guttural, animal sound that vibrated thro

ole of the desk, my heels skidding on the scattered remains of the crystal decanter. The red emergency lights pulsed like a f

sa, m

ic, muffled thud thud thud of his silenced weapon. Two more men in tactical gear, caught

sers. I didn't think; I kicked, my heel connecting with his jaw with a sickening crunch. He s

oing to

rifying in the crimson light. He didn't hesitate. He stepped over me, his boot pinning the

voice thin and raw. "

wi

oot went still. My heart stopped for a beat, the cold reality of what I was witnessin

grabbing my arm and hauling me to my feet with a strength that felt like iron

how everything would be okay. He grabbed a tactical vest from a hidden wall pa

They've bypassed the main elevator. That means they have an inside man

broken marble, my lungs burning. "Ke

in the red haze. "They expect us to hide. They expect us to wait for the police. But the police are twenty minutes aw

rated, you follow the blue lights on the floor. They lead to the

xpensive art. As we ran, another door exploded to our left. Two more attackers

, his weapon barking in a steady, rhythmic cadence. He wasn't just defending; he was hunting. Every movem

waving me toward

he tactical vest pulled at my shoulders, but I didn't look back. I hit the heavy

en more terrifying than the gunfire. Every shadow looked like a ma

ared the roof. I pushed the final door open and was met w

sea of light, but the roof

copter was the one person I

th

a gun held in his trembling hands. Beside him stood the man w

is mouth. "They said they'd kill me if I didn't help. They said K

hair across my face. "But he's not the one standing the

has my mother, Lou! He'll kill he

, his suit torn, blood dripping from a cut on his forehe

of the engines. "The data is already being uploaded to a dead-man's switch.

"Then I suppose I'll just have to take the girl in

of his rifle. "Kill him, kid. Now. O

I had loved. Then, I saw the coward who was about t

I reached into the pocket of my ves

a bad liar, Eth

ung