Harris turned to look at Adam, his shaggy eyebrows held high. “That’s one hell of a hypothesis. But whoever that agent might be, he’d be in deep shit if he was ever caught. You know the penalty for fate interference, right?”
Adam’s jaw set. “Of course I do. I’ve seen others executed because of it.”
“Besides, it doesn’t make a difference anyhow. We’re here to put things back the way they’re supposed to be. So if you’re finished gawking at our pretty little target, that’s exactly what I’m going to do right now.”
I clenched my teeth as he pointed the gun at my head and pulled the trigger.
But Adam kicked Harris’s arm just in time and the bullet embedded itself in the wall behind my right shoulder rather than in my forehead.
Harris turned to him with a frown. “What the hell do you think you’re—”
Adam swung the heavy flashlight, hitting Harris across the side of his head. The blond man crumpled to the floor unconscious before Adam’s blue-eyed gaze returned to me.
“OK,” he said, “so I’m thinking that’s why my name was added to the book today as well. Jesus. I just signed my own death warrant.”
It sounded as if he was talking more to himself than to me.
“What?” I managed.
Adam’s eyes flicked back to his partner. “I honestly didn’t plan to do that. I thought I might be able to talk him out of it, but I should have known better. He’s stubborn.” He smiled a little, but it looked shaky. “Then again, so am I.”
“What is going on?”
“That is a very good question, but one I can’t answer right now.” Adam threw the flashlight to the ground and then began to undo my bindings. The ropes fell away from my sore wrists. “There are other agents stationed outside. When Harris and I don’t report in very soon, they’re going to come looking for us. We have to get out of here.”
He held his hand out to me, but I didn’t take it.
“Come on,” he said. “There’s no time.”
I shook my head.
His dark brows drew together. “I know you don’t trust me, but you have to. I’m not going to hurt you. I swear I’ll protect you.”
“Was it you?” I asked. “You’re the one who pulled me away from the bus today, aren’t you?”
His chest moved under his black coat to show he was breathing hard. “That was me.”
“And everything you just said to Harris—”
“Was how I really feel. Yeah. Now come on, or saving your ass twice today isn’t going to mean a damn thing.”
I took his hand and he practically yanked me out of the chair to my feet, then roughly pulled me behind him as he kicked open the door. We hurried down a hallway leading to a staircase.
“Who are you?” I asked him.
“Name’s Adam. Adam Rizer.”
“And you’re from the future.”
He looked at me sideways. “I am.”
“And you just knocked your friend unconscious in order to save my life.”
“Looks like.” He shook his head. “Although, Harris wasn’t exactly somebody I considered a friend. When you’re in my line of work, friends can be a liability.”
“Being a cold-blooded assassin must be hard work.”
I tried to keep up with him but he moved very fast. I didn’t have much of a choice, though. He had my hand clutched in his so tightly that if I fell, he’d still be dragging me along behind him.
