Page 382 of Scars of Fate

“Not yet.”

I saw movement beneath the lowest row of boxes.

A boot.

I raised my rifle.

“Come out.”

Silence.

Then the operative fired.

The bullet slammed into the steel box beside my head.

I dropped behind a stone counter.

Roth returned fire.

The operative lunged from cover and ran toward the concealed passage.

Hawk triggered the emergency shutter.

Steel crashed down across the tunnel entrance.

The operative stopped inches from it.

I hit him from the side.

We struck the floor together.

He drove an elbow toward my wounded shoulder.

Pain tore through me.

I trapped his arm and rolled.

He reached for a knife.

Roth kicked it away.

The man fought hard.

Desperate.

But three days of blood loss had taken its toll.

I drove him against the floor and secured his wrists.

“Where is Minser?”

He laughed.

“You’re too late.”

“For what?”

“He’s already gone home.”