“That’s all I’m saying as long as he’s in this room. As long as I’m in this building and anywhere near these bastards,” Steven said, his breath raspy.

“We’ve tried to help him,” Flynn said.

“Please just talk to me, and I’ll get you out of here. You clearly need medical attention. And we are running swiftly out of time.”

“Excuse me, Senator. I need to step out,” Flynn said, looking angrily at his phone.

She turned back to Steven. “Sir, please—”

“I won’t. I won’t talk here. They’re listening to everything I say. I won’t betray what I know.” He raised his hand to pat at his chest.

“Trust me, I am understanding more every minute that no one in this building can be trusted. But my nephew is here. They won’t let me see him, and I have to understand what you know about him, the girl, and the other woman you were with.”

“Aren’t you the one who didn’t believe? Wouldn’t support your mother?” He squinted one eye.

Kate swallowed. “I’ve made some real mistakes. But all I want now is to get William and the others somewhere safe. Where we can figure out what to do. I saw Will for just a moment, he told me I needed to find out about Blue. Do you know what that means?”

“I’m sorry, I won’t talk here. I won’t.”

“Agent!” Kate said, standing up. “Agent Hallow! I’m taking this man out of here now—”

The door opened and Flynn stepped in, his face furious. “No one is going anywhere.”

“This man is gravely ill—”

“There’s a protest outside. Led by your mother.”

“What?” Steven asked weakly.

“I’m sorry?” Kate demanded. “What did you say?”

“It doesn’t matter now, anyway,” Flynn scowled. “They found her. They’re bringing her in now.”

SIXTEEN

“Why is this elevator going so far down?”

The congressman turned to Quincy, who was intently watching the display descend to an alarming number: 15, 16, 17 …

“You think the director of this agency keeps an office nineteen, no, twenty floors below a damn warehouse? We were supposed to wait for an escort to take us, that’s why the secretary buzzed us in. How could you possibly know what floor that the director’s office is on?”

“We aren’t going to the director’s office, Congressman.”

“Then why did I have to swipe my security badge just to get this thing to go down? In my experience, that type of access is only necessary for military offices and weapons storage.”