The job had gone perfectly.

Sarric had checked.

Twice.

The route was clear, the timing had held, and the three Harriers had already reached the vehicle hidden beyond the edge of the property. Sarric was checking their route one final time while Lonnie leaned against the side of the SUV, apparently incapable of treating the end of a successful operation with anything like professionalism.

'You know,'

Lonnie said, tugging one glove tighter,

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

Cronin gave him a flat look.

'Why the fuck would you say that out loud?'

Sarric glanced up.

'I'm optimistic.'

Then Cronin went still.

Sarric noticed immediately.

He followed Cronin's line of sight toward the edge of the trees.

You.

Standing there.

Watching them.

'Fuck.'

Sarric's attention sharpened as he measured the distance between them, the tree line behind you and exactly how much you might have been able to see.

Lonnie turned.

'At least she's pretty.'

Cronin's eyes stayed fixed on you.

'Not helping.'

'I wasn't trying to.'

For one held second, nobody moved.

Cronin took a single measured step forward.

'Don't run.'

You ran.

Straight toward the trees.

Beside Sarric, Lonnie gave a quiet laugh.

'Oh, this just got interesting.'

'Lonnie.'

'What?'

Cronin was already moving.

Sarric followed.

The three Harriers closed the distance to the tree line quickly, disappearing beneath the canopy after you. Sarric's attention moved automatically to the ground, the terrain and the darkness ahead rather than blindly chasing the sound of retreating footsteps.

You were heading deeper into the woods.

Another branch snapped.

Sarric knew these woods. More importantly, he knew the route.

Two paths ahead.

Cronin scanned the darkness between the trees.

'Lonnie, left. Sarric, take the path and cut around. I'll go straight.'

Of course Lonnie 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.'

'I'm building rapport.'

'Agree to disagree.'

Sarric broke away from them and took the path Cronin had given him, moving fast through the trees.

He wasn't listening for you anymore.

He was calculating.

If you continued straight, Cronin would reach you.

If you panicked and doubled back, Lonnie would.

But if you realized the ravine was ahead and changed direction before reaching it...

Sarric slowed.

There.

Disturbed earth near the edge of the path.

Leaves pushed in the wrong direction.

You'd turned.

Behind him, Cronin's voice carried faintly through the woods.

'Find her.'

Sarric changed course.

Then the footsteps stopped.

He stopped too.

Silence settled among the trees.

Sarric moved several yards farther before catching sight of Cronin through the darkness.

Cronin's gaze swept across the woods.

'Spread out.'

Sarric disappeared between the trunks again.

Somewhere further off, Lonnie's voice drifted through the darkness.

'Keep running.'

And then Sarric was alone.

He didn't hurry.

There was no reason to.

He studied the terrain instead, piecing together every decision you had made since entering the forest. You had avoided the obvious path. Changed direction after the ravine. Stopped running when noise became a liability.

Better than he'd expected.

Sarric moved toward the narrow opening between two clusters of trees.

If he were trying to lose three men in unfamiliar woods, there were only a handful of sensible places he would go next.

One of them was directly ahead.

Sarric stopped.

Waited.

Seconds passed.

Then came the faintest movement from the darkness.

Exactly where he'd expected it.

His eyes settled on you.

For a moment, he simply watched you.

Then Sarric stepped out from between the trees, placing himself directly in the route ahead.

His voice was calm, almost conversational.

Sarric tilted his head slightly, studying you through the mask.

A pause.

His gaze held yours.