Page 111 of Fool Me Twice

“Us?”Terror rattles through Roma’s bones. “No, I thought it was just Naomi and Sawyer in there, and I‍—is JJ there?”

Ez scoffs. “Like I’m going to tell you‍?—‍”

“The Sanctum is coming, Ez!”Roma yells.

Ez stops dead. “What?”

Roma’s hands are trembling. “They used their connections to monitor when Obie rented a new property,” she says frantically. “They’re sending a strike force to this address‍—probably soon, once they realize I left. And if JJ is in there‍?—”

“Once they realize youleft?”Ez repeats, squinting at her. “What does that‍?—‍?”

“Focus,Ez!” Roma snaps. “This isn’t about me, okay? It’s about JJ.JJis the one they’re after. They sent me to trap him both times, and they’re trying it for a third time now. If he’s in there, then you need toget him out.Geteveryoneout. You’ll all be in danger if the Sanctum finds you here, and‍?—‍”

The door jerks open again. JJ is standing in the threshold, ignoring Cass’s hissed orders to fall back. “Why are they after me?” JJ demands, his voice shaking with mingled anger and pain. “Why can’t‍—why can’t they just write me off andleave me alone?Like they did to Naomi and Sawyer?”

Roma’s heart cracks. “I don’t know,” she admits haltingly. “I really don’t know, JJ, but Nasir isadamantthat they want you back. You, specifically.” She meets Cass’s hard eyes over JJ’s shoulder. “You need to get him out of here.Now.”

“No arguments here,” Cass says curtly, and he drops a hand onto JJ’s arm. “JJ‍?—‍”

JJ shrugs him off. “Why are you telling us this?” he asks, his eyes narrowing. “How do we know this isn’t just another trick?”

Roma almost stomps her foot with frustration. “If it was another trick, I would’ve brought the strike forcewith me.And if I’m lying, the worst that’ll happen is that you’ll lose a safe house. Better that than what the Sanctum will do to you if you stay.”

“They’ll kill you for this.” Ez’s eyes are locked on Roma’s face. “Roma‍?—‍”

“I’m dead already,” Roma says, and she hefts her duffel bag. “I defected. At this point, they’ll kill me no matter what I do. But you‍—you guys deserve to live. You don’t deserve to be hurt for my mistakes. And I‍—‍” The words stick in her throat. She swallows hard and tries again. “I’m sorry. For everything. I know you probably don’t believe me, but‍—but I’m sorry.”

For a tense moment, silence reigns. And then‍?—

“Good enough for me,” Obie says flatly, and he snaps open a rift. “Let’s leave North America altogether this time, shall we? Scotland is nice this time of year.”

Naomi shakes her head. “The Sanctum can reopen freshly closed rifts. They’ll be able to follow us.”

“Then we’ll all use different ones,” Micah says. “And we’ll rift-hop for long enough to throw them off the scent.”

Roma’s throat feels dry. “They can only reopen rifts for about twenty-eight minutes afterward,” she says, and she squares her shoulders. “You guys go. I’ll see how long I can hold them off.”

JJ’s eyes widen. “What? Roma‍?—‍”

“It’s not like any of you were about to invite me along,” Roma says briskly. Tries to ignore the way her heart is squeezing in her chest, from fear and grief and a thousand other emotions she doesn’t have time to name. “And even with cloaking spells and anti-tracking spells, I doubt I’d last more than a week on the outside. Might as well go down swinging.” She gives him a small smile. “Maybe I can actually saveyoufor once.”

JJ’s face crumples. “Roma.”

“She’s right, JJ.” Sawyer’s voice is quiet. “You know she is.”

“And look at it this way,” Gregorio says, his smile tight. “Whether she’s telling the truth or not, we’ll never have to deal with her again after today. Problem solved.”

Ez whirls around to glare at him.“Really,Ricci?”

Roma checks her watch, trying to fight back the panic rising in her throat. “Every minute we waste arguing is another minute the Sanctum is getting closer,” she says, and right on cue, she feels a faint tingling on the back of her neck. A soul-tracking spell. “I missed my mission briefing with Nasir, so they know I’m gone‍—and they’re about to track me straight to here. They can scramble a strike force in less than ten minutes, so you all need to movenow.”

“Everyone, look this way.Everyone,”Obie snaps, and suddenly, it’s like an invisible force sweeps through the room, drawing everyone’s eyes towards him. His jaw is set in a hard line. “My safe house, my rules. We’re leaving. Ez, with me; Cass, you and JJ grab Desi and get to a secondary location; Gregorio and Micah, take Naomi and Sawyer with you; Roma, try not to double-cross us again. Clear?”

Roma winces at the curt reprimand. The rest of them hesitate in taut silence for a beat, avoiding each other’s eyes, avoidingRoma’seyes‍?—

Except for Ez, who’s staring directly at Roma with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Clear?”Obie repeats.

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