k struck

ate was

l cargo pants and a fitted long-sleeve thermal. She pulled

summer, leaving a backdoor in the code. She slipped out the second-story wi

't take

of the garage, unde

ile away. Then she kicked the starter. The engine roared to

y. Speed was the only th

district where the streetlights wer

of a dusty bookstor

etal shutter. Three

open. Eyes

sed," a vo

rst edition of 'South

tter ra

ale coffee hit her. She walked straight to t

Arch

vers and terminals. The infor

nal. She needed le

ped hi

Level 10

ky. If Killian had traced her earlier hack at the club, he might have flagged her digital signature. She

ut out. Red emergency

der A

t

f the bookstore

ed in. Automatic gunfire

room!" some

This wasn't a police raid. This was a hit. And the timing was too perfe

the desk. He saw her

t think.

he stock into his throat. He gagged and dropped. She pulled a kni

his swing, slashing the tendon behi

an exit. Th

chaos, dodging gunfire. S

s falli

t a black SUV swerved into

er knife, re

window ro

as illuminated by the streetla

her hand. Then at the bl

n," he

the brick wall n

ripped the door open an

illian

bach surged forward, leaving t

ife so hard her knuckles were white. He was here. He knew. He had either ordered the raid or

. He held out a prist

softly. "You're getting bl

. He wasn't asking why the "spoiled he

handkerchie