14
Crouched next to a flowerbed that separated two houses, Keli shut her eyes and raised a hand to her temple. She reached out with her thoughts, searching for any sign that they had been spotted.
In a city of millions, it was next to impossible to catch anything specific. Like being in a crowded room where everyone was shouting and trying to focus only on one person’s voice. She would need to do a deep scan to know for sure – and anyone she chose would immediately sense a telepathic invasion of that kind – but she could pick up on emotional currents.
Things were tense but calm. The police outside the school had been in a holding pattern for two hours. One of them, a hostage negotiator named Brevin, was particularly focused on his task. She could feel the intensity of his emotions. Adra
