Diamond didn’t look back. She didn’t have to. The sound of Carla’s voice—soft but steel-willed—said it all. They were getting close.
“So Seven,” Diamond said, keeping her eyes on the road ahead, “how do you know Nova?”
Seven didn’t miss a beat. “Maddyn Landry.”
Diamond’s brow lifted, just slightly.
Maddyn Landry wasn’t just a name in their world—she was a force. One of the original architects behind the underground network that moved abused women and children out of danger zones and into new lives. Quiet. Ruthless. Untouchable. If Maddyn trusted Seven, it made sense Nova would too.
“Maddyn’s good people,” Diamond said finally, her tone neutral but edged with respect.
“She and Nova set up the final drop,” Seven replied. “Once we hit the next stop, I’ll take Carla and the girls the rest of the way. You and Sayer will double back and reclaim the truck.”
Diamond tightened her grip on the armrest. It was a smart plan. Smooth. Coordinated. But she hadn’t been looped in until now—and that grated.This was her chapter. Her job.
“Sounds like Maddyn and Nova figured everything out,” she said, trying not to let the irritation creep too far into her voice.
Seven didn’t rise to it. “No. Maddyn and I worked it out. We know the stakes.”
Diamond glanced into the rearview. Carla was watching her, uncertain. “Carla,” Diamond said, shifting in her seat. “What does your ex do for a living?”
Carla hesitated, then answered softly, “He’s a computer analyst.”
Diamond exhaled slowly. That explained a lot. “And does he have connections to any… unscrupulous people?”
Carla’s face tensed, her arms instinctively pulling her daughters closer. “His brother,” she said. “He’s a thug. If it’s illegal, he’s doing it. Guns, money, tech, whatever he can make a buck on. He’s been in and out of jail, but never long enough to stay gone.”
“Sounds like a good pair,” Sayer muttered from the middle seat.
“Worse,” Carla added. “They’re close.”
Diamond nodded once. “That’s our leak, then. The ex is smart enough to dig through our system, and the brother’s dirty enough to use the information.”
Seven leaned slightly forward. “That’s why we’re running dark. No names. No signals. No straight lines.”
They drove in silence for a moment, the weight of everything settling heavy over the van. Diamond shifted again, glancing at Seven.
“You sure you can get them to the drop?”
Seven cracked a faint smile. “You’re not the only one who knows how to disappear.”
Something in the words Seven said made Diamond feel like the girl knew more about her than she liked.
The van rolled to a stop in a wide clearing at the edge of a long-forgotten service road. Trees surrounded the lot like silent guards, tall and close enough to block line of sight from any road traffic. An old building sat off to the left—weathered, abandoned, and quiet.
Waiting next to it, parked in the shade, was a nondescript two-door sedan. No markings. No identifying features. It was the kind of car people looked right past.
“Here,” Seven said from the driver’s seat. “This is where we split.”
Diamond turned in her seat, her gaze settling on Carla and the girls in the back. The youngest was still curled up, thumb in her mouth, while her sister sat alert, her little hand wrapped tight in her mother’s.
Carla looked tired, but there was a different kind of energy in her eyes now—something closer to hope. Diamond climbed out and opened the side door. She crouched down slightly so she was at eye level with the girls.
“You listen to your mama, alright? You’re safe now. You don’t need to be scared anymore.”
The older one nodded. The younger gave a shy blink. Diamond looked up at Carla. “You take care of them.”
“I will.” Carla’s voice was quiet, firm. “Thank you… for everything.”
