Vicky's eyes opened. Her hand shot out, grabbing Adam's arm, her fingers digging into his skin. Her breath was fast, her chest rising and falling, her eyes darting around the room, searching for shadows, for threats, for the men in white coats."You're safe," Adam said. "You're home. No one is going to hurt you."Her voice was a whisper. "They had me. On the stretcher, I couldn't move or couldn't scream."Adam pulled her close, felt her shaking against him. "They're gone, I got to you in time, they couldn't even harm you."She pulled back, looked at his face, at the cut above his eye, the bruise on his jaw, the blood dried on his knuckles. "You're hurt.""It's nothing."Her eyes filled. "I was so scared."He pressed his forehead against hers. "I know, all this will soon come to past."The doorbell rang, Adam stood, walked to the door, pulled it open. Olivia stood on the porch, her face pale, her wrists still bandaged, her eyes red."I came as soon as I heard," she said. "Is she…."

The plan was simple. Adam knew that since they were powerful enough to erase any evidence of them attacking Vicky, so he decided to let Vicky stay on her own.At the supermarket, everything unfolded as planned. Kai deliberately left Vicky alone and watched as she was kidnapped. As they dragged her away, Kai stepped in just enough for him to to step in one of them toe, causing a brief struggle that made both Vicky and his handkerchief fall to the ground.He picked up Vicky’s handkerchief afterward and quietly walked away. That same handkerchief was later used to guide the dog to their location.Adam’s reasoning was clear, if they could sneak into the hospital and move her so quickly, then they had to be operating somewhere within the city.Adam's hand was steady, the blade pressed against Andrew's throat, not cutting. Andrew's chest heaved. His eyes darted from the knife to Adam's face and back again."Why should I take please?" Adam's voice was soft. Almost gentle. "You kept attack

The car was waiting, Olivia was in the driver's seat, her hands steady on the wheel. Vicky sat beside her, wrapped in a blanket, her face turned to the window.Adam shoved Andrew into the back seat. Andrew's body flopped, his head hitting the window. Kai dragged Elijah to the trunk, opened it, threw him inside. The lid slammed shut.Adam climbed into the back seat, pulled Andrew's body upright, pressed his shoulder against the door. Olivia looked in the rearview mirror. "Where to?”Adam's voice was flat. "The laboratory."In no time, the laboratory sat at the end of a gravel road, a single-story building with windows painted black. Kai pulled Elijah from the trunk. The man's legs were still dead, dragging behind him, his shoes scraping grooves in the gravel. Adam grabbed Andrew's collar, hauled him out of the back seat. Andrew's hands hung at his sides, his fingers swollen.Adam dragged him to the door, kicked it open. The smell hit first. Chemicals, alcohol. Something sweet unde

The house was quiet when they got home. Adam opened the door, stepped inside, Clara and Nova were asleep.Adam walked to Vicky's room, opened the door, let her go in first."Tomorrow," he said.She turned."We start tomorrow, the surgery. I'm going to fix your face."Her hand went to her cheek, touched the scar."Are you serious t?"He walked to her, took her hand, pulled it away from her face. "Dead serious."She threw her arms around him, pressed her face against his chest, held him tight.She pulled back, wiped her face with the back of her hand, laughed a little, a wet, unsteady sound. "I'm not going to sleep.""You need to sleep.""I can't. I've been waiting for this for so long. I can't sleep now."He smiled, touched her hair, tucked it behind her ear. "Then don't sleep. But lie down, rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."She nodded. She crawled into bed, pulled the blanket up to her chin, looked at him standing in the doorway. Her face was pale, her eyes red, her scar st

Adam walked toward the Vatican's table.The old man looked up as he approached. His name was Vincent. Adam had learned that much from Kai. Vincent Vatican. Seventy-three years old. Widower. Three sons, two daughters. His wife had died ten years ago, from cancer. He had sold the family business shortly after, retired to a house on the coast, and rarely came into the city.But tonight he was here, and to Adam that was his first suspect. Adam believed that maybe he discovered about the plant after his wife died. "Mr. Vatican." Adam extended his hand.Vincent took it, his grip firm, his eyes sharp. "Mr. Cole. Thank you for inviting us, your sister is very lucky to have you."Adam released his hand, looking at his children who surrounded their father."Your family is beautiful," Adam said.Vincent nodded. "They are, my wife would be proud."Adam turned to one of his sons. "You run the family business now?"Marcus shook his head. "There's no business, our father sold it. We do other th