“Yes. Let’s get inside as fast as possible,” Shane said in an undertone. And hope the fucker hadn’t wired the place the way he had last time.

“On three.” Shane counted down and as soon as the lights went off he shot the lock off the door. The gunshots echoed through the space, but Shane was used to it and didn’t even flinch. He kicked open the door but a sudden whoosh of flames forced him back.

“Christ, he lit up the place.” He held up his cast to shield his face. He certainly didn’t need his NVGs now. “I can’t see anything through the flames.”

“Same here. He spread gasoline on gym mats all around the room,” said Ashley.

“EG has disappeared. Oh my god, Laura!” Yael exclaimed. “The sheets behind her just went up. Quickly, she’s going to burn to death.”

Motherfucker. Shane kept his rifle up and ready as he rushed through the flames toward a small piece of the gym floor that hadn’t yet ignited. The smoke was thick and the dry wood was starting to catch. The gym mats were releasing thick noxious clouds of gases. He smothered flames that had caught on his pants and singed his leg. He kept moving, searching for Ethan Grice, searching for a safe space amongst the heat and fire, trying to figure out how to get across the wide expanse to Laura.

The heat was intense and made him want to retreat but he kept pushing forward.

The sound of gunfire ripped through the air. “Alex, Ashley, report.”

Then he spotted Laura near the edge of the gym as the sheets burned to nothing.

But there was no clear path through the flames. An ember singed his cheek. Fuck. He was going to burn to death. Great. This fucker was going to escape and he was going to roast.

Yael’s face flashed before him and he knew he wanted more than a few nights of stolen passion.

No way was he going to die. No fucking way.

He caught a glimpse of a red fire extinguisher on the wall out of the corner of his eye and lunged for it. Turning it on, he sprayed the floor in front of him and started walking toward the bound woman.

“I found Laura. Alex? Ashley?” he yelled because the asshole already knew they were here and the fire was so loud he couldn’t hear a thing.

Shane drew his knife and cut the tape securing the naked woman to the table. Her eyes were massive with fear and horror. Wounds bloody. She was screaming incoherently but he couldn’t make out the words over the roar of the fire.