“What’s going on?” Lance says as I enter the kitchen.
“I’m leaving.”
“I didn’t agree to take her.”
“No, but you will.” I pull out several hundred dollars and place it on the counter. “This is all I have on me, but I think a cool million will suffice.”
“For holding her hostage? I could go to jail—or worse—The Web could find me.”
“At least think on it over the weekend. She’ll never get reported as missing, so no one will be looking for her.”
“Jesus Christ,” he growls, shoving his fingers through his hair.
I exit his cabin and climb into the waiting car. “Take me back to the helicopter,” I tell the driver.
She obeys without question.
I think back to my conversation with Ivy, wondering why she was so confident. Why she’d tell me to re-listen to the recording when she so obviously was plotting my death.
And even though I said I wouldn’t, I go to the audio file and hitPLAY.
Again, they discuss poison, and where best to kill me, but instead of turning it off, I listen until the very end.
Ivy:I don’t believe I’ll be staying in The Web.
Herminia:That’s what you say now.
Ivy:I’m not going through with it. Tell The Web I’m out.
Herminia:Did you fall for him?
Ivy:You could say that.
Herminia:Well, you can’t just leave. They’ll kill you. Heck, they may even kill me.
Ivy:I’ll see what Mateo can do to protect us, but I can’t go through with?—
Herminia:You-don’t-have-a-choice!
The recording clicks, ending.
I sit for a solid minute processing what I just heard.
She was being honest and was going to risk her very life walking away from them.
And I’ve utterly failed her.
I rack my brain, trying to figure out how to make things right, but the thing that matters most is safety. We’re in very real danger, because The Web has withstood the test of time, largely because they don’t shy away from murder.
Lance will keep Ivy safe, for now. But forcing her to hide her entire life is cruel. I have to fix this and make this right.
And I think I know how.
I email the head of security, telling them to have Herminia’s apartment surrounded. Once they’re there, I enter Herminia’s text box, hoping the woman isn’t completely heartless.
Mateo:Tell me everything about The Web, and keep in mind, if you tell even one lie, both you and Ivy will pay dearly.
NINETEEN
