Page 74 of Honorable Sins

Sadie hasn't texted back yet. Weird. I'm in the shower when it hits me what she might have meant. Not ninety-one. But 9…1… Was there supposed to be another 1?

Was she trying to send me an SOS text?

Because she was in danger somehow? Not likely with the way Wraith has security so tight around them. Is she stressed about something else?

Sadie's not a drama queen or anything, but she's still a girl and she hasn't been trained to hide her emotions. To be okay, no matter what.

Even though I know it can't be anything bad, I rush the rest of my shower and am still half wet when I grab my phone again. There's a new text from Sadie.

I'm an idjit. Of course she's okay.

I check Eoghan's text first. My cousin sent a devil emoji in answer to my last text to him.

I send him a laughing out loud face back with three devil emojis.

Then I check Sadie's text and my heart starts to race like it never does in training.

Sadie: You don't know me, but I have your friend.

Sadie: Tell anyone about this and I kill her.

Sadie: I don't want to hurt her, but I will. She means nothing to me. She's just a means to an end.

Fitz: Who are you?

Sadie: No one you know. What you need to understand is that I will not just kill your girlfriend, I will hurt her in ways that will give you nightmares for the rest of your life if you don't do what I say.

Sadie's not my girlfriend. I can't have girlfriends. Someday, I'll make a mob marriage. There's no point in dating girls I'll end up breaking up with.

But she's my friend. And she's in trouble.

Or is she?

I scroll through my contacts fast and call Wraith. It rings and rings until it goes to voicemail. I call again. Same thing.

I don't have Sadie's mom's number. Should I call my mom and ask for it?

"Get dressed." Uncle Brice is looking at his own phone. "We need to get you to Sector I."

Sector I is where they do the weapons design research. Only da and his lieutenants can go in. One of them gives access to the people that work there and escorts them out at the end of the day.

Whatever is going on is serious.

I pull my t-shirt on. It sticks on a wet patch on my chest and I yank it down. "Are mom and da okay?"

It only takes a second to pull on my shorts and stuff my feet into my kicks. No socks.

"They're fine," Brice says. "Wraith and Áine's car has been hit."

That's why he's not answering his phone.

Mine buzzes. I grab it and angle it to read the message without showing the screen to my uncle.

Sadie: You know by now that a hit team have taken out her parents. If you want your friend to survive today, exit the Bunker through the apartment building on 69th.

Wraith and Áine are dead?

No. It's not possible.