I picked it up and pressed speaker.

“Daniel,” a voice said.

It wasn’t Margaret.

It was Dr. Vale.

“You need to get here now,” Vale whispered, his voice trembling with terror.

“She’s already loading the baby.”

“Where are you exactly?” I shouted over the engine’s roar.

“The old hangar at the north end of the runway,” Vale said.

“Is Caleb with her?” Sophia asked, leaning toward the speaker.

“Yes,” Vale said. “He’s trying to help her clear the flight path.”

“Tell him to stop,” I said.

“I can’t,” Vale whimpered. “She has a gun, Daniel.”

“She has a gun?” Sophia asked.

“She took it from the house,” Vale said. “She’s out of her mind.”

The line went dead.

I slammed my foot onto the gas pedal.

The truck surged forward, the tires throwing up gravel as we turned onto the old airport road.

The rain began to fall in heavy, thick sheets.

The windshield wipers struggled to keep up with the downpour.

The road was dark, lit only by our headlights.

“We’re almost there,” Sophia said, holding onto the door handle.