Dahlia’s reckless driving jolted Nigel awake as she raced across the Queensboro Bridge. The image of Jet lying helpless on the operating table was profound. The rocking motion and erratic nature of Dahlia’s driving made analyzing the dream impossible. His vision focused on the speedometer. She was pushing one hundred miles per hour. Vedrana and Blanka surrounded a wounded Eva. The now distant memory of Eva’s mutilation by a deranged cyborg was a brutal reminder that Nigel was out of his depth with these female assassins. Vedrana and Eva were several years his junior, and they had dealt—and received—more pain in one day than he had in his entire life. He longed to be with Jet.

Where was she?

Only Dahlia knew, and she wasn’t saying anything.

“Are we going to see Jet?” Nigel asked.

“Yes, I will take you to see her, but you’ve got to help me first.”

“What can I do for you?” Nigel said as he held on to the door handle for dear life.

“I need you to assist in a heist.”

“How am I supposed to do that? Banking systems have top-notch security.”

“I’m not interested in robbing a bank. That money belongs to the people. We are going to rob the cabal.”

Nigel sat in stunned silence. He remembered the awful bargain that he’d struck with this devil.

“Where are we going?”

“Home. Eva needs our help, and we need to regroup.”

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“You’re going to enjoy the Tatra Mountains, Nigel. It is beautiful when it snows,” Blanka said.

“How long are you going to keep me?”

“Chen had no intention of letting you leave. I know that man, and he had plans. He always does. I saved you from the cabal. The least you can do is show some gratitude.”

“Sorry—I just want to know how long until I can see Jet.”

“It shouldn’t be too long and your dearest Jet is somewhere in the region,” Dahlia said, chuckling.

Nigel’s heart skipped a beat when he heard the name of his beloved. He hoped she was okay after that monster. Nozomi plunged that knife into her back. What choice did he have? Life wasn’t worth living without her.

“If I do this, you will take me to see her?”

“You have my word, Nigel.”

As the airport came into view, he thought about his mother and brother. It had been ages since he had seen them. Appleton gave his assurances, but that was before the riots and growing anarchy in the city. He wondered if Milford was affected. He suspected it was and made a mental note to visit as soon as Jet was safe.

“We are here,” Dahlia said.

Moments later, they were pulling up to the private entrance of LaGuardia Airport. Several men greeted the vehicle. A tall man with a graying goatee was discussing something with Dahlia. He looked familiar, but Nigel couldn’t quite place him.

“Soon the city will be under siege—” The man stopped speaking as soon as Nigel approached.

“Can I help you, Nigel?” Dahlia asked.

“Are we traveling now?”

“No, Eva needs surgery, and this man is the best in cyber–prosthetics. He’ll perform surgery while we wait.”

Nigel held his breath for a long moment.

“Is that—”

“No, it’s not him—this surgeon hates Doc Chop as much as we do. He’s going to help Eva.”

Nigel watched as the doctor opened his bag. Some kind of drone rose and hovered over the fallen female assassin. Moments later, light from the mechanical helper enveloped Eva. The doctor tapped his glasses. They appeared to be oversized spectacles, but too big to be corrective lenses. The man’s glasses polarized as the drone scanned the patient.

“She’s lost a lot of blood. Prepare the transfusion now,” the man said.

“What? Shouldn’t he be doing that in a hospital?” Nigel demanded.

Dahlia gave Nigel a disdainful look.

“Don’t you have a heist to plan? Now get set up over there,” Dahlia said, pointing to a hangar.

Nigel strode to the hangar as the doctor prepared Eva. A sense of dread overcame him with every step.