Beneath The Embers.

AND MI

aust fumes. Helena leaned against the hood of her car, eyes fixed on the glass tower

ys stay

ys a

rk. A few minutes later, Marco emerged, sharp in his tailored coat, his st

ited until he pulled out before

co didn't head toward his downtown condo. Instead, he drove sout

a fro

't a casu

serted curb. Marco's car was up ahead, tucked beside an abandone

slowly, flashlight in hand. Paused. Then

..." Helena whispered, grabbing her

d under her boots. Moonlight cut through the cracked wi

of movement quiet footsteps

n she s

shlight pointed at the wall. He was staring at somet

could move cl

ked with her

neither of

lowered the flashlig

view. " Not at all

at the corner of

he scene: the wall had been scorched old fire damage. But what drew

string

e from the

ood ch

," she murmured. "Before the

"My father worked here. Bef

y. "So you do know wh

me since I was a kid, he

ed wall in silence, the

iet. "I thought you w

gaze. "Maybe

with me. Helen

ps brushing the edges of the symbol

ssage. Same as you. said to come here. Said

ght. "From som

ou got one to

nswer. She d

the room and tapped the floor with hi

and helped

as a metal box, sc

: phot

ed. Grainy. Bu

rcle. A fire burning in the center.

his? she

"I don't know. But my

nding on the edge of the

n adult man-a match for the blurry picture of D

above a breath. "They weren't just play

etween realization and horror. "I thought he just desig

lowly. It didn'

t start with

emed to breath

ve. Someone's been trying

re still

oning Marco to stay low. They crouched b

d closer. Boot

her coat pocket. Marco gripped t

crossed t

ld thei

, si

co crept toward the door

thing ha

new symbol had been drawn-in chal

e night, the box wrapped

't trust hi

her gut-the one that told he

he t

e that star