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For a moment, Marissa wanted to laugh. She walked overto the blonde woman and put a hand on her shoulder. “Sweetie, you brought Matsuda here. You did well. Let me and Maia handle the rest.”
Glancing back at Maia, she said, “Let’s roll.”
The darkenedhallways were eerily quiet. They encountered three dead security guards that were struck down by assault rifle rounds. The breach was on the first subterranean level on the same floor as the datacenter. There was a hostile guarding the entry from the tunnels.
Marissa had heard rumors of the mythical underground labyrinth but never had the need to verify CIA records because her missions were usually overseas. Maia motioned for her to backtrack. She followed the Guardian toward the datacenter, stopping short of the clearing that comprised the sweeping state-of-the-art AGS command center.
“I count five hostiles in and around the area,” Maia whispered.
Marissa peeked behind a wall and recognized Rafiq and Ali. There were another three men with them who looked like ex-military types. Marissa sighted Tim and Holly. Holly’s hands were bound behind her back. Tim was stoically sitting in front of the control station with a gun trained on his head. Another security guard, plus Agent Olsen, were bound and sitting on the floor. Four hostages.
“Bring up the logs or I will shoot you!” Rafiq hissed at Tim. The analyst resisted another second before complying, his hands reluctantly typing on the keyboard.
“Pierce? Maia Pierce is alive?” Rafiq shouted. “Where is she?”
“I’m fucked,” Maia whispered. The redhead stood up and faced Marissa. Maia pulled her away from the datacenter. “Listen, I don’t think I can hide for much longer.”
“You’re not surrendering, are you?”
“I may not have a choice. Listen,” Maia repeated urgently. “There is an air duct surrounding the datacenter that can hold your weight. I will try to—”
“Maia Pierce!” Rafiq’s voice sounded over the HQ’s PA. “If you don’t show yourself in the next two minutes, I will start taking out your people. Starting with your analyst.”
“—I’ll distract him as much as possible,” Maia said.
“He’ll kill you, you know,” Marissa said. “He’ll kill everyone anyway.”
“I know. But I need to buy Viktor and the guys some time to move in.”
Marissa checked updates from her phone. The Hudson Building siege was over. She should call Viktor now. She hesitated earlier because the men were in combat and may be in hidden positions; a phone ringing would give them away. She figured that was the same reason she had not heard from Viktor yet.
“Sophie Lockwood and Anna Roberts. Where are they?” Rafiq’s demand froze the two women.
“They’re just support personnel. They are of no threat to you,” Tim explained, desperation in his voice.
“Maia Pierce, you’ve got one minute left,” the voice over the PA warned.
“Ali, go look for this Lockwood and Roberts. Get rid of them,” Rafiq ordered.
“No!” Tim yelled. “You don’t need to do this.”
Maia looked at Marissa urgently. “Tell Jack—”
“Damn you, Pierce. I’m not doing this with you,” Marissa said. “Do what you have to do. I’ll protect Sophie and the nurse.”
Marissa scurried away toward the medical facility.
Her heart thudded wildly when she heard Maia say, “I’m here, Rafiq.”
She waited for a gunshot. None came.
Marissa barrelledinto the medical bay.
“Where’s Maia?” Sophie asked.
“Rafiq has her,” Marissa said shortly. She whipped out her phone and punched Viktor’s number.
“And you left her?” Sophie asked angrily. Marissa ignored her and turned her attention to the nurse. “How’s Matsuda?”
