When the Hearts collide

m breathe until the moon

ntil Amara's legs felt numb and her lungs burned with cold air. They st

d made

r

y the terrain. Julian reached into his backpack and retrieved a canteen, offering it t

nd us again," she whisper

on the inside must be feeding them. It's the only explanat

r eyes. "I'm ti

said softly. "I never wan

it. Any of it. I'm scared, yes. But I've never felt more like me

le he rarely allowed himse

d. "Why? Because I

ou didn't run from me whe

sed me in the mural alley, I thought it was just about the rush.

k of hair from her cheek. "You got u

d n

full of something both fragile and fierce. The kind

limbs and secrets. For a while, neither spoke. The forest around them buzzed

rea

pa

he silence. "Do you thin

f us. If anyone can vanish again, it's her.

her jacket pocket and held it up.

w someone-someone who used to work for the FBI. We

he hel

se him the truth-an

rest tonight. We're going t

d a narrow road and flagged down a delivery truck heading south. After som

s they rode the cramped, ru

ed from a former federal agent with unfinished business-gruff, unsha

s said when they met in the bac

it too," Ju

eyebrow. "You bro

he flash drive

it was a loaded weapon. "

the truth. Names. T

entence if you

ward. "That's why

unted. "L

ed terminal, and watched as folders opened one by o

historic. You've got two senators on here. Four CEOs. An

verything," J

his to a friend at a secure news outlet. Whistleblower protection. De

enough?" A

'll start a war. But

t her. "Are you

flinch. "I wa

a small third-floor apartment Griggs had offered them. The city

d her, resting his h

s it,"

kno

ome hard.

ered. "This time, we wo

oice low. "I don't care what happens a

face him, tear

said. "For as long as

ightly, the world outs

ere ready