Nurse Donna consulted her phone and groaned. “They’re surrounding the building.”

“Shut up,” McClain ordered. He shoved the weapon in Gavin’s back. “Donna, you go first.” To Gavin, “Follow her. Out the door and up the stairs. All the way to the roof.”

Help was on the way. Gavin’s heart leapt even as he desperately searched for a way to buy some more time. But even if he had to leave with Sarah, law enforcement would search the building and find the general. With that worry off his mind, Gavin could focus on Sarah. He followed Donna with Sarah in his arms.

“General,” she said again. “Gavin, my father . . .”

She stiffened and he tightened his grip. “Stay still, please. Trust me.”

Sarah went limp and his heart did all kinds of funny things at the instant response that said she fully believed he’d take care of her—and her father.

At the top of the stairs, Donna led them through a maze of corridors and up one last flight of steps. She pushed through the metal door, and Gavin found himself on an airstrip that ran the length of the massive building. A small plane was ready and waiting, the propellers beating the air. He thought he could hear sirens above the whir of the blades.

“Get on the plane, Donna.”

“I’m not going!”

McClain turned the weapon on her and pulled the trigger. She screamed. Then clutched her bleeding chest and stumbled backward, fighting to stay on her feet. And failing.

Before Gavin could act, the weapon was once more trained on him and Sarah. “I’m not playing around. Get on!”

Gavin couldn’t do much to protest with Sarah in his arms—which was something McClain had no doubt thought of. Regret that he couldn’t help Donna or the general overwhelmed him. But there was nothing he could do—except whatever he had to do to keep Sarah safe. Killing was second nature to this man and Gavin would have to tread carefully.

He climbed the portable steps and ducked into the six-seater plane. Sarah slid from his arms and into the nearest seat. He discreetly felt under her seat. A parachute. Good. And bad. He broke out in a sweat at the plan forming in his mind, but he had a feeling it was the only way. Using his body to shield his actions from the man behind him, Gavin pulled the chute from its nook and placed it behind Sarah. “Wiggle your arms through the straps when you can,” he whispered. Her eyes went wide, and she grabbed his hand and squeezed, her grip stronger than he would have thought.

“Hurry up. Get her strapped in,” McClain ordered.