The job had gone perfectly.

Which, in Saul's experience, was usually when something decided to go wrong.

The three Harriers had already cleared the building and reached the vehicle tucked beyond the edge of the property. Pieter was checking their route one final time while Fritz leaned against the side of the SUV, apparently incapable of treating the end of a clean operation with anything resembling professionalism.

'You know,'

Fritz said, pulling one glove tighter,

'for once, I think we might actually get home without anything going catastrophically wrong.'

Saul gave him a flat look.

Pieter glanced up.

'He's incapable of learning.'

'I’m optimistic.'

'You're an idiot.'

Then Saul saw you.

Movement at the tree line caught his attention, and his gaze snapped toward it.

You.

Standing there.

Watching them.

Saul went completely still.

Pieter followed his line of sight.

'You saw us.'

Fritz turned.

'At least you're pretty.'

Saul's eyes stayed fixed on you.

'I wasn't trying to.'

For one suspended second, nobody moved.

Saul took one measured step forward.

You ran.

Straight toward the trees.

Beside him, Fritz gave a quiet laugh.

'Oh, this just got interesting.'

'What?'

Saul was already moving.

The three of them crossed the distance to the tree line quickly, vanishing under the canopy after you. Whatever irritation Saul had felt moments ago settled into something colder and sharper.

You were a witness.

An unexpected complication at the end of an otherwise flawless operation.

And Saul dealt with complications.

Ahead of them, branches snapped somewhere in the darkness.

'You're heading deeper in,'

Pieter said.

Another sound came from farther ahead.

'There are two paths ahead. If you keep going straight, you'll hit the ravine.'

Saul scanned the darkness between the trees.

Of course Fritz looked delighted.

'Come on, pretty girl.'

His voice carried through the trees.

'People are going to start getting the wrong idea if you keep making me chase you like this.'

'You're terrifying the witness,'

Pieter called from somewhere to Saul's right.

'I'm building rapport.'

'That's not what rapport means.'

'Agree to disagree.'

Saul ignored them.

His attention stayed on the forest ahead.

Footprints disturbed the damp earth. A broken branch hung at an odd angle. Leaves had been kicked aside near the base of a tree.

Close.

The three Harriers moved deeper into the woods.

Then the footsteps ahead stopped.

Saul stopped too.

Silence.

Pieter appeared briefly through the trees several yards away.

'You're close.'

Saul's gaze swept across the darkness.

Pieter disappeared again.

Fritz moved in the opposite direction, his voice drifting through the trees one last time.

'Keep running.'

Then Saul was alone.

He moved forward without a sound, following the faint trail you had left behind. His breathing remained steady, his movements controlled. There was none of Fritz's obvious amusement in him.

This wasn't entertainment.

You had seen them.

You had run.

And now Saul had to find you.

Another disturbed patch of leaves.

Another footprint.

Then movement.

Barely visible between two trees ahead.

Saul's gaze locked onto it.

There you are.

He changed direction immediately, closing part of the distance before stopping again.

For the first time that night, something faint moved behind the cold concentration in his eyes.

Interest.

You'd managed to get this far.

Saul stepped forward.

His voice had gone quiet, carrying easily through the darkness.