Damon arrived at the Transfer Point a little over two hours later.
The first thing he did was take the tablet out of his pocket.
The signal returned almost immediately.
There were seven messages.
Four from Jian Yue.
Two from Aria.
One from Ester.
Damon opened the first.
ALIVE?
The second:
DAMON.
The third:
YOU SAID YOU'D REPLY.
The fourth:
IF YOU'RE ALIVE, ANSWER.
He checked the time.
"It's only been twenty minutes."
He typed:
ALIVE.
The reply came so quickly that Jian Yue was probably staring at her tablet.
TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH.
THERE WAS NO SIGNAL.
I KNOW.
Damon stared at the screen.
"Then why did you ask?"
Another message appeared.
COME BACK.
Damon smiled.
This time, he didn't ask whether it was an order or a request.
He activated the return marker Aria had prepared.
The passage opened a few minutes later.
Jian Yue stood on the other side.
Arms crossed.
Aria behind her.
Also with her arms crossed.
Ester stood farther back.
