The driver looked like he had seen a ghost.Like whatever was in front of them… wasn’t something he was prepared to face.“What is going on—”Abigail didn’t even get to finish the sentence.It hit her all at once.The Cataract team.The same people she had convinced herself she could handle. The same ones she thought she had cleverly talked her way out of.They were here.Right in front of her car.And their boss—someone she recognized instantly—was already walking toward them.The road had gone still.Every car that had been moving moments ago had stopped. No one dared drive forward. No one dared interfere.It was unspoken.You did not cross the Cataract team.Not if you valued your life.By the time the men reached the car, the driver had already raised his hands.He wasn’t even trying to act brave.This wasn’t a situation you resisted.This was a situation you survived.Abigail swallowed.For a brief second, she told herself she still had this under control.They wouldn’t hurt her.

“I… nothing,” she stammered finally.“Oh. Right.” He smiled. That same calm, polite smile.“I think I’ve taken enough of your time today,” he said, as if this had been a normal meeting. “I’ll let you go.”Abigail’s heart skipped.Let… her go?“But I would like to meet your husband,” he continued smoothly. “I don’t believe he has amnesia. And I don’t believe you’re married to our boss.”Her chest tightened again.“But your father…” he added, his voice softening just slightly, “your father must have told you something.”A pause.“I’ll come see you tomorrow. Same time.”His eyes held hers.“Anywhere you are.”That last part landed heavier than everything else.A quiet reminder.There was nowhere she could hide.Abigail didn’t move.Didn’t speak.Didn’t breathe properly.She had expected pain.Expected violence.Expected something she could fight or run from.But this?This was worse.Because now she had to live with it.The boss stepped out of the car.Then, like a perfect gentleman, he

Inside the restaurant, Finn ordered a small portion of fries, like that alone could sustain him.Lombard, on the other hand, looked at the menu once and didn’t hesitate.He ordered two full servings from the lunch section.The waiter hesitated.“It’s almost evening, sir, so—”Lombard didn’t even look up.“I said lunch.”The waiter swallowed the rest of his sentence and nodded quickly.“Yes, sir.”Finn was already seated, shifting slightly in his chair as he waited.He didn’t understand why they were still here.In his mind, this was supposed to be a full-day crash course. Prom was tomorrow, and he had expected to be done by now—done with everything Lombard had to teach him.Maybe even go home and replay everything in his head.Or better yet, record Lombard’s voice and listen to it all night like some kind of survival guide.But so far?The only real thing he could point to was the haircut… and the fact that a few girls had gotten excited over him and even given him their numbers.That

The frown on Mireya's face came quickly—but Finn could tell it wasn’t real. More like a mask she had put on.“Do you mind taking a ride with me?” Finn said, using the exact tone he had heard Lombard use earlier.Confident.Casual.Almost dismissive.“I saw you looking at me earlier. Thought you might want to.”Mireya paused.For a second.Then her lips curved into a smile.Oh.So that was what this was.Now that Lombard wasn’t here, the boy thought he could talk to her like this?Interesting.Very interesting.She stepped closer, her smile widening—soft, harmless on the surface… but there was nothing harmless about it.“Hey,” she said gently. “You want to have a ride with me?”“No,” Finn replied instantly.Same tone.Same flat delivery Lombard used when he was being sarcastic.Mireya blinked.Just once.Thrown off—slightly.Then she recovered.“Don’t be naughty,” she said, her voice still smooth. “I heard you ask me to take a ride with you.”“I asked if you mind taking a ride with me,

It was completely dark.But open.He could see the sky stretching above him—no ceiling, no walls closing in. Just emptiness and night.Good.He resisted the urge to snap his fingers and summon light.No need to announce himself.Not yet.If he had power like Mireya’s…He would have flown out of here already.The thought made him hiss under his breath.And Mireya—She hadn’t even come looking for him?Pathetic.He pushed that thought aside and moved.His feet found solid ground, uneven and cold beneath him. He walked slowly, carefully.Then—His hand brushed against something.A wall.Cold. Smooth. Too smooth.He frowned, moving along it, fingers dragging lightly across the surface.Whatever these people built this place with…It wasn’t normal.Of course it wasn’t.Crazy people.Ruthless people.Stupid people.He’d wipe them all out when he got out of here.But first—He had to actually get out.He kept walking.One minute.Two.Still nothing.No exit.No break.Just walls.Every direc