Page 37 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘Negative, Kestrel. Shimmer is MIA. Cascade, Halo and Kite are eyes-on, secure. Repeat, Shimmer is MIA.’

Lachlan’s heart sinks so hard, so fast it crushes itself. ‘Thread location?’

‘Kestrel, be advised, the Ivy Wall has gone dark and location scans are glitching.’

‘Get it back up, now! Alpha Team to Sierra Forge. Bravo Team, stay with the Principals in Echo Bay. Charlie Team to November Sky.’

A round of affirmatives comes through.

The alarm blares.

Lachlan runs faster than he ever has before, his heart pounding.

‘Sapsan, come in.’

Sapsan is Danya’s codename.

‘Headed to Whiskey Forge,’ Danya informs him.

It sounds like he’s running too.

‘Heard.’

It takes less than forty-five seconds to get there.

This is one area of the Estate he spends precious little time in beyond alignment checks and meeting Carrigan here yesterday.

Lightning strikes above.

The lights flicker once more but hold.

‘Kestrel, we have a location on Shimmer’s threads.’

Danya comes wheeling around the corner, slowing to a jog.

He has his gun out, scanning Lachlan perfunctorily.

‘Control, confirm exact location.’

‘You’re right outside it.’

Carrigan’s bedroom.

Danya and Lachlan speak in tactical sign to confirm soft entry. Danya opens the door and covers Lachlan while he goes in first.

Priscilla Carrigan’s room is modern and meticulously ordered.

Lightning bleaches it white through the windows as Lachlan raises his weapon, scanning around. The white satin bed is stained with blood; broken smears leading to the edge tell him that whoever was on the bed either rolled or was pulled onto the floor beside it.

That’s not his focus, though.

Lachlan’s focus is the little girl standing in the corner of the room, blending in so very well with the shadows.

The world slows, stops.

Danya swears under his breath in Russian.

Jessamine Penhalyx has a gun in one hand and the Mari backpack on her shoulders over a black dress she got from the Mimi Store. Her hair is tied efficiently back the same way Lachlan ties his. She looks up from the floor at Lachlan and Danya when they slowly approach.