The beam of light was so bright it made my eyes water.

I shielded Luca’s face with my hand.

“They’ve blocked the exit,” Sullivan whispered, his voice cracking.

I turned around to look at the right tunnel.

Another light appeared at the far end of the narrow path.

We were trapped between three different search teams.

The sound of splashing water grew louder from the direction we had just come.

They were closing in from behind us as well.

I pressed my back against the wet brick pillar that divided the two tunnels.

I could feel the cold water rushing around my ankles.

My chest rose and fell in short, sharp breaths.

“What do we do?” Sullivan asked, his face white with terror. “Lauren, what do we do?”

I reached into my inner jacket pocket.

My fingers wrapped around the cold, textured grip of the small semi-automatic pistol Giovanni had given me.

I pulled it out and clicked the safety off.

The metal made a sharp, clean sound in the dark.

“Stay behind me,” I told Sullivan.