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18

SEAN

“Show me your hands,” Deputy Cole repeats.

Nobody in the security room breathes.

The line remains open.

I hear the faint scrape of movement through the deputy’s phone.

Then the woman whispers again.

“He’s still here.”

Every man around me changes.

Kane steps closer to the speaker.

“Deputy, get out of that house.”

Cole’s voice drops. “Where is he?”

A gunshot explodes through the line.

Hayley grabs Sage and pulls her down.

Will moves in front of both of them even though the danger is hundreds of miles away.

A second shot follows.

Wood splinters.

Cole grunts.

“Deputy?” Taylor calls. “Cole, answer me.”

Footsteps pound across the floor.

A door slams.

Then the connection fills with heavy breathing.

“I’m outside,” Cole says.

“Are you hit?” I ask.

“No. Whoever fired was in the back of the house.”

“Where is the woman?”

“Still inside.”

Sage rises behind Will.

“You can’t leave her.”

Cole breathes hard.