THE CAR screeched to a stop in front of the FBI building and the three of us leapt out. As we reached the glass doors, I cursed. Extra guards were on duty in the lobby. As we burst in, three of them moved to block our path, young and inexperienced, hands twitching nervously towards their guns.

“Get out of the way!” screamed Calahan.

The nearest guard shook his head. “We’ve got orders to take all three of you into custody.”

“We don’t have time for this!” Calahan started forward. “You’ve got to get word to Carrie. Tell her—”

The guard put his hand on his gun. “Agent Calahan, remain where you are!”

Calahan stopped and cursed, raising his hands. He looked over his shoulder at me. Then I saw him glance at Hailey and when he looked at me again, our eyes locked. He sighed and the rivalry between us faded away. “Tenth floor,” he murmured, too low for the guards to hear. “Office at the end of the hall. I can give you a few seconds.”

I nodded and readied myself. “Stay here,” I told Hailey.

Her eyes went wide. “No—”

“I’m not letting you get hurt.” I squeezed her tight, then pushed her gently behind me. And then I gave Calahan the nod.

“They’re going to send me to Alaska with Kate for this,” he muttered. And then he roared and charged forward, arms stretched wide. As the guards drew their guns, he slammed into them full force, taking all three to the floor. They were up and on him in seconds, but by then I’d already sprinted past them and was heading for the stairwell.

“Stop!” yelled a voice behind me. Then a gunshot and my suit jacket tugged as a bullet sliced through the flapping fabric, missing me by an inch. I heaved open the stairwell door and ran.

Ten floors, up this time instead of down. I went up them three at a time, heart pounding, muscles screaming. I had no idea how much time was left and I couldn’t stop to check. By the eighth floor, my hamstrings and calves were screaming. Nine and I was staggering, sweat slicking my brow. Ten—

I stumbled out into the hallway. Carrie’s door was dead ahead, what felt like a mile away. I growled and forced my legs into a run. As I neared the door, I could hear a clock chiming—

I burst through the door, almost taking it off its hinges. And there she was: Carrie. The woman who’d pursued me since the day I’d set foot in New York. The woman who’d sent so many of my men to jail. Her eyes widened as she’d recognized me: him, here, in my office?!

“Get down!” I yelled, but I didn’t wait for her to comply. I slammed into her, carrying us both towards the floor—

There was the sound of breaking glass. A tight little hole appeared in the huge window, the glass frosting white around it. Something sliced into my arm.

And then we were sprawling on the carpet behind her desk, me half on top of her. She stared at me. Then she looked up at the fresh bullet hole on the wall, right behind where she’d been standing.

Credit to her, she didn’t waste time arguing or asking questions. She slapped her hand over my injured arm, pressing to stop the bleeding. With her other hand, she heaved on the cord of her desk phone until it tumbled off the desk and fell down to her. Then she started yelling orders into it, telling her people to surround the building across the street.

It was almost five minutes before Calahan and Hailey arrived, accompanied by a small army of FBI agents. Calahan had a black eye and was limping a little, but he was grinning. “It’s okay,” he told us, offering me his hand. “Look.”

I took his hand and heaved myself to my feet, then helped Carrie up. Through the window, we could see the sniper on the rooftop of the building across the street. He had his hands up, and armed FBI agents were advancing towards him.

Carrie looked at Calahan, then at Hailey, then at me. She crossed her arms. “Okay,” she said. “I’m listening.”

I gave a long sigh of relief and sat down heavily on the edge of her desk. Hailey ran over and threw herself against me and I wrapped her in my arms.

Everything was going to be okay.