Page 86 of Lone Wolf

He said it sharply.

She looked up. She understood that tone. She put her phone down.

“Sorry,” she said.

“Stop feeding that shit into your face. You’re scrambling your hard drive. It’s unsat operationally. I know you need to dip in now and then but get it under control.”

She swallowed. “Okay,” she said. “It’s just, I’m having a problem figuring out how to deal with these kind of, you know, social posts—”

“That’s not a real problem. Other people have real problems. Problems they’re not choosing to let in.”

She visibly wilted. Seeing her reaction, he rewound and registered the harshness of his words. They were correct but not the best ones. He felt a sting of remorse. But righteous anger, too. Joey was a blazingly capable human and a highly trained operator. Why the hell would she let Allman and a gaggle of sorority idiots into her nervous system?

The too-loud ring tone shattered through his thoughts: DONCHA WISH YER GIRLFRIEND—

He snatched the RoamZone. Caller ID showed Jayla’s burner phone requesting a video call. Initiating background filters, he tapped to answer.

There Jayla was in a dark bedroom, staring wide-eyed from her bed. She looked gaunt, hollowed-out.

“You okay?”

A flurry of hand signals. No. No, I’m not okay.

“Slow down. What happened?”

They brought in a doctor to see me today. Permanent damage. That’s what I have. The zip tie crushed my vocal cords. It’s so— A gesture he didn’t understand but her expression made clear it conveyed profanity.

“Okay,” he said. “So it’s just a medical problem?”

Forefinger aimed up, scooping the air angrily. Just? Just?!

“I mean are you physically safe?”

I don’t have a voice. My voice is gone. Index finger in the air making big vehement circles, head wagging for punctuation: Forever.

He started to say something, but she was still signing. To his side, Evan sensed Joey leaning forward to take in the screen. She stayed out of frame, shoulders bunched by her ears, eyes shiny with empathy.

I can’t sing. I’m not me anymore. I don’t have anyone. I don’t have my stuff. I can’t see my aunt. They said they arranged to keep me here until Wednesday but I want to go home now.

Only until Wednesday? He’d have to line out a safe house, which would interfere with his movements and his ability to—

That was for later.

He said, “No.”

I can’t do this alone. I need my bed. Something I recognize. I’m going to tell them to take me home now.

“You can’t go home.”

Brow knurled, eyes bunched, right hand to forehead, then flung angrily outward with thumb and pinky thrust wide: Why?

“Because there’s a hired assassin staking out your house, ready to kill you.”

Jayla ceased her angry gesticulations, shoulders hanging limply, face suddenly bare. Her cheeks trembled and she leaned forward as if she’d taken a blow to the gut.

Keeping out of view, Joey reached over and poked MUTE. “What are you doing?” she said to Evan. “You’re scaring the hell out of her.”

“She should be scared. She’s got the Wolf waiting to put holes in her, the Marshals are only giving her five more days, and she wants to put her critical mass on display earlier than that.”