windows, spreading across the cold grey marble flo

the awkward position she had slept

ny kind. Pale grey walls, metal trim, a space

back into her mind. She took a de

ng off again behind her. The doors on either side looked identical-silent,

or, two black-suited bod

s. It's best if you

ords. Without detailed medical history and medication logs, I can't

linic can access

rd cut

his treatment is also available he

excuse she had prepared had been

y was led by the gua

n his leather chair, dark circles shadowing hi

up when he hear

e he

sat on the desk, sealed in

c's hand pressed down on the

call the police if

s eyes, his gaze dragging across h

ing a

hed. The smile didn't reach his eyes. He tapp

small box on the corner of the desk, its red lig

fter you're done, you can tell me why you p

roze for

her heart dropped like a stone. He kne

ore open the evidence bag, pressed speak

ou-" Kate's voice w

project. I'll be away for a few days. Handle the 'patient' acco

said he was your colleague. Asked which school Dorothea goes to. I di

ned around the phone.

at. I couldn't see his

rotocol. Don't

hung

ne and looked up, me

is eyes narr

deep breath. "He said your previous treatments were all

t me to be

e not to. But

his tongue like he was tasting something bitter.

es

nning, he planned to s

wn." Avery's

ck your progress. An uncooperative patient makes any

he rose, walked around the massive desk, and

The pressure of his presence forced her t

s too

ld see the sharp hollow of his collarbones, the broad che

pplied the assessment: perfect bone structure,

eath that body-last night, he had used that same abso

" had somehow twisted into something else

s at herself for the involuntary attent

" Dominic low

rate path through the air from her cheek down to the curve of her collarbone. The

usually don't live to see the next sunrise.

As for Wenger, I'll handle it. The listen

is chest, crushed the conflicting feelin

o I re

ing the dangerous proximity between them. "Now get re

the door, pausing

ng-what's Pro

didn't

pushed the door o

s faded down

n, her palms slic

last line of defense she

sedative and lock the door. It was the last resort she never wanted

the only thing

one who had asked ab

n caught the red light still gl

is room, every word had been recorded. Includ

oor o

g a folder onto the desk

nger's medication records and lab reports from the

xplain furt

folder. She walked

hirty-

An interior shot of a laboratory. A row of numbered t

3

rs stoppe

ical records had th

ss what that meant. She flipp

hotos. Even the table entries were ha

into three columns-

wn, finally stoppin

St. C

ad it. She pulled the fol

th date matc

n contained two lines of stark, brutal text: *

text in darker ink-a

zing residual compounds in Subject 047. Long-

, Avery's blood

d spreading down her sp

er been a

y, the life-or

offered her up like a sacrifice to

*was* Su

nds in the study faded into the distance. Onl

were shaking-she didn't even notice until the edge of th

OOM

. The floor-to-ceiling windows cracked with a sickening screech. Aver

the last page landing face-up,

its, on

r ears drowned ou

led the hallway. The shouts of bodyguards, gunfire, f

above, pulling her up with a

t u

d her deeper into the corridor. Avery was forced to follow, her m

get

hed open a door, shoved her in

set. Outside, the gunfire contin

ping for air. Dominic stood by the

t on a single

back. Beneath it, the tight muscles of his shoulders were e

re in

rap

ery's voice steadi

light from the hallway seeped through the crack

a psychi

can handle ext

d the emergency kit in the corner, opened it, and pulled out antiseptic wipes

ight still be fragments ins

d against the wall, turning

antiseptic touched his skin, Domini

change his breathing. But she saw it-hi

n they came out, the blood welled up faster. She quickly stopped the bleeding and bandaged the

ing

on

teppe

e bandage, rolling his sh

he said, "was