Page 71 of Five Fingers of Death

Eva considered this before nodding. “That’s acceptable.”

Thank fuck for that.

“Vira will also be allowed to come with us.”

I rolled my eyes, feeling the tension build in my body again. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“She’s roommates with Isabelle,” Eva argued.

“Vira is here under our protection for a reason.”

“Yes, and she has been miserable for a long time.”

“What the fuck do you want me to do?” I snapped. “If she doesn’t want to end up dead, then she needs to stay in hiding.”

“For the rest of her life?”

“Unless you know how to take the target off her back,” I argued.

“She goes with us and that’s final,” Eva said.

I looked around the room, hoping someone would be on my side, but everyone else was looking anywhere other than at us. Fuck this shit.

“Explain the consequences to Vira.”

“Fine.”

“I’m serious, Eva. You tell her everything that’s going on and what could happen. And I swear to God, if you leave a fucking thing out, this is on your head.”

She nodded tightly. That was really all I could do. I was being outnumbered left and right around here.

“Meeting adjourned.”

“That’s it?” Rae asked as I stormed to the door.

I stopped and turned to Eva. “Talk to Eva. She seems to be running things now.”

Petty? Maybe. But how was I supposed to be effective as a leader if she overrode me at every turn?

16

ISABELLE

Looking out the window, I watched other patients wander around the property. I had started doing that from time to time, only recently taking that leap of freedom. The first day was weird. Putting my foot on the grass and knowing it was for me and not for anyone else was…well, it was unlike anything I could even describe.

But over the past two weeks, I’d stayed outside a little longer every day. It made me wonder what other freedoms I might enjoy that I had never even considered since I made it back from the island.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts and I glanced over my shoulder, smiling at Doctor Ellsworth. “Hi.”

“Is today a bad day?”

I didn’t understand until I saw the time. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Ellsworth. I got distracted looking outside.”

“It’s fine. And call me Linden. Do you still want to meet?”

I looked back at the freedom waiting for me, and made a decision that had been weighing on me for a few days now. “Yes. I’d like to walk outside, if that’s okay with you.”

She seemed surprised by my request, but nodded and waited for me to slip on my shoes. Once we were outside and far enough away from the building, she peeked over at me. “What would you like to talk about today?”

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