On the second floor of the command post, Ethan's office lights were still on.
I did the same as before, climbing the outside of the building and landing silently on the balcony.
Through the glass door, I saw Ethan standing by the window, looking out at the dim Safe Zone, a glass of water in her hand. Her brow was slightly furrowed. She looked tired... and perhaps a little unsettled?
Was she thinking about how I had "died"? Or scheming about how to further consolidate her position and Claire's?
I pushed open the unlocked balcony door directly.
Ethan spun around. The moment she saw me, the glass slipped from her hand, hitting the carpet with a dull thud. Water spread across the floor.
Her expression froze. Shock, horror, disbelief—and a flash of panic that came and went too quickly.
"
