Razor Burn fired. The shot was an earsplitting crack and Archie lurched and then caught himself, his ears ringing. Immediately, another crack split the silence. When Archie looked up, Razor Burn was on the floor, blood gurgling from where Cooper had shot him in the neck. His intestines were spread across his thigh. The smell of gunpowder hung in the air. Cooper didn’t bother to kick the weapon from Razor Burn’s hand. There was no question he was dead.

Archie spun around to check on Susan. Karim had used the distraction to move past Archie, closer to the door. Susan’s arms were pinned at her sides as she shuffled backward, the knife at her throat. She was crying, her wet eyes fixed on him, terrified.

Then he knew.

He followed her gaze down his chest.

The bullet had gone in just under his left rib cage, almost in the very spot where Gretchen had stabbed him. It didn’t hurt. Archie studied the dime-sized bullet hole in his blazer. He could see the dark ring of lead that had wiped off the surface of the bullet as it passed through the corduroy. He opened the jacket. The bloodstain on his shirt from the scalpel had been completely obliterated by the dark red stain spreading from the fresh bullet hole. He could feel the warmth of his own blood pulse against his skin. His knees wobbled. The sirens wailed.

Archie sucked in a breath and straightened up.

Karim was almost to the door with Susan.

Archie cupped his hand over the wound and stumbled forward, just as Karim pulled Susan through the door and into the hall, kicking the door shut behind him. Karim knew the tunnel system. If he took Susan belowground, Archie wouldn’t stand a chance of finding them.

“Archie,” Cooper called sharply.

Archie didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop. Karim had Susan. He reached the door and threw it open, barely aware of Cooper coming up behind him. “Take this,” Cooper said. Archie looked down. Cooper pressed his gun into Archie’s hand and backed away.

The sirens. They were louder now. It sounded like dozens of vehicles. Archie knew where Cooper was headed—out through the large window in Jack’s office. Cooper clearly didn’t want to be here when the police arrived. Archie didn’t stop him. He raised Cooper’s weapon and turned down the hall. He could see Karim and Susan up ahead. Susan was dragging her feet, making herself heavier, and it had slowed Karim down some.