Page 102 of Final Exit

The roaring sound of the fire was so loud they had to make hand motions to communicate. They headed into the nearest offices, clearing them like they’d done earlier.

Another scream sounded.

Kade raced back into the hallway where Jace and Mason met him. He pointed toward the next office down, which had probably once borne the name of Cyprian Cardenas, from the posh look of the entryway. He took the lead, rushing toward the doorway. He flattened his back against the wall and the others did the same. With pistol in hand, he ducked down and leaned around the open doorway. His heart dropped to his stomach when he saw what was inside the office.

Bailey was on her back on the floor, her hands wrapped around Faegan’s wrists. He was on top of her, a pistol in his right hand, struggling to point it at her.

“You bitch,” he yelled. “Spit it out. Spit it out or I’ll blow your brains out!”

Kade aimed his gun at Faegan. But Faegan saw him and rolled to the side, yanking Bailey on top of him, and in the way. Kade swore and jerked his gun to the side. Faegan jumped to his feet, pulling Bailey with him as a human shield.

Mason and Jace flanked Kade, pistols pointed at Faegan, but their fingers on the frames of their guns so they wouldn’t accidentally shoot Bailey.

“Spit it out,” Faegan yelled in Bailey’s ear.

She shook her head, and it was then that Kade saw the flash of white in her mouth.

“Let me go before the ink dissolves,” she yelled around what Kade now realized was a wadded-up piece of paper.

“I’ll shoot you,” Faegan yelled, sounding desperate as he ducked behind her to keep from presenting the others with a target.

“My blood will destroy the numbers on the paper,” she yelled back in a muffled voice.

Jace nudged Kade and pointed to their left. A wall safe sat open. Whatever had been inside it must now be in Bailey’s mouth. The woman was both brilliant and crazy. She’d probably bought herself some time by shoving whatever the paper was into her mouth. But Faegan would no doubt shoot her the second he realized that the paper was now worthless, if the ink did dissolve as she’d warned.

The dull roar of flames from down the hall suddenly whooshed loudly, shooting past the open doorway. Mason slammed the door shut, but fire was already licking at the carpet beneath the door.

Faegan dragged Bailey backward, his gun pressed against the base of her skull. The open doorway to another office, probably Cardenas’s hidden office like the one in Boulder, was just a few feet away.

“We can’t let him into that office,” Mason said.

Jace stepped to the right, cutting off Faegan’s path.

“Move or I swear I’ll kill her,” Faegan yelled.

Kade motioned to Bailey, trying to silently communicate what he needed her to do.

She slowly nodded.

Faegan dragged her back another step.

Jace moved forward.

Faegan suddenly shifted his gun toward Jace.

“Now, Bailey,” Kade yelled.

She lifted her feet off the floor and fell right out of Faegan’s arms.

Caught off-balance, he lurched toward Jace, his gun going off. It hit Jace and he spun around, back against the wall. Mason brought his gun up and squeezed off a shot just as Faegan leaped through the doorway into the other office.

“The tunnels,” Jace said. “He’s going into the tunnels.”

Kade ran to Bailey, who was making odd noises in her throat. “Bailey, sweetheart. Bailey?”

Mason started to kneel down to check on Jace, but Jace waved him back. “Body armor. I’m fine. Let’s get the bastard.”

They both ran into the other office.

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