It's a quiet drive back to the hotel, just Nathan and Ariadne. The Omega takes the exit, wondering if she should turn on the radio to cut the silence."Did you find out anything?" Ariadne asks."Nothing," Nathan sighs. "And if they know anything about him, they're not talking. F*ck, I felt like a cop in that room with the way everyone was looking at me. I'm out one year, and I'm a stranger.""I want to be a stranger," Ariadne says, "I don't want to be here in this fucking city. We get this done as fast as possible, and then we go home."Nathan nods in agreement. "Amias and Anna hate it here. We go big, then we go home."Ariadne turns into the Hotel parking lot, scanning for a spot. "Hey, do you know a Tracey Erickson?""The Doctor," Nathan replies without skipping a beat. "Yeah, kinda. I saw her when I got shot in the leg. She's unaffiliated, treats everyone as long as you got the cash.""She's an Erickson, though," Ariadne asks. "Is she—"Ariadne spots a vehicle in the lot, an ice wh

Ariadne doesn't know where she's going, finding a service exit, and running up three flights of mottled gray steps. She needs a smoke badly, but her pockets are empty, having quit a long time ago when she first found out she was pregnant.The Omega doesn't know what to expect when she reaches the roof, certainly not a rose garden with gorgeous blooms of white, pink, and dark red.Ariadne feels as though she's stepped through time. And she wonders if this is Dustin's or Miner's hobby, keeping this place.It's starkly beautiful against the dark night sky.Ariadne wipes her face, drying tears that haven't even been born yet, then she walks over to the ledge, leaning against the railing as the wind blows up at her.It's drizzling ever so slightly, and Ariadne knows she needs to go inside and face Victor again before her bones are stripped of heat.Only the door creeks open, and the Alpha appears, halting for a moment to take in the scenery. "This isn't what I expected. This Dustin guy has

"How could you let her play?" a voice hisses in the darkness. "You should've stopped her."Ariadne squints into the darkness, pulling herself up. The world's still spinning, two sets of eyes watching her in the night. She's back at the hotel, recognizing the smell of the sheets."I had to," Ariadne says, voice raw."Don't." The acidic voice belongs to Anna, whose eyes are a furious red. "Don't say another word, or I'm gonna come over there and punch you right in the nose.""Anna, come on." It's Dustin, arms folded, green orbs glowing in the night. "She's been through enough."Anna slams a glass on the table, pointing the finger at the Alpha. "God, I will shoot you myself if you don't shut up.""I thought I could win," Ariadne grumbles, heat burning through her body, an utter and complete shame. "I didn't think—""You didn't think," Anna spits. "It was a trap, and you—"Ariadne's tears spill out of her face as she looks at her hands. "Anna- we-we didn't really have a choice. We never d

Ashley has acquired money, transportation, and information within two hours of his escape. The boy can probably find Gordon now and challenge him to the f*cking card game.What do they do now?“Omega,” Victor calls. “If this were you, what would you do?”Ariadne folds her arms. “What are you talking about?”“If you were Ashley,” Victor clarifies. “What would you do next?”Ariadne laughs. “I’d turn myself in, accept my grounded for life status, and be a good kid.”Victor scoffs. “Yea... no. That’s not even close to what he’d do. Can you put away your pride for a second and give an honest answer?”Ariadne sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose and putting herself in her son’s shoes. “I supposed I’d go to the Auction House tonight after the sales and try to catch Gordon there.”Victor snaps his fingers, pointing at nothing in particular. “That’s what I’d do too. I just needed confirmation. So, given that, we should stake out the place and catch the kids before they get in.”That’s actual

The Omega pushes the cell back into her pocket. When she looks up, Victor's watching her intently. "What? You look like you want to say something."Victor sighs, finishing his drinking at setting it down. "I'll have someone bring my car home. Let's just go, yeah? The sooner we find your kids, the better. Then you can finally be rid of me."Ariadne wants to shout, though she doesn't know what her point of argument is. "Alright, I'll drive."The two pay their tab and head out together. The drive to the mountains is quiet, and Victor listens to the soft jazz playing on the stereo without complaint."This is really good," Victor sighs, pushing his seat all the way back. "You got good taste, Omega."Ariadne smiles dryly. "It's a mixtape. You made it for me.""Oh," Victor hums, eyes sliding shut. "Damn, I have good taste then.""Occasionally," Ariadne notes, enjoying the soft blue scenery, pine trees, and the mountains in the distance.They drive peacefully for the next hour until the signs