Page 106 of The Lazarus Protocol

She checked it was ready to fire, safety off. Of course after that apartment in Zurich, he’d figured she would commandeer his weapon, so he’d brought two with him.

“Let me go out first.”

Steph said, “Contact Dan. Get him to pick us up outside.”

She spotted movement behind him, that familiar face and his dark hair pulled back. Jim emerged from the ticket office. She took a stuttering step toward Adam, shoved him back against the wall to her left, and fired two shots. The CIA agent on their tails ducked back into the office.

In a second, he would⁠—

Adam twisted her around, switching places with her. A pale face, and lines of pain around his eyes. He fired twice the second the agent ducked his head around to hit them again.

Steph opened the door and checked outside. When she didn’t see an immediate threat, she hurried out.

Adam came after her, and she dragged a full trash can in front of the door. Wouldn’t buy them much time, but running right into it might slow the agent, if he hadn’t been hit.

They had to get out of here before Adam lost all the fight in him and his injuries forced him to shut down. Adrenaline would only get him so far.

She tipped her head. “Come on.”

“I’m calling Dan.”

“I’ll watch our backs.” She switched places with him, slowing so he could go past her and she could follow.

Glance back.

Keep her attention on the corners of the building.

Each parked car that could have someone hiding behind it, ready to pounce.

The door they’d shoved that trash can in front of…

“Cover!”

Adam dashed between two cars and ducked behind one, holding his phone to his ear. She crouched beside him, breathing hard, and looked back over the hood as agent Jim dashed out of the door. To his credit, he only clipped the trash can, but the unexpected caught him off guard.

She ducked back down. “He’ll find us.”

“Not if we take him out.”

It sounded like a question. “There will be no going back if we kill an agent.”

Steph understood the gravity of what she was saying, tying their fates together. As if they were a unit and she really was part of their team. A team that worked for the CIA.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to get sticky.

“You wanna run, or you wanna take him out?” Adam’s attention shifted. “Yeah, where are⁠—”

Whatever caused him to cut off what he was saying, Steph ignored it. She braced her arms on the hood of the car and fired two shots, hitting agent Jim square in the chest. He fell back against the trash can, surprise washing over his features as he tumbled to the ground.

“We’re coming to you!” Adam nudged her, rising to his feet.

“Go.” She nudged him back.

He ran through the parking lot, threading through pedestrians who had ducked down when that last round of shots rang out. Someone tried to rush them, a guy in a suit who looked like a commuter headed for work in an office. She lifted her gun just enough to dissuade him and said, “Back off.” He’d grasp the intention even if he didn’t know English.

Adam kept going.

“Where is he?”