“We confiscated it,” Marco said. “But it is still active.”

Ryker turned his head to look at me.

His eyes were cold, like grey stone under river water.

“We are not going to run,” Ryker said to me.

I did not answer.

I knew him well enough to know he had already made a decision.

“Marco,” Ryker said into the phone.

“I am here, boss,” Marco said.

“Give Thomas his phone back,” Ryker said.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Even Marco, who had served Ryker for ten years, seemed taken aback.

“Are you sure?” Marco asked.

“Yes,” Ryker said. “But first, you will tell him exactly what to say.”

I stepped away from the window and stood near the edge of the kitchen counter.

“What are you doing, Ryker?” I asked quietly.

He did not look at me yet.

“If we stay here, they will eventually find us,” Ryker said.

“Pendleton has city resources, and Eleanor has the malice to keep digging.”

“We must bring them to us,” Ryker said.

“On our terms,” I said.

“On our terms,” Ryker agreed.