The drive to the Spires took almost an hour. Nash had spent the morning on the phone with Harlan, keeping his voice calm and steady, feeding him just enough to keep the whole illusion going: yeah, Baby-Boom's still locked up in the apartment, yeah, everything's going according to plan, no, nothing to worry about. Harlan, terrified Apex might find out the truth, had agreed to personally arrange Rei's ride to Hector's villa.
"Remember," Nash said before she got in the car, one hand resting briefly on her shoulder. "You hate all of this. You hate me, you hate this whole situation, you hate the entire world. Let that anger carry you."
Rei didn't answer, just gave a short nod and got in the back seat.
The black car stopped in front of a huge wrought-iron gate, Hector's villa looming in the distance like some fortress of glass and stone, crushing even from far away. Rei sat frozen for a second, hands clenched on her knees, before forcing her fingers to relax.
