“No,” Ellie said. She crushed the juice box. Apple juice sprayed into his face. He blinked—one second of shock. That was all she needed.
“Not anymore.” Brenda pulled a sleek phone from her bra. “The Serpent is back. He’s built a new network, and he’s targeting the suburb of Oak Grove for a test run—a dirty bomb hidden in the elementary school. Detonation: 3:00 PM. That’s four hours.”
“No. It’s a low-yield practice device. Disarm it, and you’re in.” Mrs. Undercover
Mrs. Eleanor Undercover—yes, that was her real married name, a cosmic joke she’d long since accepted—was living proof.
“Good.” Ellie watched Leo and Mia climb onto the school bus, safe and oblivious. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a casserole to return.” “No,” Ellie said
Ellie didn’t flinch. She’d learned that fear was a scent, and predators could smell it. Instead, she pulled a small object from her pocket—a juice box.
“Why me?” Ellie asked.
“Big day here, too,” Ellie said, pouring his coffee. “Mia has a playdate. Leo has a dentist appointment. And I have to figure out why the neighbor’s new ‘gardening shed’ has thermal signatures consistent with a small missile launcher.”