Shit.
He was just going to have to go it alone.
Jack dropped the comm device into his pocket and bolted up the stairs, drawing his gun as he went. He made it to the third floor just as another stairwell door opened up at the end of the hallway and Claire emerged, dressed as one of the waitstaff for the party.
The moment she saw him rushing toward her, she frowned. But then her gaze dropped down to where his gun was held by his thigh and her eyes went wide.
She instantly pivoted, ready to bolt back down the stairs.
“Ms. Davenport!” he yelled. “Claire! I’m here to help you.”
The use of her real name brought her up short, but only for a moment before she disappeared back into the stairwell. Fortunately, her brief hesitation gave Jack enough time to gain some ground. Just as she made the landing on the second floor, he raised his gun.
“Don’t make me shoot!” he said. She halted immediately and raised her hands before turning to face him. He hurried down the remaining steps, keeping his gun trained on her chest.
“Are you trying to kill me too?” she demanded.
“I’m not the enemy, Claire,” Jack assured her. “But theyarehere. And theyarelooking for you. We need to get you out of this building. You’re in danger. We all are.”
She gave him a wary look. “Right. You mean the bomb threat? Nice distraction.”
“It’s not a distraction,” Jack told her. “It’s for real. And I don’t know who the hell is responsible for that one, but I do know I’d rather not die today.” He holstered his gun underneath his jacket and held out his hand. “What do you say?”
She drew back, her wariness seeming to wane somewhat, but obviously still not convinced. “How do I know I can trust you?”
He tried to keep his patience in check, his concern for Maddie and what the hell she might be dealing with making it difficult. But he was supposed to get the flash drive from Claire. That was his objective. If he abandoned it now, he would be jeopardizing them all—Maddie included.
“Evergreen,” he blurted.
Her eyes went wide. “How do you know about that?”
He moved toward her slowly so as not to spook her. “Because it was my op. And it’s where I recruited a friend of mine into our organization.”
“The sniper,” she whispered. “I couldn’t find out his name. The government has no record of him.”
Jack shook his head, close enough now to gently touch her arm. “No, you won’t find him on record. You also won’t find out the name of the man you’re looking for.”
Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed, eying him suspiciously. But her voice trembled with excitement when she asked, “How do you know about him? Is he alive?”
“Will you come with me if I promise to tell you more?” Jack asked. “We have to evacuate this building, Claire.”
As if on cue, the door to the stairwell opened and a SWAT officer appeared in full gear. “Gonna need you folks to exit immediately. Anyone else in your room?”
Claire shook her head, sending a glance toward Jack. “No.”
The officer nodded and then headed to the first room in the hall and knocked on the door.
“They’re clearing the hotel, Claire,” Jack told her. “Please, come with me and we’ll talk some more as promised.”
She gave him a wary look, but then nodded and allowed him to lead her quickly down the stairs. Within moments, more footsteps joined theirs as other guests were evacuated.
Jack’s concern for Maddie increased with every step he took away from her. Desperate for an update on what the hell was going on, he fished his earpiece out of his pocket as he and Claire reached the final landing.
“Finn, do you copy?” he said in a rush.
“Wherethe fuckhave you been?” Finn demanded. “Do you have Maddie?”
“Negative. But I do have Claire Davenport.” Jack’s hold on Claire’s arm tightened as they entered a throng of people pushing their way out of the narrow hallway toward the exits. He could feel the tension as they elbowed and cursed at one another. Officers at the doorway were trying to keep people moving and calm, but they were one hysterical guest away from full-blown panic. “Any word on the emergency situation? Do we have an ID?”
