His sister was dead.
Jonah’s knees buckled as he listened to the words, the details slipping past him in a blur. A thermophile had burned her alive after turning her boyfriend. He hadn’t even been able to say goodbye.
The days that followed were a haze of anger and grief. He couldn’t think. Couldn’t feel. He needed to get away. To quit. To find Edward, the thermophile responsible. To make someone pay.
Lucas stopped him before he could walk out the door, offering him a different position, something to keep him from losing himself completely while allowing him the flexibility to find Edward. He’d be on camera, looking for human criminals. It was stupid, a ridiculous idea concocted only to keep him within the TCA.
“This job will keep you safe,” Lucas insisted. Jonah hadn’t bothered to ask “from who?” It would only take a day for the real secrets, the real danger to emerge.
Ruby tried to call. Several times. But the anger was too raw, too consuming. He couldn’t stand the thought of her. Hundreds. Lucas had said she’d killed hundreds, maybe even more. Hundreds like his sister.
And yet, he left the ebook reader, wrapped in its gift bag, on her bed.
His hand shook as he stared at his phone, her name lighting up the screen one last time before he hit block. Then, with a breath that tore him apart, he buried it all—his feelings, his grief, his guilt—and got to work.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
BRIGHT AND EARLYthe next morning, Ruby stepped into the hotel lobby, where Kavya and Jonah were already waiting. The space hummed with quiet morning energy—guests murmured over steaming cups of coffee, the scent of roasted beans and pastry clinging to the air. A bellhop maneuvered a luggage cart across the polished tile, wheels clicking rhythmically.
Jonah looked like hell. His dirty blonde hair was scraped back into a messy bun, and sunglasses did little to hide the shadows under his eyes. His wrinkled t-shirt and the slouch in his posture made him look like he’d either just rolled out of bed or barely slept at all.
Ruby glanced down at his feet and snorted. “Does he know he’s wearing two different shoes?” she asked Kavya.
Jonah sighed. “He does.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And you know you’ll be on camera today, right?”
“I didn’t notice until we were already in town, and Kavya wouldn’t let me stop to grab a new pair.”
Kavya shrugged. “We’re on a tighter schedule today. Trying something new, film-wise.” She turned on her heel, heading toward the hotel café. “That being said, I’m grabbing coffee. Jonah, brief Ruby on the mission. If you two don’t bicker, I’ll buy you a coffee and let you stop at Foot Locker.”
“You heard the woman.” Ruby dropped into one of the leather armchairs with a quiet squelch. “Brief me.”
Jonah lowered himself into the neighboring chair, folding his arms. “I will. But first, I want to talk about last night.”
Ruby stilled. She hadn’t expected that.
“Really?” She tilted her head, studying him. “I assumed you were going to yet again ‘not remember’ our conversation.” The finger quotes were unnecessary but satisfying.
Jonah exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. “No. Pretending to forget you was childish. And I know you never believed me, so I don’t even know why I tried.” He hesitated, fingers tapping against the armrest. “There are things you don’t know yet. It’s complicated.”
She frowned, taking in the way his shoulders slumped, his left knee bouncing. The lobby bustled around them—business travelers scrolling through phones, an older couple debating their itinerary, the distant ding of the elevator. She had the sudden, ridiculous urge to lean in, to press him for more, but before she could—
Kavya returned, balancing two coffees. “What’d I miss?”
“Jonah being super vague and annoying.” Ruby stood, brushing invisible lint from her pants. “Shocking, I know. Who’s our next target?”
Kavya’s grin was slow, wicked. “I hope you’re not afraid of needles.”
IN AN OVERLYdelicate living room, Ruby, Kavya, and Jonah sat sipping coffee while waiting for a fugitive to return from the post office. Their target’s mother, Mrs. Ulerik, perched beside Ruby on a pink, frilly couch. Her salt-and-pepper hair was pulled into a neat bun, and laugh lines creased deeply into her sun-kissed skin. Ruby leaned into a cross-stitched pillowthat read “Teachers Are the Real Heroes.” The faint scent of lavender essential oils hung in the air.
Jonah and Kavya sat across from them in armchairs upholstered in pastel florals. Kavya streamed live from their social media account, her camera trained on the surroundings, while Jonah idly played with a cross-stitched pillow in his lap.
When they arrived, Mrs. Ulerik had ushered them into the living room, demanding they sit for a cup of tea while they waited for her son. A porcelain teapot, adorned with tiny roses, sat on the coffee table between them. Steam curled from the spout. Ruby lifted a cup shaped like a frog and pretended to sip. The tea had an unusual floral scent, delicate yet fresh, with a sweet undertone. Jonah had opted for a fresh cup of coffee, while Kavya had politely declined both.
The living room could have been charming, with its mix of plush fabrics, pastels, and floral prints. Family portraits lined the walls, featuring a younger Mrs. Ulerik surrounded by high school students. It was all very homey—except for the wall behind Ruby, where rows of antique medical instruments were on display. A rusty saw, giant scissors, and a collection of needles sat in various states of decay, casting a disturbing shadow over the otherwise cozy room.
Mrs. Ulerik broke the silence, her voice dripping with motherly concern. “He’s only going to be in prison for a few years, dear. You’re a beautiful young woman—maybe you could wait for him?” Her eyes roamed over Ruby, adjusting the shawl draped over her shoulders.
