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Rose's breath was still coming in short bursts, the adrenaline making her hands shake as she tried to compose herself. "I had to do something. I couldn't just sit back and let them hurt everyone else. And now Mick and Harry are both still with those goons, waiting for them to leave."
“Leaving is what we need them to do. But you shouldn’t have risked your life to make that happen.” Gio gave her an exasperated look. "The only person crazier than you right now seems to be Topeka," he remarked, leading her to a chair.
Rose's head snapped up, her worry for Harry momentarily replaced by confusion. "What are you talking about? What’s going on with Topeka?”
"Yeah," Gio confirmed, leaning against the counter with a sigh. "In all the commotion she took off—didn't tell anyone where she was going. She’s savvy. Slipped past the guards. They have no idea where she’s headed.”
A cold fear gripped Rose, a sense of foreboding that the danger was far from over. If Topeka was out there alone, she could be walking right back into the hands of those who wanted her silenced.
Rose stood abruptly, her mind racing with the implications. "We have to find her, Gio. Before they do."
Gio nodded, his jaw set in determination. "Kenan's already on it. He's coordinating with everyone he can trust. But you know how things work; if she wants to leave, that’s always up to her. I’m going to check in with Kenan. You should try to get some sleep. Rest a little. I’m sure Mick and Harry will be back soon.”
There was no chance of sleep or rest the way her mind was whirring. Where could Topeka have gone? Did she have a plan, or was it a desperate flight instinct that had her running? Rose understood the impulse to run, the primal urge to escape danger at any cost. She had felt it herself, that same desire to flee and protect her son at all costs.
Her mind circled back to Nathaniel, her anchor and her vulnerability. He was safe for now, tucked away in the sanctuary of Verde Lago, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that danger was never far behind.
For a fleeting moment, the idea of running again took hold—just Nathaniel and her, alone against the world. It was a path well worn by her fears and hopes. Maybe they would be better off on their own, away from the complexities of the current situation, the threats that seemed to multiply with each passing day.
But as the thought lingered, Rose dismissed it with a shake of her head. Isolation was a temporary solution, a Band-Aidover a wound that needed stitches. They needed the support of those who had become their unexpected family, those like Kenan, Mick, and especially Harry, who had risked so much for her. Topeka’s choice to run was wrong, and Rose couldn’t do the same.
With a deep, steadying breath, she centered herself. Running was not the answer. They needed to face the problem head-on, dismantle the threat piece by piece until they were finally free.
What she needed now was to hear from Harry and Mick. To know those men chased the lead set up for them and were gone. No more dead bodies.
The time passed at a slug’s pace. Crawling painfully slow. She clutched a blanket tightly around herself after the first hour to stop staring at the clock.
From the small room where Rose had been left to gather her thoughts, the distant crunch of gravel signaled the arrival of a vehicle. Her heart immediately leapt into her throat, the sound setting her nerves alight with anxiety.
She moved toward the window, peering through the glass with bated breath. The car that pulled up and parked was unfamiliar, its engine ticking as it cooled. Rose's eyes searched for any sign of Harry, but there was nothing—only Mick emerging from the car, his posture weary, his movements heavy with a story she wasn't sure she wanted to hear.
Gio was there to meet him, their voices a low murmur that barely reached Rose's ears. She pressed herself closer to the window, straining to catch any word, any mention of Harry, but his name did not seem to pass Mick's lips.
Rose felt a cold shiver race down her spine. Why wasn't Harry with him? What had happened out there in the darkness at that airstrip she had thought to lead them to?
She couldn't bear the silence, the not knowing. It clawed at her from the inside, a desperate need for information.
She moved away from the window, her steps quick and silent as she made her way to the door. She had to know what Mick was saying, had to understand why Harry wasn't there.
As she reached the door, she hesitated for a split second, her hand on the knob, before flinging it open and stepping into the muted light of the early morning. Her eyes immediately found Mick, searching his face for any clue, any hint of Harry's fate.
"Mick?" she called out, her voice steady despite the tremor she felt inside. "Where's Harry? What's happened?"
Mick turned to her, his face a mask that gave nothing away. He took a step toward her, and she could see something in his eyes, a guardedness that set her heart racing even faster.
"We need to talk, Rose," he said, his voice low.
Every step he took toward her felt like it brought her closer to doom. She needed answers, and she needed them now.
“Where is he?”
“He’s alive,” Mick said through a release of breath he’d been holding. “We had a bit of a setback. We were making our way back. The guys at the airstrip waited for another one of their guys to show up. A pilot, I guess. They flew out in pursuit of Topeka. The fake lead worked. But on our way back we ran into a little trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” She wiped at her eyes that were pouring with tears.
“Harry forgot something,” Mick said with a wry smile. It seemed so out of place that it knocked Rose off-kilter. What in the world would be funny?
“What did he forget?”
