In the brilliant afternoon sun, the Global Express jet’s wheels hit the ground at LaGuardia Airport with a squeal. The plane bounced once and settled firmly back down onto the pavement. The engines reversed their thrust and forced the occupants forward into their seat belts as the jet slowed on the runway.

Melissa glanced over her shoulder at Denny. He wasn’t wincing as much from the cracked rib. He had downed dangerous amounts of painkillers she had taken from the drug store to ease the pain. Denny would be fine as long as he didn’t get into any barroom brawls for the next six weeks. Denny looked in her direction, and their eyes met. He smiled. Melissa smiled back and turned to look out the window at the New York skyline.

They hadn't spoken much since the attack at his place. He had slept most of the night away. She didn't know how much longer she had before the questions started. His current silence gave her a little more time to figure out how much of the truth she was willing to include in her answers.

The jet slowed to a full stop and the lights went back on in the cabin. The door slid open and the stairs lowered into place. The doorway darkened slightly and then Nick stepped through the threshold and back into her world.

Melissa followed Nick and Denny down the stairs and into the crisp September afternoon.

It took them nearly forty-five minutes to fight through the oppressive New York traffic before Nick turned into what looked like a back alley bordered on both sides by graffiti covered and dilapidated warehouses all huddled together uncomfortably under the imposing presence of the Manhattan Bridge. With the engine running, Nick hopped out and fiddled with a massive padlock that clung to the side of a metal sliding door before it rattled upward to disappear into the building.

Nick hopped back into the car and smiled at Melissa. “Home sweet home.”

Melissa looked into the dark opening of the warehouse. There were no lights on inside, and with the sun almost completely set, she couldn’t see more than ten feet into the void of the warehouse. Nick pulled the car over the bump of the threshold and stopped a few feet inside. Melissa heard the metal doors rattle behind her as they dropped back to the ground and plunged them into complete darkness.