**Emerie's Apartment — 3:02 AM**
Smoke clawed the ceiling.
The fire alarm screeched.
Emerie kicked open her bedroom door, coughing, eyes watering. The hallway was a red blur. Heat pushed her back.
She dropped to her knees, crawled low, grabbed her go-bag near the door, and barely made it out before the explosion cracked the windows behind her.
Outside, her landlord stood in pajama pants, pale and shaking. “It was the wiring—I swear—I didn't—"
She said nothing, just watched the smoke rise.
A black SUV pulled to the curb seconds later.
Albert got out, trench coat flaring, voice calm but commanding. “Get her in the car."
“I'm fine."
“You're barefoot in thirty-degree weather."
She glanced down. Ash and glass clung to her legs.
Albert held out a coat.
She didn't take it.
But she d
