Manny felt his chest tighten painfully. She hadn’t been wandering aimlessly through freezing streets; she’d been following the only plan Max could create under fire and violence. Max had trusted the dog to lead her to safety, hoping someone, anyone, would find her before Vale did. Manny felt the weight of that trust.
The girl’s voice shrank to a whisper as she clutched the dog. “Please don’t send me back. Please don’t let him find me.” Her plea was raw survival, spoken by a child who had already lost too much. Manny felt something inside him lock firmly into place.