“I witnessed Agent Young operating the vehicle as it sped away and he was not under duress.” Agent Georgia Cohn is briefing Karyn Smith over the phone from the front seat of my car as we speed toward the field office. I know Georgia works with Nash, but until about fifteen minutes ago we’d never spoken. She showed up banging on my door as if she was going to kick it in and flashing her badge while fast talking about an agency emergency. Before I had time to even think about what she was saying we were in my car and on our way.

“Agent Garrison appeared to be unconscious in the passenger seat and I found their comms on the sidewalk.”

“What did you just say?” Nash is unconscious? I ask but she isn’t listening. Oh my God.

“Yes, ma’am.” She listens, and I can hear Karyn’s voice in the background, but not what she’s saying.

“Yes ma’am, I considered the same possibility and proceeded directly to the residence. Yes ma’am, package is secure.”

“Wait, am I the package?” This is beginning to piss me off. “What the fuck is going on?”

My shout gets her attention and Georgia finally stops talking and looks my way. “Yes, ma’am.” She holds out her cell phone, placing it on speaker.

“Agent Thomas…” Karyn sounds angry.

“Yes ma’am.”

“Shut the fuck up and drive that car to this office.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I stop asking questions and do as I'm ordered.

The rest of the ride is spent in silence, but I can tell Agent Cohn is concerned, which worries me. If she, a seasoned FBI Agent, is concerned about Nash, then the situation must be even worse than I imagine. My stomach whirls uneasily with anxiety as I navigate us through traffic.

Ten minutes after we arrive at the Field Office I’ve been read in on the operation, from Ruslan to Popov and everything since.

“Are you aware Agent Garrison and I spoke last night?” Karyn paces behind her desk, like a newly caged wild animal. I’ve never seen her like this before.

“Yes ma’am,” Georgia admits.

Karyn stops pacing and seems surprised. “I was under the impression we were in a private conversation.”

“I’m a light sleeper ma’am,” Georgia explains.

Karyn appears satisfied and resumes pacing, but decidedly slower. “Did you have the same suspicions?”

“I did not.” Georgia doesn't hesitate. “Until I overheard Agent Garrison speaking to you. After hearing him and given some time to consider, I'd come to agree. And now after what just happened…” Georgia’s voice fades.

Karyn finishes for her. “It’s hard to look anywhere else.”

“Exactly.” Georgia slams both hands flat against the table in anger. “How did I miss him?”

“Apparently, we all did,” Karyn agrees. “But there’s no time to waste wishing we noticed something to prevent this. We have very little time; if any.”

“If any?” I know what she means but I ask anyway. Oh God. If something happens to Nash… I can’t even bring myself to consider what the worst-case scenario would mean. I just got him back - I can’t lose him.

“The car you were using from impound has no GPS and all of Martin’s electronics have been dumped as well. I’ve got agents combing through his apartment as we speak but we need to accept the possibility that Agent Garrison is already dead.” Karyn’s words hang in the air briefly as we all consider what she’s just said. “But we’re going to proceed on the belief he’s still alive and we are going to get him back, no matter what it takes.”

We’re interrupted by a member of the CIRG who rushes into the office without knocking and quickly pulls Karyn aside for an update. After a brief whispered exchange, he leaves the room and Karyn turns her attention back to Georgia and I. “Based on Nash’s theory, I’ve had the CIRG digging in to a connection within the Bureau since we spoke. I’ve just narrowed their search parameters significantly.”

“Do they have anything else?” I ask, hoping there’s something.

“They’ve compiled a list of all possible locations with connections to Ruslan where someone could be hiding Popov or holding Agent Garrison.” Karyn doesn’t look or sound optimistic.

“Thirty-six locations spread out in and around the city.” She calls up an active map displaying all the locations on the smartboard attached to the wall.

“Thirty-six?” Georgia sounds like I feel, deflated.

“We started with forty-nine and it’s been filtered down twice. I’ve just ordered every available body in the region to assist in performing hard target searches of all thirty-six locations.”

“That’ll take more time than we have.” I point out the obvious.

“These locations are yours.” Karyn zooms in on three waterfront locations.

“Ours?” Georgia and I ask together.

“Yes yours, so suit up and meet me in the garage, five minutes.”

“Excuse me, ma’am?”

“I’m coming with you. Is that a problem Agent Cohn?”

“Not for me,” Georgia answers quickly as Karyn dismisses us from her office.

“You better buckle up rookie,” Georgia whispers to me. “Things are about to get interesting.”