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My eyes met Travis’s above my elevated wrist. He swallowed hard, his eyes unreadable. “We can’t make out what you’re saying,” I told Mason. “Where are you? Do you need help?”

“Help?” Travis said so loud I jumped. He put a hand over the wristcom and pushed my arm down. “He almost got me killed. Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“…aquarium…” the wristcom spat out.

I knew I had to remain calm and not let on that I knew anything, but it was impossible to control my breathing or the tremble in my knees.

“Sam?” Travis moved forward and pulled me into his arms. “Are you okay? What happened? Did Nicole hurt you? I’ll kill that bitch.”

“N…n…no,” I stammered, pulling away. “No. It’s just my head. This DSI thing.”

Travis stared at me. “Take a few deep, slow breaths. That helps.”

We looked at each other for a minute while my heart screamed through my ribs.

“You don’t look surprised,” he said. “You knew, didn’t you?”

“I just found it in the files.” I cast my eyes down at the pristine path between us. Then we both spoke at once. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.

“How could you go behind my back?” was his question.

I sighed. “We need to rendezvous with the others. We’re going to be late.”

Travis’s hand caught my arm as I turned to go. “You really think I could do all this?”

I wanted to say no, but I couldn’t.

“I don’t know. I don’t even know what I’m capable of.” I turned and started toward the hotel, praying he wouldn’t grab me from behind and that Mason would make it to the rendezvous so my worst fears wouldn’t be realized.

* * *

Jackson and Nicole rushed toward us the moment we arrived outside the Fisherman’s Hotel. The sight of my brother soothed me so much it almost brought tears to my eyes. I ran straight to Jackson’s arms, grateful for someone I knew I could trust. “You okay?” he asked into my hair. I nodded against his chest and squeezed him one more time before letting go.

I looked him over with a critical eye, searching for any injuries. Mussed hair and scuffed and torn clothing were the only clues to the hell he’d likely been through.

“Did you get Mason’s message?” Nicole asked me, pulling me aside, long nails digging into the skin of my arm.

“It was hard to understand,” I said, yanking my arm away. “I was hoping he’d be here. Did you get it?”

“It was fuzzy, but I got the gist. He’s trapped in the aquarium. He’s in trouble, and he said something about your extra boy toy over there.”

I looked into her narrowed eyes and my first instinct was to slap her. Then Jackson came over, laid a hand on her shoulder, and something happened.

Nicole melted. Her body relaxed and her eyes brightened. The edges of her mouth tipped upward, and her head leaned toward his body like it had an undeniable gravitational pull.

My gaze flicked back and forth between the two of them with disbelief. I crossed my arms and said, “Tasha?”

Jackson’s face burned red. “Who? Oh, she’s been taken like the others.”

Nicole’s smile filled in, complete.

“The others?” I repeated, silently concerned about my brother’s choice in women.

Jackson shifted his weight, and Nicole licked her lips. “They’ve all been removed from quarters. We think they’re down in stasis.”

I had to tell them what I knew, but I couldn’t do it in front of Travis. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

Jackson’s mouth dropped open. “Now?”