LOCATION: SAFEHOUSE – TECH ROOM

TIME: 6:13 a.m.

The screen blinked.

ERROR: IDENTITY NOT FOUND

ACCESS DENIED.

Again.

And again.

Solene leaned over the terminal, knuckles white, lips dry.

She typed her name, her real one, three more times.

Still: ACCESS DENIED.

Lucien stood behind her, arms crossed. Silent.

Rios leaned against the wall, jaw tense. “They scrubbed you.”

Solene turned slowly.

“They can’t. My DNA ”

“Doesn’t matter,” Rios interrupted. ...