34.

*Joe*

I kept a grip on Cammie's hand as I ran. "They're coming, aren't they?" she said as she ran along with me. "The Circle…they're here."

"Ms. Morgan," I replied. "We only have a minute until they find us, so you have to listen to me very carefully."

"Are you on comms?" she asked. "You have to tell the Baxters you have me. We have to call in an extraction team and-"

"Cammie, listen!" I commanded and we stopped there in the middle of the drawbridge, right where I had planned. My voice sounded off, even to me, but I knew that's what I deserved for going off of no sleep and being terrified every second that someone was going to shoot me and I would never be able to go home to Katelyn.

I was scared for Katelyn.

I took Cammie by her shoulders. "Cammie, we only have a minute until they find us, and then they'll take you away-"

"No!" she shouted.

"Listen! Any day now they're going to take you back to school, and when you get there, you have to-"

"Hello, Joe," Abe Baxter said as he stepped towards the bridge. He looked like the highly trained operative that he was, moving in for the target.

But I didn't look at him. I was still looking at Cammie. "Cammie, listen to me!"

"Come on, Joe," Abe called again. "Turn yourself in. Let the girl go."

How could they think that I wanted to hurt Cammie? Were they honestly that stupid?

"It's okay, Mr. Baxter," Cammie said, turning to face Abe. "This is Mr. Solomon. Joe Solomon. He's-"

"I know who he is, Cammie," Abe said as he inched closer. "And he's going to come with me now – fly to Langley and get this mess straightened out."

Yeah, right. Over my dead body. "Cammie!" I shook her, my voice turning urgent. She needed to know the truth. "Don't listen to him. Listen to me!"

"Joe, you've got to let her go."

Grace Baxter then stepped out of the shadows. "Cammie, sweetheart, I want you to walk over to me now."

She didn't move.

"Cammie, now!" Grace ordered, but Cammie still didn't move.

"Her father was my best friend!" I said loudly.

Abe stepped closer. "I know."

"This is crazy, Abe," I said, shaking my head.

"Sure it is," he answered. "But protocols exist for a reason, Joe. We know-"

"We know how this ends!" I shouted angrily.

"Not this time," he said. "Not necessarily. Not if you let Cammie go, and come with me."

"Mr. Solomon…" Cammie said. "What's going on? Why are you here? Why didn't you meet Zach? Why do they keep looking at you like… Why are they talking to you like you're the enemy?"

"The CIA has some questions for him, Cammie," Abe said. "That's all. He just needs to answer some questions."

"You're gonna try to turn me in, Abe? Grace? Are you going to cuff me in front of Bex and Cammie?"

"You know we have to."

"Mom!" Bex cried.

I didn't listen to anything else, then. I had to get my promise. "Follow the pigeons." That's all I asked. And finally, Cammie promised.

"Okay, Joe," Abe said as he stepped closer. "You talked to Cammie. You got your promise. Now, come on. Let's go get this settled."

But I backed away instead, locking eyes with Cammie. "The pigeons, Cammie."

"The pigeons," she repeated.

And then I ran toward the rising edge of the bridge and propelled myself over the top, flying and then falling. Before anyone knew what was happening, I was gone.

*Katelyn*

"What do you mean?" I demanded of Zach, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Just what I said," he replied, pacing the room and gripping his dark brown hair. "I just don't understand it. How can they think that he's still involved in the Circle?"

"He's trying to help them," I said softly. "Don't they realize that?"

Zach shook his head. "They don't care. They don't know."

"So what happens now?" I asked, putting a hand over my stomach.

Zach noticed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Zach." It was just a nervous habit. "What's going on with Joe? Where is he now?"

"I don't know." Zach seemed frustrated by this fact. "I thought that Cammie might know where he was, but now I know that she had no idea… But Joe and I had another meeting time set up for next week. I'll go and hope that he shows up."

I nodded slowly. "Okay."

"You can't go," he said as if reading my mind. "Joe would kill me."

I sighed in defeat. "I know that, Zach." And I did. I knew that it was far too dangerous for me to venture out. It was far too dangerous for me to get involved in anything that involved too much physical exertion. If I wanted to keep this baby safe – which I did – then I had to stay right where I was and let myself be protected. "I'm just worried about him."

Zach plopped into the recliner. "I know. He's like my older brother. I know."

I nodded slowly. "But he's a good operative, Zach."

A small smile appeared on Zach's face. "The best."

I nodded. "You and I both know that he wouldn't have walked onto that bridge unless he had a sure way of getting off."

Zach nodded. "Yeah, I know."

I let out a breath and put my other hand on my stomach. It's going to be okay. I promise, it's going to be okay.

"What time should we leave for your appointment tomorrow?" Zach asked.

He'd been escorting me to all of my doctor's appointments since I'd been in the safe house. "Probably around noon."

He nodded. "I'm going to go ahead and go to bed. Do you need anything before I go?"

I shook my head. "No; I'm fine."

He nodded and stood. "Good night."

"Good night, Zach."

He left and I stared out the window at the night sky. Joe, please be careful.