impatient click against the polished linoleum. The only other sound was the steady, rhythmic

entered, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his

scrubs, her knuckles white. "Is

om her fierce grip. "The... the delivery... th

een demanded, her vo

wins," he blurte

of the plan. It ruined the narrative she had so carefull

althy. But the mother... Katia... her heart stopped on the table. For three

pened her designer bag, pulling out a thick envelope. She shoved it into

The other was stillborn. A tragic consequence of the hemorrhage. And Katia Sterling

orgiving face. He swallowed hard, the last of his moral compas

," Janeen

room and began typing, his fingers flying across the keyboard, deleti

her heels clicking with renewed purpose. She moved from

m. A tiny, perfect baby boy, resting in an inc

clair," she whispered to her reflection in the g

flashing a forged authorization badge she'd had prepared weeks ago. With

seemed to dim, the s

check, Katia's fingers curled into a fist. Her heart, which had

years

ted off Katia Sterling's oversized Tom Ford sunglasses. Her high heels cli

thing hard and sharp. She lowered her sunglasses, revealing calcul

er jacket and tiny combat boots, walked with a confident swagger. Hi

se. She gently adjusted the collar of his jacket, her fingers brushing

ace. His eyes, the same shade of green as hers, sparkled. "The firewalls

ip of his nose. "We're here to reclaim our property

system, momentarily drowning out the terminal's

r side, darting behind a large duty-free display advertising a n

renaline shot through her. Her protective instincts, honed to a razor's edge over five years o

face of his custom smartwatch. The vending machine whirred, clicked, and then, with a satisfying

to the slot, a pair of expensive, hand-stitched Italian

a perfectly tailored dark suit. He expected to

oy. A boy wearing a formal, stuffy-looking blaz

hat they were holding. Leo's gummy bears scattered acros

eyes widened in absolu