Scarlett was halfway across town to the high school when Holly’s words rung in her head. I need you at the National Guard base. Why was she holding units back? Unwilling to pull over, she grabbed her radio and called in, rather than use her cell. It would mean someone else could potentially listen in, but getting to the school was more important. She’d be careful, wouldn’t say anything that could give away the investigation over an open channel. “Holly, what’s the sitrep at the school?”

“Multiple fire squads have arrived. Triage and shore-up has begun. Sergeant Christensen, Captain Harrelson has requested you find him as soon as you arrive on scene.”

Despite her self-reminder just a moment ago that they were speaking on a public channel, Holly’s use of her rank and last name surprised Scarlett. It was unlike her friend to be so formal, even in an official setting. But then again, the sheer scale of the disaster had likely overrun Holly as much as anyone.

Scarlett swerved, avoiding a car that had suddenly come barreling out around a corner, nearly crossing the yellow line. The streets had been just the usual daytime traffic on her way to the station just half an hour earlier, but now they were beginning to choke up. First responders clearly weren’t the only ones rushing to the school. Scarlett knew the town. Anyone who could help at all would be heading that way. Even just helping to serve tea or sit with those who were injured. It all mattered. That didn’t help her mounting frustrations at trying to work her way through the streets, especially with idiots like that out on the road.

“Holly,” she tried again. “What’s the situation with the National Guard building?” It seemed like the entire city of Monroe was under attack. Scarlett could only pray there was nothing else going on. With the multiple fires, and now this, they couldn’t afford to have their attentions divided any further. It would be all hands on deck at the school, and anything further could split their efforts to the point lives were threatened.

“Nothing, yet,” came Holly’s reply, and Scarlett let out a whoosh of air. “But I’m diverting a unit there anyway. We’ve got visiting army bigwigs there today, along with federal staff. Some sort of demonstration.”

“Copy that. I’ll keep heading to the school.” Scarlett dropped the radio back on the seat and turned the car toward the school. Whatever was going on across town could wait. There wasn’t an immediate threat, and for the most part, the army guys could take care of themselves. She could only hope that when she arrived, her captain would let her out in the field with the rest of the world.

Either that, or she could dodge around him until she found Connor’s crew and could make herself useful. She didn’t care what job she was doing, as long as it kept anyone else out of the claws of whoever the hell did this.

When the rescue efforts were all over, it would be another matter entirely. She wasn’t stopping until she had these guys in cuffs and locked away. Hell, she’d even hand them over to the Feds right now, if they promised her they’d make them disappear in return. She couldn’t care less what happened to these assholes once she had what she needed from them.

Scarlett parked her car as close to the growing madness as she could get and stepped out of the car. A quick check to make sure both her service weapon and backup were where they should be, and she was ready to move. At the last moment, she turned back and removed her jacket, throwing it on the back seat of her car. Scarlett grimaced at the bandage that it exposed, still wrapped around her upper arm. It was a weakness that she hated exposing to the world, but with a mass of casualties and civilians roaming around the lawn, the last thing she needed was to be mistaken for anything other than law enforcement, especially carrying multiple firearms. With her jacket out of the way, the shield on her hip was clearly visible.

Holding a hand up to her eyes to shield them from the sun, she spotted a group of firefighters. They were moving around the main entrance to the school, carrying what looked to be a giant blow-up pillow. Another several were behind them, carrying props and ropes. Light glinted off the reflective stripes on their uniform, and she stepped toward them. Unlike anyone on her side, she could at least rely on current and upfront information from the firefighters. Behind them, a group of young guys were marshaling, lifting and moving lumps of concrete and building materials that littered the scene.

She looked left and spotted the makeshift command, the white shirts of HQ already speckled with the ever-present dust from the explosion and collapse. In any other circumstances, the civilians hauling debris would be told to stand down, to leave it to the professionals until the area had been deemed safe. No one seemed to be bothering with that today. Scarlett was on the side of the dudes hauling. It was an all-hands-on-deck situation. Besides, she’d never let authority stop her from doing what needed to be done. Why start now?

She changed her direction to move toward the young guys to join in until she could find Connor and get a bead on the situation, when a hand came out to catch her elbow. Instinctively, she reared back and almost clocked her boss right in the face. Scarlett froze. She had hoped not to run into the guy, but elbowing him in the nose before running in the other direction probably wasn’t the greatest next move. Pity.

“Christensen. There you are. Holly told me you knew to find me as soon as you arrived.” His face was pinched, clearly showing the strain of the situation. Normally, Scarlett might cut the guy some slack. But then again, she’d been cutting him some slack on his attitude for over a year, and it hadn’t made any difference.

“I did just get here, sir. And I didn’t see you. I was heading in the other direction.” She looked pointedly over to where the fire crews had begun shoring up the entrance to the building. She hoped that meant they could get in there soon and start locating victims. There was no way she was standing there on the sidelines arguing when she could be helping.

Harrelson followed her line of sight, his eyes narrowing when he caught sight of where she’d been looking. “That’s another thing we’ll need to talk about: your inappropriate relationship with McClellan. But we’ll have time for that later.” He grabbed her elbow again, and Scarlett shook him loose, stepping back several paces. She so did not have time for this.

“Inappropriate?” She almost spluttered the word. A year of keeping the peace, of allowing him liberties she wouldn’t give anyone else—even herself—because of his grief and misplaced guilt came sputtering to the surface. She was done. “First, what I do in my private time is none of your business! Second, there’s no law or department guidelines against us seeing each other. If you need me, I’ll be over there. Helping.” Her voice strengthened the final word and she turned to move away. Let him discipline her, fire her, whatever, later. She didn’t care anymore.

“No!” The shout from Harrelson was loud enough to be heard over the machinery and rumbling sounds coming from the building. Scarlett’s eyebrows shot up at its forcefulness. Something wasn’t right. She glanced over to the firefighters shoring up the building. One of them was unmistakable, even from behind. He’d turned at the shout, and even from a distance, there was no mistaking the concerned frown on Connor’s face or the glint of anger in his eyes when he spotted Harrelson barging toward her. “We’re leaving,” her boss ground out, grabbing her arm hard. “Right now.”

She looked back at Connor, but before she could get a word out or take another step, Harrelson dug his fingers into her upper arm and dragged her over and behind the buildings. This side of the school was undamaged and vacant, everyone’s attention on the chaos on the other side. They were completely alone.

Scarlett yanked on her arm, trying to escape his grip, to grab her weapon, anything. When the slap came across her face, it was completely unexpected. Her teeth rattled, and the pain was intense and immediate, blooming across her jaw. The world blurred for a moment, and she shook her head. If she passed out now, it would be all over, and she didn’t even know yet what the hell was going on.

She looked back at the captain, his face swimming back and forth before finally snapping back into focus. His face was contorted, his mouth snarling, the tendons in his neck standing out in sharp relief as he strained to hang on to her. “You couldn’t just stay out of it!” His voice was low and harsh, the words clearly not remotely a question.

He yanked her again, hard, and Scarlett stumbled forward. The look on his face scared her. His eyes were roving all around. She expected him to be watching his six, but his movements were chaotic. The man had just about kidnapped her, for fuck’s sake, but somewhere in his rant, he’d stopped looking at her. “All you had to do was stay out of the way. Keep your head down. I promised them, Scarlett! I promised them you didn’t know anything. That you were nothing to worry about, that you’d do whatever I told you to.” His attention snapped back to her, his eyes dark and cold. “Why couldn’t you have just done what you’re told! Derek didn’t, either, and look what happened to him!”

Dread filled Scarlett, and she pulled again at her arm, finally breaking Harrelson’s hold. She tumbled backward onto her ass, but barely even noticed where she’d landed. What on earth was he talking about? Derek? Derek had been killed by a one-percenter on an undercover job. Sure, Harrelson had been the one to assign him, but the case had been federal. Harrelson hadn’t had a hand in it.

A sting in her palm wormed its way into her mind, and she lifted a hand to her face. Bleeding. She was bleeding. Adrenaline rushed through her, combining with the confusion and disbelief and disorienting her. What did he mean, Derek didn’t listen? Ignoring the pain, she pushed her hand back onto the ground and levered herself up. Halfway to her feet, Scarlett stopped cold when the cool metal of a gun barrel met her forehead.