Chapter 36

The panther was wearing pants, somewhat faded black jeans. Around his waist was a purple scarf, too familiar for me to even remember where I had seen it before. He waved behind him, with slow sobriety, his dark, serpentine tail; and the moment my eyes found that restless appendage, I discovered that he also had an arm hidden behind his body. A good part of me suspected that he was hiding something, and I didn’t even want to think that it was the gun that Ivan had given me just half an hour before.

How had he entered the house, without anyone seeing him!?

How could he slip past Ishida’s surveillance, undetected!?

I felt ready to faint. For a moment, I thought I would faint from shock, but…

I think we’ve agreed that I don’t get those kinds of benefits that often.

Besides, Sasha needed me; only I was there, and only I could protect her! If I could get Ishida’s attention, if he was still in my room setting up his devices, if I could get someone to help me,