it burned her. She stared at the wood

actuall

ne buzz

kidding.

ugh. She threw her phone onto the sofa. He was play

he peephole. The

hed the grief about Irving into a small, dark box in the back

e big sunglasses on the subway. She arrived

s to the 40th floor. She stepped into the

ut, a hand-long fingers, a heavy silver

bounced

stepp

button was undone, revealing the holl

nd didn't lo

, pressing the but

gainst the back wall.

r. "It's my building,

nd. Then, suddenly, there w

g the files. The lights flickered and died. The ele

er hip hitting t

swallow

ered on, casting the small

, breathing hard. "My

e had flown out when she fell. She s

A spiderweb of cracks obscured everythin

cried, tapping the

ng beside her.

o her eyes. "The evidence! I had the scree

ng her frantic tapping. "Forge

his eyes look black. "I'm fine. But I l

els. He looked around the small, enclosed space

t was jerky. He pressed the

he said. His

g the railing so hard his knuckles we

okay?"

ne," he

oke piece of Italian wool-and drop

anded. "It wil

the jacket. "Yo

down,

. Ezra sat down next to her, extending his long

ad back against the metal wall. His

ophobic," Hali

his eyes. "Don'

You're s

rough gritted teeth. "Just

m. The invincible

anized. She talked about the coffee machine on the 12th floor that al

ing slowly evened out. His hand, which had b

e. The trapdoor in the ceiling opened. A be

maintenance. We hav

oked at Hali. His gaze was

first,"

his hands. He interlaced h

my hands,

ated. "You

o

s strength surprising her. She reached up and grabbed the

the elevator car, then onto th

d back to

s he swung his leg over the

ttural sound of pain,

caugh

into the concrete wall of the maintenance shaft. Ezr

Hali whispered

e leaned against the wall, refusing to put

," he gri

ough the fabric of his trousers, she couldn't see a

" the maintenance guy said.

s one flight up to the 40th floo

stepped under his arm, wrap

e he wanted to push her away, to maint

weight se

ou," he

tairs slowly. Step.

li asked quietly

aid, his voice strai

caught a glimpse of his ankle. The skin was twisted, marred by jagged,

y was there, looking as close to p

hed forward, takin

and pushing them both away. He adjusted

red, not looking at Hali. "The latest mo

need-" Ha

omp issue," Ezra c

vate office on that floo

t aching. Not for her broken phone. But for

-