“Yeah, that’s a problem.”

“The problem is we can’t shoot back at them.”

“Going to be difficult,” I agreed. “But we can’t let them stop us. Rickard’s not getting away this time.”

“Okay. Hunter, he’s at the steps now. He’s going in. Better hustle, buddy.”

I hustled.

But I still had to be careful. Pushing over the lattice frame again I peeked outside. The trooper was oblivious to what was going on, which meant that his teammates were equally ignorant that Rickard had launched his attack. Rolling from under the building, I came to my feet and ran toward the front corner. Snatching a quick glance around the wall, I just caught the blur of movement as someone went in through the front door. Looking past the facade of the building I saw Rink moving in. We acknowledged each other with a nod, and then I ran toward the door through which Rickard had entered a moment ago. Rink covered me, dipping to a knee as he searched the grounds through his sights.

Steps led up to the front door, a large expanse of white oak. I went up them and pressed myself to the wall, hips against the discreet sign bearing the acronym AKMC. From there I covered while Rink moved up to the steps. No one was aware of us and I again concluded that Hubbard had the wrong team on this case: Walter’s people would have taken us prisoner out there in the swamp. There was a large brass push-button bell but I’d no intention of advertising my arrival. I pushed down on the handle and the door swung inward silently.

Rink moved up the steps and I went inside.

A short vestibule with double glass doors—a recent addition—separated the entrance from a reception area. The doors were on a sensor and hissed open as I stepped forward. A woman dressed in a pale blue tunic was bent over the desk and didn’t even look up. Maybe she’d grown used to armed men coming in and out. The second that she saw my camouflage getup could have been a crucial turning point, but she only glanced my way, nonplussed. Funny how people can be desensitized to danger so quickly. I was in a different uniform but she must have taken me, as well as Rink coming in behind me, as FBI agents. No way I’d make her any the wiser.

The receptionist went back to whatever she was doing on her computer and I walked by her, allowing my gun to drop so I didn’t represent a threat. I passed through the next set of doors without challenge and waited there for Rink to catch up. We were inside so easily it made my guts squirm, because dressed in the anonymous garb of an HRT trooper, Rickard would probably have free range throughout the hospital. He would head directly for Alisha’s room.