“I’ll take photos. Maybe Nick’ll be able to help us out.”
She stepped back, drawn to a cabinet in the far corner. “That looks interesting.”
She walked over, started working the tools in the lock while Bodie headed for the computer terminal on the far wall. A lone monitor sat on a small desk, the cursor blinking in the upper left corner.
He tapped the keyboard, started trying passwords, the screen springing to life a minute later. “Buck? Buddy, watch the door. Whistle if your Spider-Sense starts tingling.”
Buck shook his head, took up his position at the door, cracking it open a few inches as Bodie scrolled through the files, reading some of the data, when he found a folder labeled Test Subjects — A, Dispersion Trials — L. Odd numbers filled the screen, what he assumed was code for the results.
He moved to the next folder, clicking it open when the name on the screen made his blood run cold — Scott — L — Observations.
“Bodie.”
He whipped his gaze to Rowan, her voice barely a whisperer.
She waved him over, a blue folder gripped in her hands, the sheer pressure bending the edges. “I…” She swallowed, pointed to the initials on the top of the tab.
A.S.
Bodie stared at the front, a man’s photo pinned to the upper corner. Gaunt. Haunted, as if he’d faced his demons and lost. How Buck and Dalton had looked when Bodie had first met them. “Is this…”
Rowan’s chin quivered as she nodded. “Older. Merely a shell of the man I remember but, yeah. That’s my father.”
“There’s more on the hard drive.” Bodie flipped through the pages, dragging his finger along the lines as he skimmed the intel. “Christ. I’m pretty sure he’s alive. Is being held at some high security hospital along with half a dozen other test subjects. I?—”
“Shit.” Buck, his voice harsh as a door slammed somewhere down the hallway. “We’ve got company. Hide. Now.”
Bodie grabbed Rowan, shoved her down next to him as they crouched behind one of the tables. Buck vanished into the shadows, a thick silence filling the room.
Footsteps.
Hurried, then the door bounced open, some guy in black tactical garb busting inside. Weapon at his chest, gaze focused forward. He headed straight for the computer, froze when he reached the monitor. “Damn it. Contact?—”
Bodie moved.
Dove across the floor, rolled within striking distance. The guy turned mid-sentence, voice cutting off as Bodie struck him twice in the throat. The guy stumbled backwards, forehead hitting the desk as Bodie palmed his neck, slammed him down.
Less than thirty seconds, then silence.
Until an alarm wailed outside, red lights pulsing in the hallway.
Buck hooked Bodie’s arm. “We need to fly. Now, brother.”
Bodie darted back to the computer, yanked that hard drive off the stack, then quickstepped over to the door — fell in behind Rowan as she stepped out.
Footsteps.
Steady. Strong, twin beams slicing through the shadows, bouncing off the walls, finally settling on the door. But they’d already engaged — jumped over that damn laser beam — closed the distance. Rowan veered left, Bodie right, each taking one of the men. A few direct strikes, a couple kicks and Rowan had her guy tumbling onto his ass. Setting off that auxiliary charge.
The wall exploded, showered dust and concrete shards through the air. The force slammed Bodie against the wall, ears ringing, smoke burning a line down his throat. Just like in the park, that same scent of cordite and copper saturating the air.
Bodie’s guy stilled next to him, blood pouring from a wound to his neck. Either some wood or a piece of rebar, the end poking through the skin.
Buck stumbled over, legs shaking, hair a mess of dust and wood chips. He heaved them both to their feet, gave Rowan a quick once-over, then shoved them toward the exit.
“Code Black.” Dalton’s voice sounded over the comms, half of the last word lost amidst the ringing. “I’ve got multiple contacts moving in fast. Go right. There’s a set of stairs at the north end. Head up. Skylight to the roof. I’ll clear a path.”
Bodie didn’t question Dalton, just waved Buck ahead — sprinted after him. Rowan limped the first few steps, then caught her stride, hugging Buck’s six as they rounded a corner — angled toward a metal staircase vanishing into the darkness.
