Page 116 of Every Last Breath

Everyone posted at an entrance checked in with a negative response.

Fifteen minutes to showtime. They were missing something. The Ghost was well prepared and wouldn’t risk waiting until the last minute to get in position.

A woman in a business suit accompanied by a man with a television camera got in line at a concession stand. They both had press badges hanging around their necks.

Novak and his son had landed at the WMN-TV news station and had been inside the building for several minutes. A TV camera was large enough to house the canister.

“Bravo,” she said to Castle, “is the security liaison still with you at the F Street entrance?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Are the media expected to be here tonight? If so, why haven’t we seen any reporters come in?”

The line fell quiet as she waited.

“Shit,” Castle said. “Reporters started arriving at seven thirty. They were invited by Dez Dax and he plans to give round-robin interviews after the show. There’s a separate entrance for the press. Head of security didn’t think to tell us, because the general public can’t get through it. All reporters have to show valid credentials.”

She gritted her teeth. “If they have a list of attendees, ask if WMN-TV is on it.”

Gut-wrenching silence. Anxiety pulsed through her in time with the seconds she waited.

“One reporter and a cameraman from WMN-TV.”

Maddox’s spine prickled. “Homebase,” she said, addressing Harper back at the Gray Box, who was tapped into the arena’s security. “Find the camera feed for the press entrance. Rewind. Novak and his son came through sometime within the last twenty minutes.”

“On it,” Harper said. It took less than three minutes for her to respond. “Two men from WMN-TV arrived ten minutes ago. Reporter with shaggy brown hair, beard, white shirt, black pants, glasses. Younger cameraman, blond hair, messy fringe haircut, blue shirt, black pants. Handheld TV camera. No bag. Over.”

Aleksander, the Ghost, was posing as a reporter. His son, Val, had the TV camera.

“Homebase, we need to find them. Now.” Her heartbeat quickened as she eased away from the display, sweeping the crowd.

Cole stiffened, shoulders straightening, every muscle poised for action.

“Doc, reposition inside the garage connected to the arena,” she said, praying it wouldn’t come to a quarantine. If it did, the facility would be sealed with twenty thousand of them inside.

“We’re moving now, prepared to initiate level-four biocontainment if necessary.”

Phantom fingers formed a fist and pressed into Maddox’s gut, stirring her to move. She strode through a throng of men flowing in from the street toward the stadium and concession stands, making her way to the stairs for a higher vantage point.

Cole entered the mass of people funneling deeper into the complex, toward the center of the arena by the elevators. He glanced back at her as if reluctant to put too much distance between them. She gave a hand signal for him to continue the sweep, hoping he understood that sometimes, having her six meant following orders.

This time, he didn’t hesitate. He gave a nod and pressed on.

She climbed the stairs, sticking close to the wall, scanning the crowd.

Cole did a pass of the elevators and met her gaze. He gave the negative sign. She held up her index and middle fingers and gestured to the level above. He acknowledged with a nod.

“We’re going to sweep inside the stadium.” She went higher.

“I found them,” Harper cut in. “They just exited the elevator, making their way into the stadium. Section 101.”

The knot behind Maddox’s solar plexus tightened. Her pulse was pounding now, strong and steady, driving her to move faster. “Delta, find someone from security to ensure that maintenance stays locked down, and get inside the stadium.”

“Copy,” Reece said.

“Everyone else, hold positions at the exits. Have security lock down the press entrance. The Novaks don’t get out.” Maddox elbowed her way through the sluggish mass up to the landing, gritting her teeth from the pain of her sore feet.

Cole bolted past her into the crowd, knocking guys out of his path.