“On my way.”

“No. Stay in the vehicle. I’m sending someone to collect.” He turned to the paramilitary who’d accompanied him. “Go!”

As the paramilitary left, Yuri snatched up a sheet from one of the fallen gurnez and jammed it against the woman’s bullet wound, tying it on hard with a length of tube from the wrecked medical tower. Then he went over to where a pair of drones was hovering over the wounded gang member. Two laser target dots illuminated his forehead. The man had taken three hits, two in the arm, one in the chest. He was already ashen, gulping down breath. Blood was pooling on the floor. “Help,” he beseeched.

“Sure thing,” Yuri knelt down and pushed his visor up. “One of my people is bringing a medic kit. You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah?”

“Sure. I’ve seen worse.”

“Man, it hurts!”

“I need to know, where are the other people that were brought here?”

“Please. I’m sorry. I just drive the vans, you know?”

“Sure.” Yuri held up the card with Horatio’s picture. “Did you see this kid? Is he still here?”

The man had trouble focusing. “Jeez, it hurts bad. Deep, you know, deep inside. Is that the bullet?”

“Keep it together. The paramedics are almost here. Before they give you a shot for the pain, tell me: the kid?”

Yuri heard more gunfire hammering in the big warehouse directly underneath. Then a series of grenades went off. The whole room shuddered for several seconds.

“Did you see him?” Yuri persisted.

“Yes. He was here. Overnight.”

“Where is he now?”

“They took him downstairs.”

“Downstairs where?”

“Ready—”

“Ready for what?”

The man’s limbs started to shake.

“Ready for what?” Yuri shouted.

“Go.” He held an arm up, fingers grasping for Yuri, as if that contact would somehow help. “Ready to go.”

Yuri stood up, ignoring the clawing hand. “Our prime target may still be in the building. Ground floor. Proceed with extreme caution.” He snapped the visor down again and studied the tactical display before striding out of the room and hurrying down the stairs. One of his drones flew point, the other took up position behind.