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Old friendship prevented it.

Barely.

Then the privacy field flickered.

Once.

Darev’s expression changed immediately.

He moved to the wall console.

“What?”

He did not answer.

The privacy field flickered again.

Then the outer-room alarm activated.

Not loud.

A low vibration through the wall.

Darev swore.

I reached for my weapon.

Talia pushed away from the counter. “What is it?”

Darev checked the security feed.

His face hardened. “Three males outside.”

“Patients?”

“No.”

“How do you know?”

“They are not pretending well enough.”

I moved beside him.

The exterior feed showed three males positioned across the repair yard, too far apart to be casual. One near the clinic entrance. One by the transport lane. One watching the rear structure.

Containment.

Talia came closer. “Are they the same group from Bren?”

“Unknown.”

Darev looked at me. “You were followed.”

“No.”

“Then they found you another way.”

That was worse.