Page 203 of Silent Target

“You cannot save everyone.”

Caleb’s eyes meet mine.

Pain cuts across his face. His wounded side is pressed against the fractured edge, and my weight is dragging him closer to the opening.

“Caleb.”

“I have you.”

The certainty in his voice holds me more securely than his hand.

Victor’s finger moves toward the trigger.

A shot fills the control room.

Victor’s rifle spins away.

Rook stands behind an overturned server rack, blood running from his shoulder.

“Get her up!”

Caleb braces one knee against the broken floor and pulls.

I kick against the exposed concrete.

The edge cuts through my pants and tears the skin beneath, but I keep climbing.

Caleb catches my vest with his other hand and drags me onto solid ground.

The instant I’m safe, he rolls over me.

Victor fires his pistol.

The bullet strikes Caleb’s armor.

The impact jerks his body against mine.

“Caleb!”

“I’m fine.”

He isn’t.

But he raises his sidearm and fires back.

Victor retreats behind the damaged command-room door while three Inner Guard operators cover him.

Rook and Shark return fire.

Cobra throws smoke between us and the doorway.

“Time to leave!”

Fathom seals the stolen drives inside the evidence case.

“The transfer is stopped. We have everything I could save.”

“How much escaped?” I ask.