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And somewhere ahead of us is the woman I have loved for eighteen years.

We race toward the ridge.

The aircraft engine grows louder.

Then the radio crackles.

A deputy’s voice bursts through the speaker.

“Sheriff!”

Gunfire erupts behind his words.

“Shots fired at Silver Crown!”

Vega grabs her radio.

“Who’s shooting?”

“I don’t know!”

Another burst.

Then the deputy shouts something I almost don’t hear.

“Female inside the compound! Blond woman!”

My heart stops.

“Repeat that!”

The deputy’s voice comes through again.

“There’s a woman fighting one of the guards!”

Hayley.

I close my eyes for half a second.

Then I look at Taylor.

He grins.

“Told you she wasn’t waiting around.”

I grab the radio.

“Where is she?”

The deputy answers immediately.

“Near the mine entrance.”

The plane is ahead.

The van is heading toward it.

Hayley is behind us.