“You.”

“And?”

“Elena Vargas.”

Elena covered her mouth.

Claire looked at her.

“Why?”

“Her husband stole something.”

“What?”

“A key.”

“To what?”

“The radio suddenly distorted.

Ethan’s voice broke apart.

“Claire, they found this frequency.”

“Who?”

“You need to disconnect the black device.”

“You told me not to touch it.”

“I was wrong.”

“That’s comforting.”

“Pull it now.”

Claire reached toward it.

The device began flashing red.

“Ethan?”

“Claire, hurry.”

She grabbed the casing.

It was warm.

Too warm.

She found a connector underneath.

“Pull the cable?”

“Yes.”

Claire pulled.

The device went dark.

For three seconds, nothing happened.

Then every cockpit display came alive.

Navigation restored.

Radios restored.

System messages flooded the screens.

Claire scanned them.

Altitude.

Heading.

Engines.

Fuel.

Everything appeared normal.

Too normal.

Elena whispered, “Does that mean it’s over?”

Claire stared at the flight-management display.

A new destination had appeared.

Not Madrid.

Not Shannon.

Coordinates.

Far north.

Near Iceland.

And beneath them was a text message embedded inside the navigation system.

BRING ELENA VARGAS TO SITE 19.

Claire read the next line.

ALIVE.

Then another line appeared.

OR SOPHIE DIES FIRST.

Elena screamed.

Claire spun toward the cockpit door.

“Sophie.”

They ran.

Row 8B was empty.

The stuffed rabbit remained on the seat.

Its cream-colored fabric had been cut open.

Inside was a small satellite transmitter.

And taped beneath it was a handwritten note.

Claire recognized the handwriting.

It belonged to David Mercer.

The note contained only three words:

CHECK THE GALLEY.

Claire turned.

The rear galley door was slowly opening.

Chapter 4 - The Passenger Who Wasn’t on the Manifest

Claire ran toward the rear cabin and shouted:

“Where is the child?”

A man stepped from the galley holding Sophie’s stuffed rabbit.

Mara checked the passenger manifest.

His seat number did not exist.

Then Claire noticed the silver ring on his right hand.

It carried the Nightglass insignia.

The man raised both hands.

“I’m not the one who took her.”

Claire did not slow.

She hit him against the galley wall before he could finish the sentence.

“Where is Sophie?”

“Forward service compartment.”

“You have five seconds.”

“I’m trying to help you.”

“Four.”

“Claire!”

“Three.”

“Elena’s daughter is safe.”

“Two.”

“I put her there because someone else was following her.”

Claire grabbed his jacket.

“Who?”

The man looked past her.

“Not here.”

Mara appeared behind them.

Claire spoke without turning.

“Check the forward service compartment.”

Mara ran.

The man exhaled.

“You still move fast.”

Claire studied him.

Late forties.

Close-cropped gray hair.

Thin scar along his jaw.

She did not recognize him.

But the ring mattered.

Project Nightglass members had carried small silver challenge rings.

Very few existed.

“Name.”

“Thomas Reed.”

“Military?”

“Former Air Force Office of Special Investigations.”

“Nightglass?”

“Security.”

Claire’s hand tightened on his collar.

“I never saw you.”

“You weren’t supposed to.”

“That sentence is becoming popular.”

Thomas looked toward the passengers.

“Can we move somewhere private?”

“No.”

“You have nearly three hundred people listening.”

“Good.”

He smiled faintly.

“Still stubborn.”

“Still counting.”

“Counting what?”

“Seconds.”

Thomas’s smile disappeared.

“David Mercer is alive.”

Claire froze.

“I know.”

“You’ve spoken to him?”

“No.”

“Then how?”

“He left a note.”

Thomas looked alarmed.

“What note?”

Claire showed him.

His expression changed immediately.

“He’s aboard.”

Claire’s pulse jumped.

“You’re sure?”

“He always writes capital R’s like that.”

Claire examined the note.

Thomas pointed.

“The right leg curves backward.”

“You know his handwriting?”

“I worked for him.”

“So did I.”

“Not the way I did.”

Mara returned.

“Sophie is safe.”

Elena pushed past her.

“Where?”

“Forward crew rest area. She’s frightened, but she’s okay.”

Elena nearly collapsed with relief.

Claire looked at Thomas.

“Why hide her?”

“Someone accessed the passenger list before departure.”

“We know.”

“They changed seat assignments.”

“We know.”

“They also placed two people aboard using fraudulent identities.”

Claire scanned nearby passengers.

“Who?”

“I found one.”

“And?”

“He’s dead.”

Claire stared.

“Where?”

“Lavatory near row thirty.”

“Cause?”

“Neck broken.”

Mara whispered, “Oh my God.”

Thomas continued.

“That means the second operative is still aboard.”

“Working for whom?”

“That’s the question.”

Claire stepped closer.

“You seem to know a lot for someone whose seat doesn’t exist.”

“I boarded through federal security clearance.”

“Whose authorization?”

Thomas hesitated.

“Mercer’s.”

Claire laughed once.

No humor.

“You just said he may be aboard.”

“I didn’t know until I saw the note.”

“So you’ve been taking orders from a man you haven’t physically seen?”

“Yes.”

“For how long?”

“Six months.”

Elena looked at him.

“My husband died six months ago.”

Thomas nodded.

“I know.”

“You knew him?”

“Yes.”

Elena slapped him.

Passengers gasped.

Thomas did not react.

“You knew Rafael?”

“Yes.”

“And you let me think he died in an accident?”

“He did die in an accident.”

“You believe that?”

“No.”

Elena struck him again.

Claire caught her wrist before a third blow.

“Elena.”

“He knew!”

“I know.”

“My husband died!”

“And Sophie is alive. Stay focused on that.”

Elena breathed hard.