I crawled forward, my palm slipping on the cold floor.

Nora had risked everything to leave the panic room.

I could hear her coughing near the service elevator.

I had to end this now.

I reached the edge of the service entrance, my hand finding the cold metal frame.

Through the white haze, I saw a shadow moving frantically.

It was Elena, trying to clear her eyes while pointing her weapon toward the sound of Nora’s coughing.

I lunged upward from the damp floor.

I grabbed Elena’s wrist, twisting it outward until the bone popped.

She shrieked and dropped the pistol.

I swept her legs out from under her, slamming her onto the hard stone.

My forearm pressed against her throat, pinning her down.

“Move and you die,” I said.

She gagged, her fingers clawing uselessly at my sleeve.

Marcus was already handling the two mercenaries.

I heard the heavy thuds of fists striking flesh, followed by the dull groans of men hitting the ground.

“Clear,” Marcus growled through the dark.

I looked up to find Nora.