The hallway light flickered again — once, twice — like the universe was warning us.
Kate exhaled slowly.
"Fine," she muttered, glaring at Cash and Maverick. "All three of you can come. But if you start fighting, I swear—"
Cash stepped forward. "We're not fighting."
Maverick stepped forward. "We're definitely fighting."
Kate pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh my god, this is going to be painful."
Then she yanked the hallway door open.
OUT IN THE HALLWAY
The moment we stepped outside, the door clicked shut behind us, muffling the sound of Paige, Harper, Cailee, and Mychael literally gluing their ears to the wall.
Cash turned to Maverick." I get right side."
Maverick: "No. You get behind us."
Cash: "I'm not walking behind like a lost puppy."
Maverick: "You are the lost puppy."
Kate spun around. "STOP. BOTH OF YOU."
They froze like scolded toddlers.
Kate looked at me instead, softer.
"You okay? You look pale."
"I'm fine," I lied.
I wasn't fine.Something felt big. Heavy. Wrong.
Kate saw it in my face.
"Good," she said. "Because what I'm about to tell you… you're probably not going to believe."
Cash and Maverick immediately stepped closer to me on either side — like I was the center of a very chaotic bodyguard squad.
THE WALK DOWN THE HALL
Kate started walking, and we followed her like ducklings.
Cash whispered to me,"Hey… whatever she says, I'm on your side. Just so you know."
Maverick whispered on the other side,"I'm on your side first."
Cash: "FIRST?"
Maverick: "Yes."Cash: "Why first??"
Maverick: "Because you talk too much to be trusted."
Cash: "I TALK BECAUSE I CARE—"
Kate stopped walking so fast Cash crashed into her back.
"CAN YOU TWO SHUT UP FOR 10 MINUTES?" she snapped.
They both nodded instantly like obedient little soldiers.
I had to bite my lip not to laugh.
THE STAIRWELL
Kate pushed open the heavy stairwell door.
The echo was cold, sharp, empty.
The four of us stepped inside.
Suddenly, Kate turned to me — really turned — and finally said it:
"Cypriana… the reason I disappeared for three days is because someone came to talk to me."
My breath caught.
Cash leaned forward."Who?"Maverick leaned forward."Why her?"
Kate shook her head.
"It wasn't just anyone."
She swallowed.
"It was someone who asked about you."
My stomach flipped so hard I almost stumbled.
"Me?"
My voice cracked.
Kate nodded.
"They knew your name. Your old town. Your flight here.Your building."
Cash's jaw clenched. "What the hell—"
Maverick's fists curled. "Cypriana, did someone follow you to L.A.?"
Kate raised her hands."I don't know. That's why I didn't tell anyone yet."
Then—she reached into her hoodie pocket…
…and pulled something out.
A folded paper.
Something worn.Something crumpled. Something she clearly hadn't wanted to carry.
She handed it to me.
My fingers trembled as I unfolded it.
Cash leaned over my left shoulder. Maverick leaned over my right.
The paper had one sentence.
Handwritten. Sharp. Unmistakable:
"WE NEED TO FINISH WHAT WE STARTED."
Below it: A date. A time. Tomorrow.
Cash whispered, voice shaking:
"…Cy? What is this?"
Maverick's voice dropped even lower:
"Who is this from?"
Kate whispered:
"That's what I want to know."
I stared at the paper.
The room felt smaller.The world felt louder.My past felt closer.
Then Kate looked me dead in the eyes.
"Cypriana Vale… who exactly is following you?"
The stairwell went silent.
Even the building seemed to stop breathing.
And I had no idea what to say.