*I am in position. Do not sign.*

I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the glass.

Daniel leaned in, his eyes scanning the image.

“Who is that?” he whispered.

“I don’t know,” I said.

But the warning was clear.

“Do not sign.”

Before I could reply, a loud static hiss cut through the damp air of the cellar.

The wall-mounted intercom speaker above the heavy steel door buzzed.

“Adrian,” Caleb’s voice echoed, cold and metallic.

I stepped away from the shaft, my hand dropping to my side.

“I know you’re down there,” Caleb said.

“And I know you have Clara.”

I looked at Clara, who was shivering against Nora’s shoulder.

Lila clung to Nora’s skirt, her small fingers clutching the silver pendant around her neck.

It was a thick, heart-shaped locket Elena had given her for her birthday.

I pressed the talk button on the wall.

“What do you want, Caleb?” I asked.

A low chuckle came through the speaker.

“Let’s make a deal,” Caleb said.

“I have Marcus.”

My chest tightened.

“He is a stubborn man, Adrian,” Caleb continued.