Kruger maintained his composure until he reached the bathroom, then he rushed into a stall and dry-heaved into the toilet. He started to cry, not knowing what was happening to him. Not sure what these feelings were. He had never let emotion get in the way of a mission, and he promised himself that he wouldn’t allow his weakness to be his downfall now.

He had already realized that he had yet to force Yarborough to give him the door’s passcode and the watch. He was definitely slipping, losing his head. But he suspected that the old war dog would need no further demonstrations in order to fear the lion. But as Kruger cleaned himself up at the sink and looked in the mirror, he wondered what happened when the lion started to fear and hate itself.

Chapter 19

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Samuel Carter had been around men like these in situations like this for eighteen years and four months now. In his youth, he would have been nervous as hell walking into the room. Lives hanging in the balance. The weight of that on his shoulders. He had lost his lunch at several crime scenes over the years, not because of the blood or bodies, but because the weight of needing to right so many wrongs could sometimes be overwhelming.

Carter found it strange that he didn’t feel anxiety anymore. But since the accident, he found it hard to feel anything.

He took a seat at the head of the comm center’s small conference table and said, “Sgt. Ortiz, that coffee behind you smells delightful. Would you be so kind as to pour me a cup?”

“No problem, but if you start asking me to file and collate shit for you, then we’re going to have words,” Ortiz said. “You want cream and sugar?”

“Both, please. Now, gentlemen, before I step out into this guy’s line of fire, why don’t you bring me up to speed.”

“Of course, sir, where would you like to start?” Deputy Chief Edgar quickly said.

“At the beginning. And explain it to me as if I’m taking notes in crayon, please and thank you.”

Officer Juliano reached over Edgar and picked up an iPad from the desk. Carter instantly noted the potential in the kid. He had a no-nonsense way about him that resonated with the aging FBI agent, one who always wanted a son. He could hear his wife’s voice in his head, telling him that he had hundreds of sons and daughters. His brain had recorded the little audio clip during a fight about the job being more important to him than family.

Looking back, he knew that she had been right in so many ways. He had commanded several young men and women with whom he’d held a special bond, some of whom he loved as much as his own daughter. But none of them invited him over for Christmas dinner. Most of them didn’t even send a Christmas card.