The sky was overcast the day Elena left the hospital.

She stood quietly beside the sliding glass doors of the main entrance, a small duffel bag in hand which was not even half full.

Her entire life had been reduced to a few clothes, a worn-out journal, and a folder of test results she no longer wanted to read.

Across the drive, a sleek black car waited.

A man in a crisp black suit approached, bowing slightly.

“Miss Morgan,” he said. “Mr. Blackwood sent me. I’m Nolan, his assistant.”

Elena gave a small nod. “Nice to meet you.”

He offered to take her bag, but she clutched it tighter. “I’ve...