Ace had a terrible headache pounding behind his eyes. This pain clashed sharply with the fast, busy energy of the city around him. He'd just watched Deke's black car disappear into the morning traffic as completely as a shark vanishes into the deep ocean. Feeling weak, Ace leaned against the dirty brick wall of a bakery doorway. The cool, rough surface felt good against his forehead as he tried to fight both the headache and a persistent warning signal from the "System" in his head. The System relentlessly counted down: He only had 9 days, 7 hours, and 10 minutes left. Every second Deke sped towards his usual meeting place felt like precious time draining away, and Ace knew he couldn't afford to waste any of it.
His phone vibrated with urgency. He pulled it out, squinting against the bright screen. It was a message from Evelyn.
