Then I heard her words, and an eerie laugh echoing from down the hallway. “My execution, silly.”

My eyes snapped open.

I was awake, and not back in Hillcrest, not following Brooke.

To her execution.

My heart pounded in my chest. I was in Kai’s room, in his bed. Fear paralyzed me for a second, as I remembered the last time I’d woken here, remembered everything. Then I scrambled out of bed, hit the floor running, and dashed into the main room.

I skidded to a halt.

I was alone. Completely. There weren’t even guards inside.

I slumped down in a chair at the table and took everything in. So much had happened, and my mind was swimming. I felt like I was drowning, and Hider operatives didn’t do that.

I’d been playing defense this whole time, just trying to catch up. I had to stop. I had to formulate a plan.

They knew everything. Blade. The Network. The Hider operatives who came to help me—I felt sick again just thinking of them. If I hadn’t made that call, that guy would still be alive. His death was on me.

I had to make it right somehow.

Brooke.

She was another piece of the puzzle.

Kai didn’t believe me. He was desperate to find her.

The possibilities were endless, and none of it would get figured out unless I got out of here.

I had to get out. Somehow.

Getting out of this room would be a good first step. After showering, I grabbed some clothes and runners from the closet.

With clammy hands, and a pulse that didn’t seem it would ever slow down, I started for the door.

It swung open before I could get there.

I opened my mouth, thinking that had happened fast, but then Tanner strolled in. Hands in his pockets, head down, he walked like he was out for a stroll he didn’t want to be on.

Noticing my shoes first, he paused and lifted his head.

“Oh, hey. You’re awake. Good.” He turned around and called back over his shoulder, “Follow me.”

I wasn’t going anywhere.

Well, shit.

I had to. I had to see if I could escape or find the other Hiders.

Tanner hadn’t waited for me, but there were two guards outside the door. Sighing, I headed out, but I kept my head up. I tried to memorize the way to wherever I was going, which was ridiculous because I was just guessing at where Tanner had gone. I must’ve been correct for the most part, but after I made a turn down a hallway, the guard behind me cleared his throat and said, “Other way.”

“Thank you.” I glanced at him and veered to the left hallway instead.

After that they had to direct me down three flights of stairs and through so many hallways I lost count. I’d felt like I was going back to the main door where they’d first brought me in, but I wasn’t certain. I was getting a headache trying to track where I was and look for escape routes at the same time.

I should give up. Or wait for an opening.

This was the fewest guards I’d had, but there were still two of them. I had no doubt that whenever I got to where I was supposed to be, there’d be more.

Then I rounded a last corner and saw I was on the main floor. I could see the front door, but Tanner hollered from the other direction, “In here!”

He was in the kitchen, an entire grand room with a long dining table taking up one side, and an open kitchen on the other.

Tanner stood at the marble countertop, frowning at a coffee pot. “You drink coffee, Ray ra—Riley?”

He was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt with the hood pulled over his head. With a big yawn stretching over his face, he glanced to me. “Hmmm?”

I normally didn’t, but I shrugged. “Sure.” Maybe it’d help me stay alert.

My stomach rumbled, hurting. My throat was painful too.

He finished getting the coffee ready to brew, smiling as he punched the last button. “There. Ready.” He patted the top of the machine, a look of pride flashing over his face. “I just got this new sucker. About time to see if its espresso really does remind me of Paris.” He winked. “I doubt it will.”

“Tanner?” Someone called from behind me.

A guy was coming in. His head down, a bag like an EMT’s over his shoulder, he frowned at his phone on the way toward us.

“You in there?”

He lifted his head when we were about five inches from impact.

“Oh!” He skidded to a halt, and his dark eyes widened.

I should’ve moved. I saw him coming, but this wasn’t a normal situation. I was starting to feel like I had to do everything the opposite of normal just to see what would happen—if an opening to run would occur or anything. At least that’s what I told myself. The truth might’ve been that my reactions were slow, really slow, and as I’d tried to move aside for him, my body had begun to shake. A wave of light-headedness had come over me, and I swear I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head.

“Whoa.”

A thud sounded, and two hands grabbed my arms, keeping me upright as I started to waver.

“She needs to sit down.”

A chair scraped against the floor, and I sat on it. The hands grew gentle, soothing. They felt nice after the shock of everything. He knelt in front of me, and I felt his breath on my face. He lifted one of my eyelids open.

“Tanner,” he said over his shoulder. “I told you to give her something to eat and drink before making her walk through the house.”