56

Tower Bridge, London

Charlie, Clancy, and Curson were the only Order employees in the penthouse. Salem could tell by the startled glances they exchanged that they hadn’t expected anyone else. All three of them moved toward the door, their attention momentarily distracted from Salem and Mercy.

Salem backed up, shielding the child, a mix of hope and desperation buoying her. She still didn’t see another way out besides the elevator, but there had to be one. She gave Mercy what she prayed was a reassuring glance, holding her finger over her mouth as a signal to be silent. The dull look in Mercy’s eyes cut straight to Salem’s heart. The little girl had been terrorized, that much was clear.

Salem’s fury returned.

She would find a way out, even if it meant exiting through one of the windows. She studied all the panes of glass, moving her head as little as possible so as not to attract attention. Her hope surged when she realized the floor-to-ceiling window fifteen feet behind them was actually a sliding glass door leading to the smallest of balconies. Beyond the balcony’s railing was the blue roof of the pedestrian walkway twenty stories above the frigid waters of the Thames.

The elevator’s light changed, indicating it had reached their floor.

Clancy and Curson pulled their weapons. Charlie kept his holstered.

The door slid open.

Alafair stood inside, smiling broadly, confidently, every inch of her body declaring that she belonged here. She wore her standard gear: leather jacket, form-fitting jeans, zip-up boots. Her hands hung loosely at her sides.

Salem felt a sear of betrayal—it appeared that Alafair had been working with the Grimalkin all along, using Salem to solve the train—but she didn’t give it oxygen. It didn’t matter why Alafair was here as long as it was causing a distraction. She leaned over to Mercy, holding her pointy chin with her thumb and forefinger. “You need to get out of here, sweetheart, any way you can.”

Mercy clutched Salem’s hand, shaking her head violently. When they’d first met, Mercy had been resourceful. She’d survived on the road with her older brother for most of her life. But the Order had profoundly wounded her. Salem could see it in the tightness of the child’s eyes, the hollowness caving her cheeks.

“Honey, you have to get out of here.” She tried to peel Mercy’s sweaty, tiny hands off hers, biting back the tears. “Please. It’s the only way.”

Alafair’s voice poured like chocolate over Salem’s. She spoke directly to Charlie. “I have something to offer you.”

Salem looked over, she couldn’t help it. Alafair stepped into the room, her hands held in front of her, palms out. Salem knew how fast those same hands could produce a knife, but she also didn’t know whom to trust. Charlie seemed to be experiencing the same struggle.

“I don’t need you,” he said. He reached around for his weapon.

Something about his movement rocked Mercy, crashing through her trauma. “Noooooo!” she screamed. Her voice was dry and cracked but piercing. She jumped to her feet, dropping Salem’s hand. At first, it looked like she would run toward Alafair and the elevator, but instead, she charged toward the sliding glass door. She yanked it open. An unforgiving wind blustered into the room. Mercy didn’t hesitate, running to the edge of the balcony then hoisting herself over it.

Charlie raced toward Mercy.

They do need her; somehow, they know what she is the one-pad cipher for.

But those thoughts did not move as fast as her feet, which flew toward Mercy.

Charlie reached the balcony first, but Mercy was already over it, balanced on the roof of the tourist walkway that connected one bridge support to the other. A gust of wind momentarily lifted her off her feet.

Salem screamed.

The airstream disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, dropping the child. Mercy tumbled to her knees and grabbed for purchase. She clung to the narrow lip of the roof.

“Salem!” she cried, her voice reedy. “Help me!”

Charlie was crawling over the balcony’s railing. Salem grabbed at him, pulling him back, oblivious to the actions of the other three inside the penthouse. Charlie swung, his hand connecting with her cheek with a sharp crack.

She reeled back but not before she caught a glimpse of the Thames 200 feet below, a blue-silver thread that would pop her like a water balloon if she landed on it from this height. Every cell in her body snapped in terror, paralyzing her. She tasted the harsh metal tang of panic.

Charlie was nearly over the railing. Once his boots hit the roof, he’d only have to crawl five feet, and he’d have Mercy.

Fight for her! Bring her back inside!

It was Salem’s voice in her head, but it was her dad’s words, and Bel’s. They’d always believed in her, had been sure she could do anything she set her mind to. It was enough to pierce her paralysis.

Mouth dry, Salem forced her eyes straight ahead and stepped onto the balcony. The wind was powerful, an icy shoulder propelling her back. She leaned into it, dropping one leg over the railing followed by the other. Because her body was facing the penthouse, she saw the knife fly from Alafair’s hands and into Curson’s throat. He dropped to the floor near the couch.

Clancy was drawing on her, lining up his sight, a clear twenty feet separating the two of them.

The elevator door had closed behind Alafair, so she had no shelter.

Salem wanted to help Alafair, but a cry from Mercy caused her to twist around. Charlie was nearly to her. Salem released one hand and whipped it around to grab the railing behind her, and then twisted so she was facing the roof. She wanted to close her eyes, but knew she’d give up and fall if she didn’t have a visual anchor. She toppled onto the roof of the walkway, its metal cold beneath her. “Hang on, Mercy! I’m coming!”

Charlie was reaching for the girl with his good hand and for his gun with his wounded one. “Come to me,” he commanded her, the wind whipping his voice toward Salem. “I won’t hurt you.”

“No!” Salem said. She launched herself forward. “Don’t do it!”

Charlie swiveled his gun, holding it inches from Salem’s head. “Looks like I get to see those beautiful brains up close.”

A shot rang out.