Page 74 of Doyle

“Hey!”

The lift must have landed. She hit the cavern floor, grabbed her mask, and threw her inflated BCD in the water. No time to turn off her headlamp—shoot!

She swiped up her fins.

“Phoenix!”

The name stopped her, jarring through her.

She’d liked that code name. Liked who she’d been, with him back in Krakow.

What if?—

No.

Footsteps barreled down the steps. “Stop!”

She slipped on her mask and slid into the water, holding her fins. Took a breath, sank, and slipped on one fin, then the next.

Surfaced.

And he was right there, in the full beam of her light.

Frogman.

Mr. East of Eden, standing on the side of good, drawing a line, his hand on his hips, his blue eyes fierce.

Still possessing the same stun power he had back in Krakow when?—

No.He was the enemy. Or had to be, today. Especially now that he worked for Declan Stone.

“Phoenix!”

She turned away, searching for her BCD.Just get under the water?—

It floated a few lengths away. She lunged for it.

A splash hit the water, and just as she grabbed her vest, he reached for her.

She turned, slammed the heel of her hand into his face.

He grabbed her mask, pushed it askew.

She hit him again, kicking hard?—

Then the mountain trembled.

He had her by her dive jacket now, his grip a vice. Her other hand clung to the floating BCD attached to her tank.

The cave shuddered, then rocks began to fall.

What—

He pulled her toward the edge. More rocks falling, this time from the top of the stairs. She thrashed in the water, kicking away, and they went under.

Then the entire cave seemed to convulse, and suddenly, he was no longer fighting her.

He was pulling her up, kicking to survive.

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