It was a twelve-foot drop to the gravel path.

In my Navy physical readiness training, we practiced drop-and-roll maneuvers on hard surfaces.

This would be rough on my ankles, but it was the fastest vector to cut him off.

“Emily, you can’t jump,” Alexander said, his voice rising in panic as he reached the railing.

I ignored him and climbed onto the cold stone balustrade.

I looked down, calculating the angle of the slope to minimize the impact.

I needed that drive.

It contained the original encrypted files that could clear my mother’s name and expose the entire network.

Vance reached the edge of the hedge maze, disappearing into the dark green corridors.

I knew the layout of the grounds from the satellite maps I had studied before arriving.

If he made it to the south gate, a car would be waiting.

I had to intercept him before he reached the perimeter.

I took a deep breath, the damp, cold night air filling my lungs.

I launched myself forward into the dark.

The ground rushed up to meet me in the dark.