“Finn took a six-month leave of absence about four years ago. Highly unusual for a man in his position.”
I’d found an article about Alfred’s death. It matched what Finn had described, but the timeline didn’t match his leave of absence. Alfred died over eight years ago, but from our chat it seemed they were close friends. Or more. There’s nothing public about his personal life.
“There’s no information I can find that explains why he took the time off. Only that he went to Alaska. When he came back, he was promoted.”
“… that does make you wonder what he was up to. But Crystal, there could be a million…”
I glance up and don’t immediately see Natalie. I look toward the bathrooms. Did she go there? I scan the ground in all directions.
Maddie’s still talking, but I can’t register Maddie’s words as my breath is squeezed out of my lungs when I realize I can’t find Natalie anywhere.
I jolt up.
“Crystal?”
Denver’s growl rings out loud and is immediately followed by a series of frantic barks of alarm. Ding’s running at full speed toward us from the left. Why is he so far away?
Oh God.
Denver’s still nowhere in sight. Neither is Natalie.
“Natalie! Natalie!” I scream. Racing along the path of shrubs and fences to where I can still hear Denver’s barks. “Help me! Please help me!” I yell so loud my throat tears.
As I run, I hear little Christopher’s cries and Maddie’s terrified voice behind me. “We need help. My niece is gone…”
When I pass Ding, he circles back around and runs with me. Park patrons look on with concern as we rush by, a few of them joining us to help. I keep yelling at the top of my lungs for help as I run as fast as my legs will go. In the distance, the sound of a police alarm grows louder.
Finally, I spot Denver chasing a sleek silver Land Rover.
Seconds later, a police officer runs toward me, and I point to the vehicle as it speeds off out of sight. He calls into his radio, and I see other lights flash down the road. Stopping to catch my breath, which is coming out in harsh rasps, I begin to sob and ask them to tell me where she is. The officer holds my shoulders.
“Ma’am, stop. Take a breath. We’ve got someone tailing the Rover.”
Maddie’s holding Christopher and walking at a quick pace toward me, her face crumpled in worry. “Natalie?”
I shake my head and collapse.
CHAPTER 24
The Stranger
I know I shouldn’t be loving this, but hell, it’s freaking cool.
Appearance-wise, the Dante’s Shield isn’t much different from a standard suit, aside from the metallic sheen of its protective materials and a hardened torso that protects the integrated rebreather and backup gas systems. But the outer insulation layer alone only ensures survival for seconds once extreme heat begins to cook whatever’s inside the suit.
The second layer contains a thermal protection barrier gel and coolant tubes. Once activated, it begins to deteriorate immediately and loses all effectiveness when the gel melts completely.
Fifty-five minutes, give or take, to get back into survivable temperatures.
The third and final layer of the Shield is a comfortable, moisture-wicking fabric that keeps the skin cool and promotes air circulation.
Entering the Shield from the back, I’m sealed inside from neck to feet with a pressure-sealing, titanium-coated zipper. The helmet is bulkier than a typical mask, but sleeker and more compact than those used in commercial diving. Once lockedinto the neck of the suit, there’s no skin exposed to the outside elements.
Airtight.
It’s a remarkable feat of engineering, but with all its complex parts, the failure mode is incredible. But none of us mentions failure again after it’s explained once during training.
There’s no point. We’re doing this.
