Chapter 23

**The Betrayer Among Us**

A slow poison is paranoia. It creeps into your head and tightens its hold until you perceive enemies where there are friends and shadows when none. Before I discovered that someone in our network was giving Dominic access to confidential material, it had been bothering me for days. Someone around. Someone I had faith in.

It caused me to question every interaction, every look, and every unspoken word. I had misgivings about even my most loyal ally, Jake. And I was more afraid of that than anything else.

I required clarification. I also needed them quickly.

For this reason, I tried to get in touch with an old acquaintance of Dominic's who had once worked for him but had turned against him when things got too gloomy. Tobias Shaw was the only one who knew who was providing him with information.

We agreed to meet at a modest, outlying café on the outskirts of the city. a location where nobody would consider looking for me. I had hoped so.

My instincts screamed at me the moment I entered. In the far corner, a man sat with a newspaper covering part of his face. It was not being read by him. He was watching me. Even though my heart was racing, I made myself run.

Sitting at a booth toward the back was Tobias, who was already there. He appeared to be... nervous. Terrified, not just anxious. I slid into the seat opposite him, and he hardly raised his eyes.

I whispered, "Talk fast," as my fingers gripped the table's edge.

"Emma, you—"

Before he could finish, the bullet shattered the window.

All around us, glass exploded. The screams and gasps of nearby customers were muffled by the sharp crack of a sniper's rifle, which reverberated in my ears. With a single scarlet wound across his forehead, Tobias fell forward. Before he even got to the table, he was dead.

It was instinct. As another gun went off, I jumped sideways and knocked over a chair. The bullet lodged itself in the booth's wooden frame, millimeters from me. People screamed and rushed to get away. Before the shooter changed their aim, I had a few seconds to react.

I ran.

As I hurried for the exit, scuttling amid shattered tables and terrified bystanders, my boots banged on the tile floor. One more shot flew by, shattering a coffee cup on the countertop. Shouting, the barista dove under the register.

My breath came in sharp gasps as I rushed out the door and into the street. The traffic sounded. People on foot stared. I didn't stop, though.

Who arranged for me?

The shooter had barely finished speaking when he took Tobias out. This was no accident. Someone anticipated my presence. Someone was determined to prevent Tobias from ever speaking.

And that I had to be close to someone.

With my back to the cool brick wall, I ducked into an alley. My mind was racing. The man in the coffee shop. Did he spot it? Was he alone himself? Was I still being watched by the sniper?

I had to vanish. Right now.

I pulled my hood up and raced quickly, navigating the back streets and veering off course. It was insufficient. The headlights of a black SUV pierced the dim light as it approached the end of the alley. I felt sick to my stomach.

They had already arrived.

Just as the car's doors slid open, I turned on my heel and ran in the other direction, jumping over a chain-link fence. People yelled. Behind me, footsteps thundered.

I didn't turn around.

Although I knew I couldn't outrun them for very long, adrenaline propelled me forward. My ribs were pounded by my heartbeat. I needed a way out, anything at all.

A sewer grate.

With my fingers fumbling at the rusty metal, I fell to my knees. It would not move. The sound of footsteps approached. I clenched my jaw, pressed my weight against it, and at last, at last, it moved.

Hands gripped for me as I fell through.

I was completely engulfed by the darkness.

I hit the damp trench below hard, my nostrils filling with the smell of decay and rot. The grating above slammed shut, enclosing me. They wouldn't risk following the shouts that echoed down. Not quite yet.

I drew out my phone after taking a tentative breath. I needed to call Jake. I had to find out if I could still rely on him.

However, an incoming message came up on my screen before I could dial.

RUN. HE IS Aware.

A shiver went through my body.

I couldn't identify the number.

I was even more frightened by that.

There was a rustling noise in the corridors. My breath caught in my throat as I froze. I had a companion down here.

Just one step. Then another. Slow. Calculated.

I shut off my phone's screen and stepped into the dark. I pushed myself against the damp wall, my heart pounding in my ears.

"Emma."

Even though the voice was hardly more than a whisper, it was enough to chill me to the bone. That voice seemed familiar to me.

Jake.

I ought to have been relieved. Horror shivered down my spine instead. What brought him here? How had he found me so quickly?

"It’s not safe," he stated calmly. Too quiet. "Come with me."

I balled my fingers into a fist. All of my instincts told me to run.

I remained motionless.

He raised a flashlight and a little ray of light cut through the blackness. I could see enough of his face, albeit it was somewhat hidden.

At that moment, I noticed the little earphone tucked into his right ear.

A direct line of communication. To whom, though?

My entire being fell apart.

Jake wasn't available to assist me.

He came to bring me in.

I took a step back.

Something that could not be read ignited in his eyes. "Emma—"

I took off running.