The countdown read 01:44.
Julian picked up the laptop.
“I’ll take it.”
Ava grabbed his sleeve.
“That is what they expect.”
“Someone has to leave with it.”
“No one has to follow instructions.”
01:28.
I looked through the living room window.
The street was empty.
No sedan.
No headlights.
Only rain shining under streetlamps.
01:09.
Brooke moved toward the front door.
“I’ll take it.”
Ava caught her arm.
“No.”
“You involved Daniel. You involved me. Let me fix something.”
“You can’t.”
“Why?”
Ava’s answer came as a whisper.
“Because the list marked you cooperative.”
Brooke stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“It means they already believe you’ll do what they want.”
00:49.
Julian held the laptop tighter.
“Then I’m the least predictable choice.”
“You’re on the list too,” I said.
“Everyone is.”
“My name had a question mark.”
Ava looked at me.
“That’s why you can’t take it.”
“Why not?”
“Because this whole thing may be designed to find out what you’ll do.”
00:26.
I took the laptop from Julian.
The numbers filled the screen.
00:20.
Ava grabbed my hand.
“Ryan, please.”
For the first time all night, she said my name with a softness I remembered from before everything went bad.
That made it harder.
Not easier.
“You chose me as bait,” I said.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I chose the only person I thought would survive.”
00:10.
The laptop emitted a sharp tone.
00:09.
Brooke stepped away from the door.
00:08.
Julian reached toward the screen.
00:07.
Ava held my arm.
00:06.
I placed the laptop on the kitchen floor.
00:05.
Then I covered it with the heavy cast-iron lid from our Dutch oven.
00:04.
Julian stared.
00:03.
I stepped back.
00:02.
Ava closed her eyes.
00:01.
The countdown ended.
Nothing happened.
The house remained silent.
The rain continued.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then every light went out.
Brooke screamed.
The refrigerator stopped humming.
The porch light vanished.
Darkness swallowed the house.
A second later, the laptop screen glowed beneath the iron lid.
A voice came from its speakers.
“Decision recorded.”
Ava gripped my shoulder.
The voice continued.
“Ryan chose containment.”