I pulled her gently out of bed and helped her slide her feet into her shoes.

I didn’t take the time to tie the laces; I just tucked the loose ends inside.

I grabbed her small hand and pulled her toward the doorway.

As we stepped out into the hallway, Nathan was already standing at the top of the stairs.

The shadows from the banister fell across his face, obscuring his eyes.

I could see the silhouette of his broad shoulders blocking the only path down.

“Where are you going to go, Sarah?” he asked.

“The doors are locked from the central server.”

“Tell me the bypass code, Nathan,” I said, keeping Lily behind my back.

“I changed it this morning,” he said.

He took a slow step forward, his leather loafers making no sound on the hallway runner.

“You’ve been distracted lately, so I had to secure the perimeter.”

“You locked us in!” I shouted.

Lily whimpered behind me, her small fingers clutching the fabric of my jeans.

“It’s okay, baby,” I whispered to her, though my own chest felt incredibly tight.