Root: Part II, Chapter 10

Ivan visits a notorious drug den in search of Juan, A.A. confronts a less-than-cooperative captive, and Lamm contends with overwhelming new emotions.

For more on this project, please see “This Year a Serial Takes Root.”

10.0 Ivan

The Cradle hardly resembled the notorious drug den it was rumored to be. It occupied a small building like a rustic cabin that faced the railroad embankment. Residences flanked it to either side.

Ivan huddled in his winter coat with the hood up against the hail—the wind had lon…