I feel frazzled and strung out, like I’ve had way too much caffeine. After the tranquility of the woods, everything is too loud, too close, too bright. My heart is palpitating.
We pull into the parking garage of a glass tower and stop in front of a bank of elevators. Four hulking men in black suits step forward. One of them opens my door, another one rounds the back of the car and opens Mal’s.
He doesn’t need to instruct me to stay put. My intuition tells me there are rules here, new rules I’m not aware of. The primary one being follow his lead.
Mal exits the Phantom, walks around to my side, and holds out his hand.
The men in suits step back to form a line in front of the elevators. Hands clasped behind their backs, faces impassive, they look off into the distance.
I take Mal’s hand
