Malcolm jogged out, avoiding the camera. “The HDD is on its way, as are a million other agencies and news outlets. If we’re gonna get out of here, we’d better do it right now.”

Raider took Brigid’s hand, whistled for the dog, and ran for the front door, which was surprisingly intact. “Our truck is just down the block. We’ll have to send somebody to pick Angus up later.”

“Angus is going to be busy,” Malcolm returned, running out into the night with the dog on his heels.

“Good point,” Raider said, keeping a strong hold on Brigid’s hand. They jogged down the street, and Malcolm jumped into the driver’s seat.

Raider paused and turned her to face him. “I love you. Wanted to say it in case we get blown up or something. Sorry it took this for me to realize it and say the words.” Without waiting for an answer, he picked her up and placed her in back of the truck with him. Roscoe leaped into the front and barked three times.

Loved her? As in really loved her? Everything inside her turned to Jell-O.

Mal drove the truck faster than he should, but Brigid didn’t complain. The sense of urgency hadn’t left her, and she wouldn’t be able to take a deep breath until she’d decrypted that flash drive. There was such a small window to save those girls, and she wasn’t sure she could make it. When was the last time she’d slept?

Malcolm looked at them in the mirror. “Did either of you see Josh go down?”

“No,” they said in unison. Had Josh the Bear survived?

She rested her head against Raider’s shoulder and let her eyes close. Within a second, he was carrying her out of the elevator at headquarters. “I slept,” she mumbled.

“Yep.” He carried her right into her computer room and handed over the flash drive. “Agent Frost was here, but she probably cleared out once the broadcast went live. I would have.”

“No kidding.” Brigid took the flash drive and went to work, smiling gratefully when Raider left and returned with freshly brewed coffee. Taking just a second, she downed the entire cup, and then repeated the steps she’d taken with the earlier flash drive, hoping the tech hadn’t added any bombs. There were a couple of different cyphers, but she went at them, while Raider checked on her once in a while with more coffee or just a hug.

Suddenly, the code flashed on the screen and then unraveled.

She sat back and blinked. “Raider?” she whispered, her voice gone for some reason.

“Yeah?” He opened the door, his face bruised and his eyes exhausted. “You got it?”