Page 91 of One Breath After Another

At least that was something.

Or rather, she knew something.

“Here, you’ll need this for entrance,” the man said, holding out an item for her to take.

Penny eyed the small card stuck between his two fingers before she snatched it from his grasp. Not meeting his gaze, she flipped the thick paper over in her palm to see what it was—or what was on it, for that matter. It was small like a business card, matte black on both sides, but one was different.

A small gold circle encompassed an L written in a scripted font. Coiled around the letter was a single snake. The reptile stared out at her from the card with eyes that seemed to lock onto hers without mercy. She’d never been one for snakes, honestly.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Likely your salvation, girl.”

What?

Penny knew better than to ask.

He wouldn’t answer anyway.

“Show it to the camera,” he added. “At the doors.”

And then, she watched as he got into the car and left. That was it. Penny was alone.

Well, mostly.

The building with the black doors still waited for her. Looming at her back, she couldn’t possibly forget it was there while she watched tail lights disappear into the darkness.

• • •

THE CARD WITH THE SNAKE did get her inside the building after she held it up high under the light for the camera to clearly see. That was only after she stood in the darkness for more minutes than she cared to admit.

Fear was a terrible thing.

It controlled Penny even when she didn’t want it to. That seemed to be her entire life in a goddamn nutshell.

The fear didn’t get better when she entered the strange building. Darkness still greeted her. Empty hallways with locked doors guided her through a strange maze of stairwells and passages. No one spoke. Cameras watched her at every angle. It seemed like the place was full of ghosts.

Nothing she could see, but things she could feel ...

If that made sense.

She simply kept walking. If a door was open, then she went through it. If a hallway led her to a stairwell, then she took it.

Eventually, she came to stand in the doorway of what looked to be an office. Although ... certainly not a normal office space. The large glass and metal desk dominated the room. Walls were made up of screens that showcased camera views from every angle. The brightness of the screens contrasted against the shape of two men standing behind the desk.

One was taller than the other. He also had braided his slick, black hair neatly over his shoulder. He was the one who smiled at her.

The other man?

He simply stared.

Cold and calculating.

“Hi, I’m—”

“Put the file on the desk,” the man on the right said. The one with the icy stare and his silk button-down rolled up to his elbows. “Introductions are not important.”

She did what he asked.