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“Can we do anything?” Nora asked. But Six already knew the answer to that. Maybe they could, but they wouldn’t know until Devil had a better picture of what was going on.

“Go,” Six said. “We’ll celebrate another time. You need to be at the lab right now.”

Devil’s decisive nod was a testament to how serious the situation might be. She was dedicated to her work, but she was equally dedicated to her friends. Leaving the party meant she was worried.

Nora stepped forward and took her champagne glass as Six and Cyn headed to the front door. Reaching into the hall closet, Six had Devil’s coat waiting for her when she joined them.

“I’m sorry to run,” she said, directing her comment to Six as she slipped into her coat.

“Jeremy would understand,” Six said. “The operations officer, he’s new, isn’t he?”

Devil nodded although her attention was focused on buttoning her coat. The daytime temperatures this October had been perfect, but the evenings were chilly. Great for the changing colors of the leaves, but definitely a harbinger of the winter to come.

“Retired Navy. Started a few months ago,” Devil answered.

Six looked at Cyn, who frowned at the information. Could this new director be someone else Franklin had sent? Six arched a brow, and the look Cyn shot back let her know that maybe it was time for her to ask her uncle a few hard questions. In the meantime, though, there was only one thing they could do.

“Let us know if we can help,” Six said, leaning in and giving her friend a hug.

“Call and keep us updated,” Nora insisted, dropping a kiss on Devil’s cheek.

“I’ll give you two hours, but if you don’t respond to my texts, I’m coming down there. You don’t want me to come down there, do you?” Cyn admonished, though she did raise an eyebrow, making Devil smile.

“I’ll call. I promise. Congrats again, Heather,” she called out to the woman who’d remained in the kitchen.

Pausing at the door, her long, straight black hair falling like water from under her blue knit cap, Devil’s gaze swept over all of them, saying without words what they all knew. Depending on what had been taken, she could be walking into a bad—a very bad—situation.

“We’ll figure it out,” Six said. Cyn and Nora nodded in unison.

Another small smile played on Devil’s lips. “I love you ladies.”

Six smiled back. “We love you, too. Now go find out if we’re going to have to start worrying about biological warfare. If I had my druthers, I’d rather not.”

Devil barked out a laugh. “You and me, both, Six. You and me both.”

And with that, she turned and walked to her car. As she slid inside, then turned it on, Cyn grabbed Six’s hand.

“It will be okay,” Six said, knowing Cyn’s other hand was holding Nora’s, connecting them. The taillights of Devil’s car faded into the darkness.

“And if it’s not,” Nora said, “like you said, we’ll figure it out. Because that’s what we do.”

THE END