Rustam’s shotgun teetered. Kline’s shield was impenetrable.
A scream came from the elevator shaft, followed by the loud thump of a body slamming into the elevator car.
Kline lifted his pistol. “The nukes! Now!”
Rustam threw up his arms. “Don’t keel me! I’ll get dem—don’ shoot.”
“Hurry!”
The Russian pulled a key from around his neck and waddled to his hand-carved desk. He fiddled with the lock. Dropped the key. Panting, he swore and tried again. A false drawer slid out and folded down to reveal a wall safe. Rustam punched the keypad. It failed.
The elevator groaned and rose toward ground level. Kline pushed his gun into Rustam’s ear. “Open it!”
Another try. The mechanism hesitated—click—and the door swung open. Rustam handed Kline two polished titanium spheres, each about the size of a baseball.
“Don’ shoot! Pleas–”
The elevator chimed. The doors parted.
Sam and Jessica. Union Subdivision agents.
Kline fired two quick shots and dove for cover. He grabbed his datapad and entered his return code. The teleportation drive purred, and then illuminated. An emerald force field swirled up around Kline.
Sam fired his weapon and charged into the room. Too late. His bullets passed through thin air. Kline had vanished.
Rustam scrambled for his shotgun, but Sam stomped on his outstretched fingers and grabbed him by the collar.
“What did he take?”
“T-two spider nooks.”
The elevator rose toward ground level. Sam kicked the shotgun away. Pushed Rustam against the wall. Walked back to Jessica. Tears welled up in his eyes.
“They’ve got two nuclear weapons, baby girl. You gotta go back.”
“Sam, I’m not–”
He pulled her closer and kissed her, then whispered, “I love you, Jessica. Now, go!”
The elevator chimed.
“Sam!”
“Go!”
Sam shoved the datapad into her hands. He’d already entered her transfer code. She sobbed as the turquoise field engulfed her.
Mercenaries poured out of the elevator.
