It took Helen another five or so minutes to hijack control of the drones. The car jostled down the road and Beck hung his head in consternation, miserable in the seat beside her. Victor watched from the front seat, eyes on her at all moments.

Abdullah lay back on the cot in his spartan chambers and rubbed his face, trying to come to terms with everything that had happened in the last few weeks. His bed was basically just a rigid board built up against the wall, the kind he’d grown used to in his years of being a common soldier.

“It’s going to make it a lot harder to do the hack.”

Vivian woke Traq up early the next morning, hoping to make it to Delphi and onto their ship, Junker, before they had to seek shelter again. She knew from the previous night and seeing the scouts from the city that they weren’t far from their final destination.

Kate sat on the curbside, elbow on her knee and chin resting on her hand. Her clothes had the faint aroma of dried sweat but she wasn’t sure how long it would be before she managed a shower.

Oliver watched his friend disappear into the garishly decorated hover car with his new bride, waving at the wedding guests who cheered them on. Jim was smiling.

Jack waited in his cell, repeating the name of the city in his mind over and over and trying to relax. Helen had risked a lot getting the information to both of them, and he was determined that if he could escape he would put it to good use.

“It’s been weeks,” Alyssa bemoaned, standing in the doorway to Alexander’s private quarters. He hated having her around and was thoroughly fed up with her; she was a spoiled child who was never properly disciplined and felt that the world owed her something.

Kate sat at the desk in their second hotel room, tapping her fingers against her chin and staring out the window. This one was on the first floor and she was determined to keep a better eye on what was happening outside.