Chapter 408: Wednesday. Soweto, South Africa.

PAXTON HATED THIS.

He'd slept in fits and bursts, his rest broken up with flashes of memory from last night running with Coco interspersed with twisted distortions projected forward on tonight. He was reconsidering his agreement with Coco. Silas wouldn't blink if Paxton asked him to secure her, and he wouldn't have to explain why. Silas was good like that. But Paxton couldn't bring himself to go back on his promise.

Which was how he'd wound up in the back of one of the nondescript delivery trucks they'd borrowed with Coco by his side. It was late afternoon, pushing into evening. The sun was dipping below the horizon, but even at half strength the rays were turning the trailer into an oven.