How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

The convoy turned and drove away.

Elodie watched the lead car up ahead, realizing they had no idea where they were being taken.

But...

She glanced at her colleague's basic phone-not the smartest device, but good enough. She quickly sent Jarrod a few updates: their real-time location, the route, anything that could help.

To be safe, she sent some of the information to Esmeralda as well.

As soon as they got a signal, the messages would be delivered automatically.

On Esmeralda's end.

She'd been among the first group evacuated.

The chaos happened so suddenly she hadn't even gotten a chance to look for Elodie.

Now, anxiety kept her pacing, unable to sit still.

Elodie's phone had gone dark. Esmeralda had asked the person in charge here, but the answer was always the same: "Sorry, we're still coordinating and checking. The moment we have any news, you'll know right away."

"So, you're saying Elodie might still be trapped inside?" Her breath came quick and shallow, her eyes red from worry.

She was so agitated that the gash on her lower leg-scraped in her frantic escape -had started bleeding again.

and kept

this time, we can't confirm

heard that, Esmeralda's hope shrank a little

streamed down her

wasn't like Elodie, who could stay calm no matter

voices sounded outside

up and instantly spotted Fleming at

a lifeline. Limping, she hurried toward him. "Fleming, where did you just come from? Do you know

were cold and steady as he looked her over. Esmeralda was a mess-tear streaks mingled with the dust on

to report on

head at her question. "It's pretty serious over

he arrived that something had gone

the norm, but this time was different—a terrorist attack,

care about any of that now. She grabbed his sleeve, gripping so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Can you help me?

pilot; if anyone could fly in

understood how she felt, but he looked down at her wrinkled shirt and answered in his usual official tone: "That's not

movement at all

face went pale. "But this is an emergency, isn't

be a personal

stung like a

on his sleeve loosened. "If it were me