm.

"Take your medication on time. At least you'll sleep." She closed the medical kit. "I need you to do something for me."

He looked up.

"The missing maid. She's connected to the mole. There might be others left." She paused. "You're better at reading people than Drake's men. You want me to interrogate them?"

Dominic pulled a folder from the drawer and pushed it across the desk.

"They're afraid of me. They won't say anything in front of me. You're different."

He pushed the folder toward her. His fingertips lingered on the edge for a moment. He didn't say please. He didn't say I'm asking.

"This is everyone's file. Including my own people."

She looked at his fingers for a second, then picked up the folder.

"You suspect Drake's men?"

"I suspect everyone." His voice was flat. "I never needed to check before. Now Dorothea and Julian are here."

"Alright. I'll do it."

The interrogation room was in the basement.

Drake pushed open the heavy steel door. A woman sat inside. Mid forties. Head down.

Avery stood at the door and scanned the room. Steel door. Soundproof walls. Even the door handle was twice as thick as normal. She had seen rooms like this in crime shows. Now she was standing in one.

"Wait outside," she said to Drake.

He nodded and closed the door.

"What's your name?" Avery sat down.

"Marie."

"How long have you worked here?"

"Two years."

"Do you like it here?"

The woman blinked. She didn't answer.

Avery placed the folder on the table. Inside was Marie's file and a few photos of her family.

"Your daughter is starting college this year?"

The woman nodded.

"Tuition isn't cheap."

The woman didn't answer. Her fingers clutched her knees. Her body leaned forward, tense.

"Someone asked you for a favor. They paid you."

The woman's head shot up. "I didn't-"

"You didn't hurt anyone." Avery cut her off. "You just lent someone your key card. You didn't know what she was going to do."

The woman stared at her. Her lips were shaking.

"Tell me when she came to you."

"Last month... She said her brother was sick. She needed money. Just a five minute borrow of the card. I didn't know-"

"What's her name?"

"Leah. The one who's missing."

Avery stood up.

"I-am I going to be fired?" The woman's voice shook.

"No." Avery walked to the door and opened it. "Next."

The second one was a young man. Early twenties. His leg bounced nervously.

"Do you know Leah?"

He nodded. "She's my cousin."

"What did she tell you?"

He hesitated. "She said... someone was looking for something. In the villa. If she found it, she'd get a lot of money."

"What something?"

"I don't know. She said it was a box. Metal. Small."

Avery's fingers paused. Her face didn't change. "What else?"

"She said there was someone behind it. Not Dr. Wenger. Someone higher up." He looked at her. "She said that person knows you. Has known you for a long time."

Avery stood there for a few seconds. "Did she say a name?"

"She was too scared. Said if the information leaked, she'd be killed."

The rest of the questions got nothing useful.

Avery walked out of the interrogation room. Drake followed.

"What about the third one?"

"The third is a driver. Been with the boss for five years." Drake lowered his voice.

"He didn't say anything. But surveillance caught him near the garage the night Leah went missing."

"Who was he waiting for?"

"Don't know. But the garage cameras were shut off for fifteen minutes."

She stopped and looked at Drake, thinking.

"Who can turn off the cameras?"

Drake didn't answer, but something in his eyes said enough.

"Your men."

He gave a heavy nod.

She stood there, gripping the folder. Her frown deepened. Her thoughts were a mess.

Dominic suspected Drake's men. Drake suspected his own men.

No one could be trusted. Just like he said.

Avery was about to head upstairs when Drake's phone rang first.

He answered, listened for a few seconds, then handed the tablet to Dominic.

Dominic glanced at it and turned the screen to Avery.

Live surveillance footage of 17 North Industrial District. On the outer wall of the abandoned lab building, someone had carved a fresh line of text. The ink was still wet.

"Candidate A. I'm waiting for you inside."

Avery stared at the words. She didn't move.

Dominic stood beside her, looking at the same screen.

"Tomorrow," he said. "Tonight, finish going through what Wenger left. The envelope from your brother. You haven't opened it yet."

He turned and walked toward the study. Two steps in, he stopped. He didn't look back.

"Come find me when you're done."

Avery went back to her room. Dorothea was already asleep.

She pulled the envelope from the inside pocket of her jacket and tore it open.

Inside was a photograph.

Taken years ago, at the entrance of her parents' lab.

Avery stood on the steps, holding a book, her eyes curved into crescents from smiling.

Beside her parents stood a figure. The face was blacked out.

She stared at the blacked out face, trying to make out the silhouette. Then her phone buzzed.

A message from Drake. Sent to Dominic, and copied to her.

"Leah's body has been found. Outside the west wall of the villa, hidden in the grass. A ligature mark on her neck. A note clutched in her palm."

The photo of the note was attached. One line of text.

"Next. Your daughter."

Avery stared at the words. Her feet moved before she realized it.

She pushed open Dorothea's door and crouched by the bed. The little girl was asleep. Her breathing was light.

Avery touched her daughter's face. Her nose stung.

Footsteps came from behind her. Dominic stood in the doorway, phone in hand, screen still lit.

"You saw it," he said.

"Yes."

"You sleep here tonight. I'll stay outside."

She didn't say yes. She didn't say no. She picked up Dorothea, blanket and all. He pushed the door open. She walked in and laid the child down.

Dorothea turned over, face in the pillow. She didn't wake.

Avery stood by the bed, looking at her daughter.

"You're not sleeping?" Dominic's voice came from the doorway.

"I can't."

He was quiet for a moment. "Neither can I."

He walked in, pulled a chair over, and sat down facing the door. His back against the wall. She pulled another chair and sat next to him.

They sat side by side in silence. The lights were off. Moonlight came through the window.

After a long time, she spoke.

"What are you afraid of?"

"That you'll die." His voice was very soft.

She turned her head to look at him. He wasn't looking at her. His eyes were on the door.

"You?" he asked.

"That she'll die."

He was quiet for a moment. "Then let's not die."

She didn't answer. She put her hand on the armrest. Her fingertips touched his elbow. He didn't pull away. She didn't move her hand.

They sat like that, in the dark. Neither of them spoke again.

Morning came.

Dominic's chair was empty.

When Avery woke up, he was already dressed. Hearing her stir, he turned.

"Let's go. The lab."

He didn't give her time to hesitate.

Drake stayed behind to watch the house. The car waited at the gate.

Dominic walked ahead in a dark tactical jacket. Avery followed. They got in the car, both lost in their own thoughts. Neither spoke the whole way.

The road grew narrower. Avery recognized it. Her parents used to take her here when she was little.

Back then, there were lights on both sides. The lab building glowed from within, bright through the windows. From a distance, it looked like a glass box.

Now there was nothing. The trees had grown wild, branches reaching into the road, scraping across the roof of the car.

The car stopped. The ground was covered in dead branches and fallen leaves that crunched underfoot.

The air smelled heavily of rust, mixed with something chemical.

Stepping over the threshold, Avery saw doors hanging crooked, some fallen. Light fixtures dangled from the ceiling, glass tubes shattered. Dark scratches ran down the walls.

"Drake, are the crews clear today?" Dominic spoke into his earpiece.

"All clear, boss."

"But someone's been inside." He aimed his flashlight at the floor. Fresh footprints stood out, the tread pattern still sharp. "More than one."

Avery stayed close behind him.

"You-"

"Don't touch the walls." He cut her off.

A pipe lay across the floor. She didn't lift her foot high enough and stumbled. Her hand shot out-

And caught his back.

His muscles tensed.

Neither of them moved.

Her hand stayed pressed against him. Through the jacket, she could feel his body heat.

He didn't turn around. He didn't say anything. He waited a few seconds to make sure she had her balance, then kept walking.

At the end of the hallway stood a half open door. Dominic pushed it open. Avery followed close behind.

The room was filled with shattered glass and shredded paper. A burned metal cabinet sat in the corner. A hole in the window let the wind blow through.

Avery walked to the center of the room. Something crunched under her foot.

The flashlight beam dropped to the floor. A pile of burned paper ash, edges still smoldering. Something underneath reflected the light.

She crouched down and brushed away the ash.

A folder. The plastic cover was half melted, but the papers inside were mostly intact.

Words printed on the cover, burned down to half legible.

Subject List.

She opened it.

Name blank. Status: Terminated.

Terminated. 003. Terminated.

She flipped page after page, her fingers pressing against the paper.

She stopped. Julian. Status blank.

Dominic. Status blank.

After that, no number. Just a line in italics.

Candidate A. Status: Pending.

"What does this mean?"

"You were never a subject." He stood behind her, his flashlight shining over her shoulder. "Wenger was waiting for the right moment to bring you in officially. He never got it."

She gripped the folder, her fingertips nearly tearing through the melted plastic.

She thought back to the first time Wenger looked at her. The scholarship. The words "you're my last student."

It had all been a setup from the start.

Back in the car.

"Where are 001 through 046 now?" she asked.

He was quiet for a few seconds. "Some went mad. Some burned. Wenger called it 'termination.'"

"Did you ever see 001?"

Another pause.

"Yes." His voice was low. "Seven years ago. He was sitting in a corner, holding a photo of a little girl. That was the first time they brought me through that door."

She looked at him, waiting for more. He said nothing else.

The only sound was the road beneath the wheels.

She looked down at the folder in her hands. She thought of the door Dorothea had drawn. The star shaped mark.

Her daughter had never been there. But she could draw it.

Avery didn't dare think further.

Back at the villa, Drake waited at the door. His face was wrong.

"Boss. A suspicious vehicle was caught on surveillance. Circled the villa twice. The plates are fake. Same model as one registered under Wenger's name."

"When?"

"Not long after you left. Headed north. We followed, then lost it."

Dominic took the tablet and stared at the screen.

"Lost it."

Drake lowered his head. "Once it got into the unfinished development area north of the city-"

"Drake." Dominic tossed the tablet back to him. "You know I don't keep dead weight."

"I'll go myself."

Drake turned to leave, then his finger froze on the screen.

He handed the tablet back. His hand trembled slightly.

"Boss. Look at this."

The surveillance footage had caught a reflection when a streetlight swept across the car window. Drake had zoomed in.

A hand rested on the steering wheel.

In that split second of light, the driver's sleeve had slipped back just enough to reveal a wrist.

Avery stopped breathing.

On the inside of that wrist was a raised, twisted knot of scar tissue. In the center of the knot, a dark number was carved.

On the list, the status for 001 had said-

Terminated.

She looked up at Dominic.

He stared at that number. He didn't move.

The hallway lights hummed. Quiet.

Then he spoke, his voice low.

"He's alive."

The three of them stood in the hallway. No one spoke.

Dominic handed the tablet back to Drake. "Double the men. The perimeter stays guarded tonight."

Drake left. Dominic went to the study.

That night, Avery couldn't sleep.

Lights shone outside. Footsteps sounded downstairs. Drake's men patrolled all night.

She lay in bed, tossing and turning. Kicking off the blanket, pulling it back. Her mind was full of 001, the folder, the black SUV.

Frustrated, she sat up.

Dorothea slept beside her, hugging her rabbit. Her little pink face made Avery's chest feel warm.

She didn't go downstairs. Instead, she climbed the stairs to the top floor.

The hallway lights had been dimmed. Footsteps rumbled dully below as Drake's men changed shifts. She stepped onto the last stair and pushed open the door to the terrace.

The wind was strong, whipping her hair across her face.

Avery walked to the railing. The iron was cold. The rough feel of rust pressed into her palms.

Lights from the city spread out below. Headlights on the highway crawled north, one by one.

She didn't hear him come up. Didn't hear him approach.

She turned and saw him. He had his back to her, sitting on the low wall of the terrace. Moonlight came from behind him, outlining his profile.

His head was down. A cigarette hung between his fingers. He was rubbing the star shaped scar on his wrist. The wind blew through his shirt collar, ruffled his hair.

Avery stood there for a few seconds, then walked over. "You're not sleeping either?"

"What are you doing here? This isn't your business."

She ignored him and stepped closer, standing beside him.

"Drake said they lost the car. You think sitting here will bring it back?"

Dominic let out a cold breath and turned his face toward her.

"He's circling nearby. Trash like that follows the scent."

He stubbed out the cigarette and stood up. As he walked past her, his shoulder bumped hers.

"Go inside. Close the curtains. Watch the child. Don't get in my way."

Avery stayed on the terrace a while longer, then went downstairs.

On the first floor, the gym door was cracked open. A sliver of light leaked out.

A dull thud came from inside. Over and over.

Thud. Thud.

She pushed the door open. The main lights were off. Only a corner spotlight angled onto Dominic.

He wasn't wearing gloves. Just bare fists slamming into a heavy bag. The bag swung wildly, chains squeaking.

Every punch was full force. This wasn't training. This was breaking.

"Dominic. Stop."

He didn't listen. Each punch landed with a deep thud.

Avery rushed over. Before his fist could swing again, she threw her arms wide and lunged onto the bag.

Thud.

Dominic couldn't stop in time. The wind from his punch brushed past her ear and hit the edge of the bag.

The force slammed into her chest. She clung to the swinging leather cylinder. Her palm immediately felt something wet and cold.

His blood.

"Are you insane?" She looked up, her eyes meeting his bloodshot gaze.

He leaned against the other side of the bag, so close his ragged breath burned her forehead.

"Let go." His voice was hoarse.

"No."

She looked down at his hands braced on the leather. The skin over his knuckles was split open. Bright red blood ran down the seams of the bag, staining the white sleeve of her nightgown.

"Do you think breaking your hands will shut the voices off?"

She grabbed his wrist.

"Can't you feel the pain? Your knuckles are already bleeding. One more hit and the tendons will tear. Dominic. Is this how you stay sane?"

Dominic stared at her, his chest still heaving.

"Calm down. You're not in the lab. You're in your own home." Her voice softened. "There's no number here. No Wenger."

Dominic's fingers slowly relaxed.

He stepped back half a step, slid down the wall, and sat on the floor. His breathing was still heavy, but it began to slow.

Avery stayed quiet, watching him from a distance.

He sat against the wall, knees bent, hands resting on them. Blood still dripped from his fingers, drop by drop onto the floor. His eyes were closed. His lashes trembled.

Avery crouched down to his eye level.

"Dominic."

He didn't answer.

She reached out and gently took his wrist. He didn't pull away.

She examined his hand. The wounds on his knuckles were still seeping. The skin was split, revealing dark red flesh beneath. She found his pulse and waited. Finally, it slowed.

From memory, she located the first aid kit in the cabinet. She came back to him and crouched down. Iodine, gauze, tape. She laid them out on the mat.

She pulled his hand over and rested it flat on her knee.

He let her do it. His gaze was somewhere else. The line of his jaw was tight.

When the cotton ball touched the wound, his whole hand flinched. Veins rose on the back of his hand. She paused for a heartbeat, didn't look up at him, and switched to lighter, rolling strokes.

As the gauze wrapped around his hand, his breathing had already steadied. She taped it cleanly and finished.

While putting away the iodine and gauze, she kept her head down and muttered.

"I'm a psychiatrist. I've treated your physical wounds more times in the past few days than I've done actual therapy."

Dominic didn't say anything.

Avery closed the first aid kit and stood up.

"If you break your hands again, stitch them up yourself next time." She turned to look at him.

Dominic's eyes were on her face. His expression was complicated.

She thought he might say something. He didn't. He just pushed himself up the wall slowly.

They stood very close. Close enough that she could smell the blood and sweat still on him. He looked down at her. Avery felt her breathing fall out of rhythm.

"Still hurt?"

Avery didn't get an answer.

She turned and walked to the door. Her hand touched the handle, then paused.

"Are you sleeping tonight?"

Only silence answered her.

Back in her room, she pulled her daughter into her arms.

Her phone buzzed. A message from Dominic.

"001 is outside the city. Didn't come in."

She stared at the screen. Typed a few words. Deleted them. Typed again.

"Your hand. Change the bandages on time."

A few seconds later: "Okay."

She put the phone down and closed her eyes. Lights outside. Footsteps below. She counted the footsteps until sleep finally crept in.

4:00 AM. The phone vibrated on the nightstand.

Avery fumbled for it. The screen lit up. Dominic's number.

"Come downstairs." His voice came through.

"What's wrong?"

"001 is here."

She threw off the covers and ran downstairs. Dominic was already standing at the front door, staring into the dark outside.

"Where?"

"Outside the garden fence. He didn't come in."

He handed her the phone. The screen showed live surveillance. A figure stood outside the iron fence, hat hiding his face. He held something in his hand.

Avery looked through the glass panel in the door. The garden lights were on, but beyond the fence was pitch black. She couldn't see anything.

She turned her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the figure on the monitor move. Not turning away. He stepped forward and pushed something through the gap in the fence.

A few minutes later, Drake brought the object back.

A folder. Damp. It smelled of old formaldehyde.

Dominic peeled open the seal. Inside was a single sheet of paper.

A hand drawn floor plan of the villa.

Red circles marked every single security blind spot. Including the spot where they stood right now.

Avery stared at those circles. Her fingers tightened. This wasn't a threat. This was a message. He could come in whenever he wanted. But he hadn't.

On the back of the floor plan, a single line of writing.

Dominic flipped it over, glanced at it, and his face changed.

He didn't say anything. He handed the paper to Avery.

The line read:

[03:57 AM / Second floor / Dorothea's room / Emergency evacuation mode / Door lock disabled]

Avery stared at the words. Only one thought remained in her head.

It was 4:03 AM now.

He had already been inside. Six minutes ago.