She measures the space with her eyes. “If we get down on our hands and knees and stick close to the wall, I don’t think they’ll be able to see us.”

Cole shakes his head. “Why risk everyone? I’ll get it.” Before anyone can argue, he drops to all fours and starts crawling. There’s less debris up here, but it’s still clear people left in a panic. A purse sits in the middle of the floor, not far from scattered papers. Farther on are a wheeled mail cart, a parka, and a box of doughnuts that has spilled half its contents.

When one of the killers speaks, they all freeze. It sounds like he’s ahead and below them, somewhere near the food court. “Zulu, return to base. Zulu. Over.”

Grace and Miranda exchange a look. Zulu?

“G-G-Golf, just give me another minute,” another man stutters. His voice sounds closer but behind them. “That toy car has to have come from the cops, even though Romeo said they promised to back off. I gotta find where they are and take care of them.” After a pause, he adds, “Over.”

“Negative, Zulu. They could be trying to peel us off. Return to base. Now. Over.”

Miranda thinks, What kind of names are Golf and Zulu? Then it dawns on her that something about these words is familiar.

“Roger that,” Zulu finally says, his reluctance plain.

“Any sign of November?” Golf asks. “Over.”

“Nicholas? No.” Zulu swears. “Do you think the cops got him?”

“I don’t know. Just come back. Now. Over.”

So is November the same person as Nicholas? Then Miranda gets it. “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,” she whispers to Javier and Grace. “I think they’re using their initials in the military alphabet instead of their real names.”

Cole has started moving again. He’ll have to get right up next to the railing to get the gun. What if one of the killers looks up and sees him?

Miranda hates having to sit still. To distract herself, she focuses on a black piece of cloth lying a few feet away. It’s like a beanie, but with three round holes. On-purpose holes, because they are bound with thread. She gasps when she realizes what it is.

It’s a ski mask. The same as the killers are wearing.

Only what happened to the guy who was wearing it?

Anything Other Than Killing

ANYTHING OTHER THAN KILLING

6:11 P.M.

Cole is halfway to the planter when they hear footsteps below them on the main floor. Fast and from behind. He flattens himself to the carpet. Miranda and the others shrink back closer to the stairway door. It must be the one called Zulu, coming back.