Leaving the two scientists behind, Vaill and Lou crossed into the opulent Great Room. Each pointed to the mounted security cameras, and together, they elected to stand up. The message was clear: the time for stealth is over. Come and get us!

Vaill took the lead. Lou’s stomach felt knotted and raw but the Glock in his hand was actually somewhat reassuring. With Kazimi and Humphrey back in the lab, anyone else they encountered would be the enemy.

This time, there would be no hesitation.

Lou was mindful of his breathing—slow in, slow out—as he fought to quell his rumbling anxiety. He and Vaill entered the Great Room side by side. Lou paused momentarily to observe the spectacular bank of floor-to-ceiling windows lining the east-facing wall. Like the trappings of the Great Room, without a doubt the daytime view through those windows was spectacular.

They were halfway across the room when they heard a radio transmission echoing from the passageway to their right—the central passageway through the castle.

Burke.

“I just left Jessup. He called me down because he just discovered he has them on camera,” he was saying. “Two of them, using what looks like C-4 to take the guardhouse door off. Can’t make them out in the dark. Looks like professional work. Probably FBI. Any word from Drake or Collins? If the intruders who did the guardhouse are FBI, they’re both dead.”

Vaill did not react.

“He’s right over there, in the passageway,” Lou whispered urgently. He gave a hard tug on Vaill’s sleeve, asking him to pull back and find a hiding place for an ambush. As if under a spell, Vaill remained rooted where he stood, out in the open. He was squinting. Tears of pain had formed at the corners of his eyes.

This was no false alarm.

“Tim, take cover,” Lou said more urgently now.

The agent stood rigidly upright, his pistol dangling at his side. His eyes were nearly closed.

“… The situation certainly looks dangerous,” Burke went on, his voice getting louder as he approached. “I think we should keep Miller and Kazimi in the lab. I’m going there to check on them now. I’ll bring them to your study to meet the new arrival once I clean up this mess.”

Burke, radio to his ear, strode into the Great Room and immediately spotted first Vaill, then Lou, both out in the open. Vaill was a step in front, partially blocking Lou’s line of sight. Burke wasted no time reaching for his weapon. Vaill, holding his at his side, was clearly too distracted by the pain in his head to move.

Lou leveled his Glock, but with Vaill out in front, could not get off a clean shot.

“That’s Burke!” he shouted. “Dammit, Tim, shoot!”