The engines snarled against the darkness as the matte-black Gulfstream fell like a stone through the cloud deck. The private airfield outside of Washington, D.C., was covered in fog so dense that it choked the runway lights into drab amber smears. Tires screaming, the plane landed hard and skidded to a stop next to a lone floodlight that sliced a lonely cone through the mist.The first person out was Alexander Harrington. His boots crunched on the wet tarmac. The bite of damp ground and jet fuel was carried by the cold air that struck his face. With his collar up, he wore a black overcoat, the kind that cost more than most men made in a year. A black silk mask, its edges smooth from years of usage, rested beneath it, folded in his inner pocket.His gaze swept the treeline as he stopped on the bottom step. A glass dagger pierced the sky as Whitaker Tower towered miles distant. All of the building's security monitors suddenly stopped working. Across the screens, the word DECEAS

The moment the red dot kissed Tatiana's sternum, her spine went into lockstep. The rusty, cordite-tasting air in the warehouse thickened. Mira whimpered as she felt Alexander's arms tighten around her.He yelled, "Down!" and shoved Tatiana to the side.Behind a pallet stack, they struck the concrete. As the first round punched through corrugated iron, wood splintered over their heads. Another came next, gnawing on the crate next to Mira's foot.Alexander's earpiece exploded with Grayson's voice. Two hundred yards to the north, sniper on the crane. The wind still has five knots. I have eyes.Alexander yanked Tatiana flush against his chest and commanded, "Take the shot." Her heart pounded on his ribs."Unfavorable. The splash zone has too many civilians. I need you to start a fire.The fingers of Tatiana sunk inside Alexander's coat. "People?"He responded sadly, "Mira." "And you."Another round bounced off a steel beam and whined by. It showered sparks. Alexander's neck

The red dot pulsed with the sniper's heartbeat as it sat on Tatiana's breast like a live coal. Alexander slapped the brakes and turned off the van's headlights. Tires screamed. The car skidded behind a concrete jersey barrier on the Navy Yard overpass and fishtailed on wet asphalt. The laser disappeared.He yelled, "Down!"Mira was already on the floors when Tatiana pulled the comforter over them both. Rolling out the passenger side, Cole scanned rooftops with the AR-15 up. The smell of cordite and river decay filled the night."Talk, Grayson," Alexander yelled into his communications.Four hundred yards south of the water tower, there is a thermal bloom. suppressed. Lapua 338. A spotter and a shooter. The wind is blowing from right to left at ten knots."Make the shot.""Not possible. He is shielded by Mira's heat signature. He fires when she moves.On the wheel, Alexander's knuckles turned white. "Choices."The EMP drone is being recharged. 30 seconds. You must pull hi

The tavern on Capitol Hill smelled like desperation, cigar ash, and bourbon. Over worn wood, neon beer signs buzzed. Victoria Langford, her silk blouse unbuttoned and one step beyond professional, slid onto a stool. Her red sole flashed warningly as she crossed her legs.With his Senate badge gleaming and his tie relaxed, Michael Richards sipped whiskey at the end of the counter. Soft in the middle, eyes already hazy, mid-forties.Victoria's breath warmed his ear as she leaned in close. "Senator, buy a drink for a girl?"His focus sharpened as he blinked. "Am I acquainted with you?""You'll." She gave the bartender a signal. Two things that he is consuming. top shelf.Michael's eyes shifted to her throat's hollow. "You are not employees.""Consultant." She clattered her glass on his. "To power."He took a deep breath. “What sort of consulting?”"The type that keeps young girls alive." She went down his sleeve with a fingernail. Mira Harrington. Do you recognize this?H

Headlights carved golden tunnels through dripping darkness as the Suburban was completely engulfed by the subway tube. Overhead, corroded pipes plinked with water. Alexander killed the engine next to a platform covered with graffiti. The air tasted of old pennies and mold.The girl's head lolled on Tatiana's shoulder as she carried her down the stairs. Cole soaked the former Ranger's side with blood as he supported Grayson. The woman staggered, her face swelling, as Victoria pulled her by the zip-ties.A maintenance door was kicked open by Alexander. Inside are monitors flickering with city feeds, folding tables, and buzzing generators. He strapped Lucy's ankles and threw her onto a metal chair."Speak," he said in a flat voice.Lucy's lip broke, gushing blood. Benjamin first appeared at the shelter three years ago. claimed that if I monitored Tatiana, he would locate Jacob. fed him every bedtime tale and every word from his "daddy."Mira's blanket caused Tatiana's knuckles to turn wh