Page 106 of Jenna's Protector

The weight of this new information settles over us. We’ve uncovered something massive, something that goes far beyond what any of us imagined.

Nine Sentinels.

Not Sentinel, but nine of them.

An organization so vast and complex it makes my head spin.

“How areyouholding up?” Blake’s gaze fixes on Sophia, his posture shifting subtly. There’s a protectiveness there I’ve never seen before.

“Managing. Thanks for asking.” Sophia glances up, her eyes meeting Blake’s briefly before darting away. “It doesn’t feel real.”

There’s so much I want to say and need to know, but now isn’t the time to push.

I think of the document Mitzy showed us, the nine repeating symbols. “The tattoos,” I breathe. “They’re designations?”

“In so much, to say that we belong to the Ninth Sentinel. That’s what our tattoo means.” Sophia nods, her eyes haunted.

“Is there more?” Blake’s voice is gentle and encouraging. “Other girls who belong to other Sentinels.”

“Yes.” Sophia swallows hard. “Lots more. Jonathan took extensive notes and records on inventory and transactions. He took private notes as well. Things he didn’t share. Things he wasn’t supposed to keep track of. That’s why you had to take the stuff from the safe.”

Sophia’s words have severe implications. Blake and I exchange a look, realizing the gravity of what we’ve just learned.

“Sophia,” I say gently, “I know this is difficult, but we must debrief you. The information you have is crucial.”

“We need to know everything you’ve heard, every detail you can remember.” Blake finally moves to stand beside Sophia. He places a hand on her shoulder, touching her as if she’ll break.

Just as Sophia begins to respond, the door swings open. Dr. Skye Summers steps in. Her keen eyes take in the scene. “I came to check on our patients,” she says, her voice calm but authoritative. “What’s going on here?”

I briefly explain the information Sophia has shared, emphasizing its potential importance to our investigation.

“Absolutely not.” Skye’s expression hardens. “These women have been through a traumatic ordeal. They need rest and time to process, not an interrogation.”

“Doc, the information Sophia has—” Blake steps forward, his protectiveness for Sophia evident.

“Can wait,” Skye cuts him off firmly. “Their mental and physical health comes first. Period.”

A tense silence falls over the room. Jenna’s shoulders sag. Dark circles accentuate her eyes, and her movements are sluggish. As much as I want answers, Skye is right.

“I’m okay. I want to help.” Sophia looks up, her voice steady despite her fatigue.

“I agree with the doc. You need to decompress and recover,” Blake says. “We can debrief you later.”

Once that is settled, I turn to Jenna and gently grasp her hand, feeling the weight of everything we’ve been through.

“What do you think about heading home? You could rest better there, and we can check on Max on the way.”

“I don’t want to leave her alone.” Jenna hesitates, glancing at Sophia.

“She won’t be alone.” Blake steps in. “I’ll watch over her and make sure she gets whatever she needs.”

“Thanks.” Sophia’s gaze lingers on Blake, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “Go check on Max. I feel safe with Blake. I’ll be fine.”

“Thank you, Blake.” Relief fills Jenna’s expression.

“Thanks, Doc. We’ll head out now.” I turn to Skye, gratitude in my eyes.

“Just make sure she gets some rest, and I’ll want to check in on her.”

---