Two hundred yards back, a pair of yellow fog lights appeared.

“You should turn around, Natalie,” Voss said.

“No,” I said.

“Your friend Agent Ellison is currently resting in our medical wing,” Voss said.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

“Mara is with you?” I asked.

“She was very persistent,” Voss said. “But she lacked your tactical training.”

“If you touch her, Voss—”

“I have no desire to harm her,” Voss interrupted. “Or your father.”

The truck veered slightly as my hand twitched on the wheel.

“Raymond,” I whispered.

“He is quite fragile, Natalie,” Voss said. “The extraction from his hiding place was difficult for him.”

“He’s alive?” I asked.

“For now,” Voss said. “His heart is failing. He needs our specialized care.”

“He needs to be away from you,” I said.

“He belongs to the program,” Voss said. “Just as you do.”

“I am not your soldier anymore,” I said.

“We will discuss that when you arrive,” he said.

The line went dead.

I stared at the black screen of the phone.

The yellow headlights in my rearview mirror maintained their distance.