Chapter 57

Pov CILLIAN

“And make sure you put the data on the flash drives,” Holden said as Ciara pushed through the double glass doors. I walked in behind her and paused at the chaos. The safe house was in disarray, with boxes stacked near the walls.

“What’s going on here?” I asked Ella.

She flipped her long braids over her shoulder and eyed me. “Have you not seen the news?” Her voice was strained, and her tone snippy. It was clear by the way she scurried about the room that her irritation was at breaking point. It was like watching the water around a river test the levees for a weakness. I didn’t want to be around her when she finally snapped.

“Holden,” Ciara called into the small voice box near the stairs.

“Thank God you’re here,” Holden’s voice crackled over the speaker. “I’m coming down.”

Ciara flashed me an apologetic smile as the stomping of boots reverberated through the stairwell. Holden came rushing out, hair frazzled, glasses askew, and panic etched into his brow. He pushed his glasse