Page 177 of Depths of Destruction

"She had appointments. I'm sure I'll be fine."

"She'll call back." He picks up the TV remote and turns it on. "Looks like it's a TV day." He hands me the controller.

While he's putting bandages on my back, I flip through the channels and stop when I see my photo and Emilia's in the corner of the TV screen. The President of the United States is speaking at a podium.

"Turn it up," Blaise says.

I increase the volume. The President says, "...both Salazar sisters are no longer persons of interest, and all international efforts to locate them have been called off."

I spin in the chair, excited. "Andre did it. He's done then, right? He's on his way home?"

He shakes his head. "No."

"What do you mean? The President called it off."

"Andre wouldn't have done what the President wanted without making sure you were safe first."

"What do you mean?"

"My guess is he's on his way to Belize now. He would have given the President a short timeline."

"But you said Javier told you he's coming home soon."

"Yes. But that doesn't mean he's finished."

My chest tightens with anxiety. "Then what was the point of the call?"

"So you know he's alive."

My gut flips, I stand, throw my shirt on, and pace. "Call Javier back."

"No. That isn't a good idea. We can't talk about this stuff over the phone."

"But he just called you."

"Yeah, and we spoke in code for less than three minutes."

I scratch my neck.

"Naomi, sit down. You're sweating, and your neck looks like it's breaking out in hives."

"What?" I step toward the wall mirror and gape. My face is red, glistening, and I have red bumps all over my neck, chest, and arms.

Panic drives deeper. "What's happening?"

Blaise calmly says, "Sit down." He points to the couch and picks his phone up.

I sit down and scratch my arms.

"Stop scratching," he barks. "Sloane, it's me. Naomi looks like she has hives, I think her back is infected, and she has a fever."

I'm suddenly dizzy and think I might get sick. I must rise too fast because the room spins and I pass out. When I wake up, the light is bright, and there is a consistent beep.

"She's waking up," a familiar woman's voice says.

"Naomi," a deep voice says.

Andre.