Molly evened her breathing and straightened her shoulders, not allowing her imagination to terrify her even more than she already was. They just needed to get in, grab John, and get back out again. Easy-peasy. Once he was safe, then they’d nab Sonny, and everything would be right again. She wished she could call the cops, but she needed to find out more about John’s situation first. If the sound of sirens spooked them into killing John, she’d never forgive herself.

Shoving away a wave of hopelessness, she focused on the next step. They needed to see what was happening in the warehouse.

It was much easier said than done, she saw as they reached the chain-link fence surrounding the property. That barrier was eight feet high and topped with razor wire. Unlike the surrounding buildings, this one had several area lights, cutting away the shadows that would be so handy to hide in. Molly scanned the exterior of the building, trying to pick out possible points of entry. It looked to be single-story, with just a few windows in what appeared to be a reception area on the northwest corner. Otherwise, the walls stretched tall and impenetrable.

“No wonder they picked this location,” Cara said, barely loud enough for Molly to hear.

With a grim nod, Molly eyed the building again, seeing just as few options as she had the first time. It didn’t matter, though. If John was in there, she was going to get him out, even if she had to rip through the steel siding with her teeth.

Motioning for Cara to follow, she slipped along the fence until they reached the far corner, where the shadow of an industrial-sized dumpster darkened a short stretch of the barrier. Without pausing long enough to let herself think and get freaked out at what they were walking into, Molly pulled out her wire cutters and got to work on the chain link, snipping each wire until she could push a section aside large enough to crawl through.

The fencing scraped against the pavement as she squeezed through the hole, and she fought the urge to freeze like a trapped rabbit. Instead, sending out a prayer that the small noise hadn’t been heard, she held the cut section back so that Cara could follow her into the fenced enclosure.

Once Cara was through, Molly tucked the improvised door back into place, hoping that it wouldn’t be noticed until they were out. She glanced at Cara and then at the stretch of clear, dimly lit asphalt between them and the warehouse. There was no way to keep hiding in the shadows, not if they wanted to reach the building. Taking a deep breath, she sprinted as soundlessly as she could.

With every step, she braced for the sound of gunfire and the impact of a bullet. Her breathing was coming too fast, but she couldn’t help it. Between fear and running, her body was demanding more oxygen. It felt like it took an eternity to cover the short distance to the building. As Molly drew closer to the metal siding, she resisted the urge to look behind her. Just get this part done, she told herself. Then you can worry about Cara.