We started shooting back at the bearded guy and pushing towards the exit. But just as we neared it, an SUV screeched into the garage and six guys with automatic weapons jumped out. The murderer yelled orders to them and we were forced back under a hail of gunfire. We were outnumbered and outgunned and these guys knew what they were doing: Special Forces, maybe. Who was this guy, that he had special forces backing him up?

Then Colton cried out and clutched his leg. A bullet must have clipped him. Gabriel got an arm under his shoulders and helped him limp along. We were cut off from the exit: the only way to go was up to the next level. As we retreated up the ramp, Gabriel shook his head. “This isn’t good. The next floor’s the roof and that’s a dead end.”

We took cover behind another parked car. With our backs pressed against the icy metal, Bradan ripped open a package of gauze and pressed it onto Colton’s wound to slow the bleeding. I was suddenly glad Olivia had given us those first aid lessons. The windows of the car shattered, showering us with safety glass. Bradan sneaked a peek around the corner. “They’re coming!”

We were pinned down and about to be overrun. We all looked at each other, panicked and shaken. How did this go so bad, so fast?

JD frowned, thinking hard. Then he grabbed my arm. “Get them home.”

I blinked at him. “What?”

He gripped my arm even harder. “And take care of Erin. Promise me, Danny!”

I stared at him. “Yeah, I promise but—”

Too late: he jumped up and ran, heading for the ramp that led up to the roof. We all cursed and gave him covering fire, forcing the bad guys to duck down behind cover for a few seconds. When they poked their heads out again, they all looked towards the ramp and started moving that way. They thought we’d all followed JD upstairs. Oh God, that was his plan: to lead them away, so the rest of us could escape.

The special forces guys moved past us and disappeared up the ramp. We crouched there panting. “What do we do?” asked Gabriel.

My mind was spinning. All my instincts as a friend said go up there. Fight it out. Try to rescue him. But we were outnumbered, Colton was hurt and the police would be here any minute. JD’s words echoed in my head. Get them home.

“We have to go,” I croaked.

They all went pale at the idea of leaving him. I knew how they felt because my guts were twisting, too. But if we didn’t go now, JD would have sacrificed himself for nothing.