- NUMBER

er world felt blu

ld air. The frantic beating of her own

knew motion-fast, whipping past her face, vibrating b

hing snappe

otorc

rking

guns

van

e into a sharp turn, tires screeching on asphalt. Wind punched a

uted over his shoulder

ould do any

ra kept her head down, her fingers trembling against his jacket. Her office b

g made

lled ordi

inary m

dinary

been real. Or

anym

a quiet industrial road, Kira's mind had spiraled in

warehouse and cut the engine. Silenc

en he turned to her, the intensity in h

od?" he

answer. S

were still

t gently. "Ki

claimed he always was. It wasn't arrogant or care

htened. "Who w

van said plainl

but the fear

p team after a quiet little accountant

ope from her bag with shakin

flickered behind his expression-as though he h

she could breathe herself out of it, she ope

tared at

"That's what made a kill team c

"I opened it. I saw things. Numbers..

w tensed. "S

"It showed up at my desk. It wasn't

n't a m

e was l

cert

uttered. "You k

unning a hand through h

way leading up the side of the wareho

ly. There were two camping chairs, a stack of bottled water,

novan sai

e

ross from her, elbows on his knees, the flash

xactly wha

readsheets and horrifying labels that had l

t exist on the books. Payments labeled with operation names. There we

et out a

... clearing loose ends.

ce wen

es that made her chest constrict-no

He hides everything behind layers of shell accounts and private consultants. No

breath

his could br

id. "It could burn his ent

shaking hands. "I didn'

eed softly.

ightened again.

dn't eve

ted a norm

forward slightl

id. S

They won't stop until they get that drive

echoed, v

go into hiding. Alone.

shiv

the only one who knows how my father thinks, and I'm t

art th

me to stay

ou alive,

where between fear and so

etween them, small, s

ted it

" she whispered, "I'l

laptop. "Then let's see what kind

he could

ers even brushed

ttered ab

dropped through the window, landing b

n co

the intruder s

lled her down as the first

ive flew fro

across t

ard the intr

t down to

fract

the. Didn't blin

flash drive-the one thing that could expose every

re she even realized

er's head

n move

ged forward and slammed his shoulder into the man. The impact knocked b

UN!" he

ught up. She grabbed the nearest metal pipe from the

expected. He shoved Donovan back, spun,

did

ushed the floor

er. "You shouldn't

at decisively. She swung the pipe with all the

acked agains

shot out from under his boots, skittering across the

houted again, grappli

running. Not w

er ever

almost dyi

it held t

mmering. She reached under, fingers brushi

er

ld, rectang

lash

rabbe

hot ex

e to her chest. The bullet struck the pallet

the intru

ard, breath comin

it against a metal beam. The gun clatter

ong woman to hunt,

jaw-hard enough that Donovan

way Kira had never imagined from the man her

" the int

ould react, the

. Her legs screamed with pain, but she kept

ollo

voice low. "Do that, and may

yb

prom

eassu

eliev

self against the

told her she sh

t trained

brave enoug

wa

was stil

ended to st

pe tightly. "Co

smiled

ared behind him-silently, swiftly-and slam

ollapsed

ng violently. Her entire bod

her, catching he

lessly, hands gripping her arms

he whispered. "

disbelieving laugh.

faces were inches apart. Too close. Close enough for her to see the f

er than you

but nothing came out

ed when the intruder

g up," Kira

nd. "We need to go. Th

exit of the warehouse, their footstep

le. Kira held onto him, her fi

he engine, Kira look

t open. Two more black-

a radio t

drive. Repeat-Kira

d turned

nov

Hold on, because from this point

hot forward into

, Kira's phone bu

mess

wn nu

he only ones c