The compound had gone quiet again, though Lynda could still feel the tremor of everything that had just happened. Eleven had stood close, Henry’s warning settling like cold water in her chest. Marcus' voice still ringing in her mind. With hands that would not stop shaking, she closed the gate. The night outside felt so much heavier now.

Inside, she leaned against the wall, pressing both palms over her face. Her breathing was sharp and uneven. For a moment, she could neither move nor think. ...