VOICES WERE COMING from outside the door. New voices. Ethan thought he recognized one of them. “I command you to stop,” a woman was saying. “Lower your weapons immediately.”
There was further discussion that Ethan couldn’t quite hear—an argument that went on for some time. He heard the words “Leader” and “Manual” mentioned. Then, after a long, quiet pause there was murmuring followed by the woman’s speaking again, this time through the door.
“Whoever’s inside, this is Cariad. I’ve ordered the Guardians to stand down. You are not in any danger. You’re free to leave and no harm will come to you, I swear.”
Cariad.
“Open the shutters,” Ethan said. The room began to clear of haze. After taking off his shirt and wrapping it around his hand, he opened the hot door. Cariad was directly outside
