Theo’s monitor goes black.
Roshaan
Roshaan strides past a mural of the Furies, trying not to look at the depiction of terrifying women with snakes for hair and blood dripping from their eyes, wings like bats. Some of the female creatures carry flaming, smoking torches; others wield whips as they pursue a tiny pair of mortal lovers. The painting is titledVengeance of Furies. The little human male recoils in horror, his hands up in self-defense, mouth wide in a scream. The woman is on her knees, sobbing, pleading for mercy.
The Furies are merciless avengers. They are guilt incarnate. They never, ever stop. They will ceaselessly pursue and even drive a mortal into sheer madness, or to suicide, but even death will not offer escape from their relentless torment, because the Furies will follow into the afterlife.
Roshaan is being tormented by her own Furies. What she’s done can’t be stopped now. It’s just going to get worse.
No more hope of escape. She’s become one of Dr. Marsh’s victims turned villainesses. Doomed to go down with a devil.
A voice sounds in her earpiece. “Roshaan? Are you there?”
Roshaan stops dead, hand flying to her heart at the sound of Maxine’s voice in her earpiece. She tries to steady herself.
“I’m here.”
“One of your elites, Arrabella Fairfax, went ashore this morning and has not scanned back in through security. Her fiancé, Patrick McGregor, is showing on the system as having returned, but he’s not answering either his phone or room line. Please go directly to the Calliope, seeif he’s there—check if he knows where Lady Fairfax is. Maybe it’s a system glitch.”
“On my way.” Roshaan starts immediately in the direction of the elevator bank. As she reaches the elevator, she hears the announcement go out over the PA.
“Attention, guest Arrabella Fairfax. Please proceed immediately to the embarkation area on Deck 2, Portside. Guest Arrabella Fairfax, this is your final boarding call. The vessel is preparing for departure.”
She reaches the Calliope, lifts her hand to knock on the door, and her phone rings.
Theo.
Her stomach clenches. She connects his calls as she raps on the door.
“Theo, I can’t talk now, I—”
“Abort!” Theo barks. “We have to abort! Stat. Kill the mission. Salvage the operation. Get the bugs out. All of them. Now.”
“What?”
“Go back into the rooms and remove the cams.”
“I don’t understand. I—”
“Listen. This is serious. Avi Galev’s onto us. He found the bug in his suite. And he’s dangerous. Trust me. Do not—I repeat—do not mess with him. Seriously—he’s hired-killer-type shit. He carries a garrote in his pocket. And some kind of injection pens. God knows what’s in them.”
“How did he—”
“I think he’s still in his suite, Rosh—I can’t see because he disabled the cam. Do not go to the Orion. It’s too late. Go to the Elysium. It’s still empty. Getallthe cams before he does.”
“What onearthare you talking about? Why would he go for the other—”
A tone crackles in her earpiece. Maxine is trying to get through. Roshaan switches to the crew channel.
“Roshaan.” Maxine’s voice is sharp. “Have you checked the Calliope yet? Report back, please. We’re due to cast off in seven minutes.”
Another PA announcement follows immediately.
“Paging guest Arrabella Fairfax. Please report without delay. This is our final boarding call. Guest Arrabella Fairfax, please report immediately to scan in.”
Roshaan switches back to her phone. “Theo, I need to find a missing guest right now.”
“I don’t think you’re hearing me, Roshaan,” Theo snaps. “This is fucking triage. Life and death.”
