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“What is it?” I ask.

“I have this weird feeling.”

“Your gut.”

“Yeah. I just… I have an idea of where it might be,” she says. “But if I’m wrong, people could die.”

These are the tough, tricky spots we’re put in as agents. Making the best calls we can with the knowledge we’ve got. And unfortunately, we’re the only ones who know these people better than anyone here. Our guess is better than theirs will be.

“Tell me,” I say.

She looks down at the notepad and turns it around. Next to the words I jotted down is her addition. Crown. And then she underlines Island twice.

“We need to get to Battery Park,” she says. “And we need to run, run.”

“The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States from the people of France,” Scarlett says as we speed toward Liberty Island in a police boat. The bomb squad, Bowman, and Holly are on another boat following ours. “It was a gift, and it’s on an island.”

We’re cloaked in darkness. The only lights are in the distance—the city skyline and Lady Liberty. “We are in the season of giving,” I deadpan.

“And gifts are Arnold and Bijoux’s love language,” she says.

The off-site team has already been in contact with the National Park Service. When we make it to land, the rangers expect us. Turns out, there’s an exclusive holiday party happening at the monument that’s supposed to end in the next hour. We don’t have another hour to spare. Now there are more people to clear out.

While Bowman and Holly work with rangers to get people away from the statue, the bomb squad heads into the pedestal.

“You’re starting at the bottom?” Scarlett asks one of the bomb techs. “Can you do it in reverse? I think it’s—”

“We’ll need to get it approved,” the tech tells us. “We have a process.”

“One we don’t have time for,” she says, taking a deep breath.

“Payne,” Bowman says behind us, “you have that look on your face.”

“Something’s off, sir,” she says.

Bowman nods once. “Let me guess. You have a feeling.”

“I do,” she says, standing straighter. “And I’m going to follow that feeling. Just thought you should know.”

There’s a challenge in her words.

After a beat, Bowman says, “You two are closest to this.”

“Too close, I know,” Scarlett says. “You made that clear—”

“Close enough to finish this thing,” Bowman clarifies. “So go do what you need to do and follow that feeling.” He stops midstep. “And Payne? Be careful. I want to see you first thing in the new year to discuss your future. You’re useless at the desk.” Then he resumes his call and hurries back to Holly and the rangers.

Scarlett locks eyes with mine. “Big Bison Energy. You with me?”

I told her we’d be in this together. So whatever she wants to do, we’ll do.

“I’m with you,” I say. “Always.”

She smiles. “We need to run toward the boom.”

That’s how Scarlett and I end up in the monument’s elevator and ride to the pedestal’s observation deck.

“You think it’s up here?” I ask, glancing out toward the dark water and city skyline.