Dread rattled down to my knees as we settled the ladder in place with barely a clink. I couldn't do this. It was a terrible idea, one that could get our throats eaten.

Hendry did a double-take when he glanced at me, concern digging a groove between his eyes. After taking the whiteboard and marker out of his pack, he quickly scrawled, You can change your mind if you want.

He was giving me a free pass out of this impossible situation, but that was just it - the ...