d the chaos unfold on the tablet in his lap. The screen showed a live feed

hrough Casimiro's earpiece.

ped bre

oor, weeping and clutching her knee. Her two hired go

center of the storm

y in the front. The one with the me

p, straight at C

een punched in the gut. The

se

t him from the mirror every morning. The shape of the brow, the stubborn s

warp, slowing d

"Casimiro! Help me! These monsters atta

nuckles white as he gripped the tablet. He watched as Casimiro, following silent orders, step

He held his ground, c

ered over the child, but the boy didn'

is voice a neutral vessel for the qu

bear," Blace said. His voice

little girl. She was clutching a dirty bear,

Archibald's chest. A

wrong

stroom door

ay from

r hair wild, water dripping from her chin. She saw the

Phantom waiting at the curb. The windows were tinted black, but she could feel a gaze from within, cold and heavy, pinning her in pl

d absolute, flo

iro and the kids, spreading her arms wide. "Tell

f she had screamed directly at him.

howed a soft, pampered socialite. This woman was thin, her clothes were wo

did she look at his car with such fear? And why did her terrified face stir a me

ing shallow and fast. She was looking at Casimiro, b

, trying to de-escalate. "Mr.

idn't hear it, but the microphone on his lapel picked it

ze. What did

ainst the wall. "She's insan

is hand outstretched. "Ma'am, p

He saw the fear in her eyes. H

, crude remote control he had assembled from a garage door opener.

slapped onto the front tire's valve stem during the fire panic-a device conta

Just a sudden, vi

y in under a second, the heavy car slamming down onto its rims with a metallic cru

amed at the sudden, violent noise and

ard in his seat by the su

, everyone w

hesitate. She

reamed to the

he ensuing panic. He stared at the black screen. The car alarm was a shr

ne. Headed for the parking garage. The woman... she looks terrified of you. Truly te

er. He could still see the boy's eyes. His eyes. And

sweep her up, force a signature, and banish her. Instead, his car was disabled, his name

ming a new, dangerous strategy in his mind. "She sees a monster in a

your ord

o a low, determined growl. "But do it quietly. I

o the one place she thinks I'll never look: the bottom.

Find out where they land. Then, secure the apartment next door. Or above. Or below

ir?" Casimiro s

won't talk to the billionaire, maybe she'll talk to the neighbor. Find me a shell. Call him

s sat in the ruins of his perfect car, he knew it was the only mo