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She nods in agreement then clears her throat as random gunshots punctuate the night. “Anyway, I wouldn’t get too far ahead of myself about all this Washington business. There’s no way to know for sure if we’re even going to have an election.”

I let her change the subject. “President Gray wants to hold onto power that badly?” I don’t pretend to be well-versed in politics. Juno knows enough for the both of us.

“Oh, I think he’ll let the election happen, I’m just not sure if we’ll still be a United States by that point. Florida is always talking about secession, and plenty of other states may go with it if it happens.” (I suspect Candice would like Texas to be one of them.) “We’re falling apart, darlin’. It’s barely safe for us here at the capitol anymore, even with the protection detail and the National Guard. Nope—” A sigh whooshes from her, dramatic yet warranted. “I think if Juno doesn’t choose to run, she’ll hang up her spurs once this term is over. At least, that’s what sheshoulddo.” She flinches as more gunshots pop off nearby. “We need to head for the hills.”

Her sentiment echoes Sledge’s. I’m not a fan, but I can see their point. Or, at least I can hear it with increasing frequency from various caliber weapons outside.

I drop my hands from the fire’s warmth as I consider her predictions. They mostly make sense. The population of the world has taken an enormous hit, and the US wasn’t spared. The plague infects all ages, all sections of society, but it’s particularly fatal for younger, healthier people. The global economy has crashed. Money barely makes sense anymore with all the contortions the Fed has done to try and control inflation and collapse. Worse than that, people have turned on each other. Not at first. It took time. But once we realized that things weren’t going to get better, that’s when some suburbs started building walls around themselves and assigning armed guards to keep people out. Some communities went silent, cutting off their contact with the outside world and going “off the grid.”

“What’s this meeting?” I gesture toward Juno’s closed door.

“I don’t know. They’ve been in there since this afternoon.” Candice stares out the window to the east. “They’re burning again tonight.” A swath of smoke darkens the sky. The morgues and funeral homes ran out of space months ago. Now, the dead are cremated in the open air on days when the wind blows away from the city.

Burying my head in my research is the only thing that keeps me sane, keeps me from thinking of the ever-growing pile of bodies. People’s loved ones, lit up like dry timber on the edge of town, because we’ve run out of options. “If she really is going to run, she has to win. We have to get to Washington. I heard they converted an old hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue into a research center solely dedicated to the plague. If I could get in there …” The thought is electric.

I take another big bite of cookie, ruminating on what it would mean for all of us if Juno could win the White House.

Candice glances at me, her eyebrows rising slightly. “Well, professor, I suppose?—”

Juno’s office door opens.

I spin in my seat a bit to get a better look as a man strides out, his face covered by a black mask that matches his suit. His eyes, a deep blue, sweep the room and settle on me.

My hackles rise. The room seems to crackle silently, invisible tension rising like a rogue wave. Who the hell is he?

He doesn’t stop as my sister walks out behind him, Vince, her head of security, on her heels. Fatima follows, her fingers flying across the surface of her tablet.

“Tomorrow morning. No later.” The stranger says, presumably to my sister, though his gaze remains on me. It’s direct. Unnerving. But I can’t seem to look away.

“This visit has been … enlightening, to say the least. M-much to think about,” Juno stammers.

My heart clenches, everything in me going tight and nervous. Junoneverstammers. They call her the Iron Maiden of Texas for a reason. Vince moves to her side, his suit jacket open and his right hand resting on the pistol at his hip.

I swallow hard, uncertain about what to do or why the stranger is looking at me or what’s made Vince so nervous that he’s about to pull his gun. The man turns to my sister, his dark hair shiny like a crow’s wing in the light.

Candice motions to me and swipes at her mouth. I reach up and find a huge crumb at the corner of my lips.Shit. I wipe it away and drop my hand quickly.

“A pleasure, Governor.” The man gives a short bow—the movement as precise as it is out of place—his eyes finding mine once again. My stomach goes fluttery, my cheeks growing warm. It must be the cookies.

The man turns and leaves the office, finally breaking the eye contact that’s held me captive.

The moment he’s out of sight, the room takes a collective breath, then everyone starts talking at once.

“Who the hell was that?” I start.

“Ban him from the capitol,” Vince almost barks. “I don’t want him anywhere near you ever again. This isn’t?—”

“Who was that?” I ask again, louder this time to try and be heard over Vince.

Juno sidesteps Vince. “Just governor’s business. Nothing for you to worry about. I?—”

“I’m serious, Juno!” Vince moves in front of her again, staring her down—not that anyone ever has the upper hand against my sister. “He’s a threat. If even an iota of what he said was true?—”

“I think you know it’s true, and I’ve had enough of your histrionics about it. We’ll discuss this another time,” Juno says quietly, her gaze never wavering from his.

Vince stops cold at that.

I glance at Candice. She’s watching the showdown with a worried look. Fatima is still doing a whirlwind of one-handed typing.