Page 276 of Silent Target

“Two minutes.”

Too long.

The men on the roof had changed direction. Two entered the northern stairwell while the third returned to the helicopter.

The fourth hostile remained between Kate and the main exit.

They were closing the trap.

“Kate, can you reach the first level?”

“I can reach it. That doesn’t mean I can get out.”

“I’ll get you out.”

“You’re in Alaska.”

The doubt in her voice wasn’t fear.

It was a challenge.

I pulled up the garage plans and studied every exit, maintenance corridor, and ventilation shaft.

The main vehicle entrance was blocked by fire. The two pedestrian doors were covered. The roof belonged to the helicopter team.

There had to be another way.

Buildings always had another way.

“The garage shares a wall with the courthouse annex,” Sniper said.

I enlarged the plans. “No connecting door.”

“Not officially.”

I saw the narrow space between the foundations.

A maintenance tunnel carried electrical and water lines from the annex into the garage.

Too small to walk through.

Maybe not too small to crawl through.

“Kate, go to the southwest corner of the first level.”

“I’ll be trapped there.”

“Trust me.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Then trust that the men behind you want you alive for a reason you won’t survive.”

She was silent for half a second.

“Southwest corner,” she said. “I’m moving.”

The command center door opened.