The leopard fixed his stare on her, focusing completely on his prey. He began the slow, freeze-frame stalk that took him step by slow step across more than half of the tower platform. He went to his belly and moved even slower, not making a sound as he neared her.

Imelda suddenly stiffened. She turned slowly, her eyes widening in terror. “Ottila. I would never tell anyone.” She lifted her hand, palm out, as if that would stop a charging leopard. “I’ll double your pay.” Even as she said it, she whipped up the gun, finger already on the trigger, spraying bullets across the platform as she tried to bring the weapon up into position against the leopard’s charge.

Conner felt the stings just before he hit her, one near his hip and one just grazing his shoulder, and then he was using his powerful legs for the spring, hitting her with the force of a freight train. Filled with loathing, he drove them both over the edge—the same one she’d thrown Mateo over. He heard the air rush from her lungs, felt everything break apart inside of her. Her mouth stretched wide in a scream, but the sound was torn from her, disappearing into the smoke.

It was much more difficult righting his body, somersaulting in midair. His back legs crumbled when he hit the ground. She landed hard, the sound like a pumpkin smashing and spilling contents across the ground. He crawled to her, using the cover of the smoke. She was still alive, her eyes wide, her body unmoving. She gasped. Wheezed. Fought for air.

The leopard put his giant paw on her belly. She tried to move, but with a broken back it was impossible. The leopard’s hot breath fanned her face. She stared at death, the long canines, the fierce eyes lost in a sea of spots.

“Conner!” Rio’s voice called out of the smoke. “Move!”

Shots could be heard in the distance, coming from the direction Isabeau had taken the children. He saw sudden recognition in Imelda’s eyes. Not Ottila. Fury burned. Hatred. Then, as his head moved closer and he drew back his lips in a snarl, fear. He delivered the killing bite, severing her spine, not out of mercy—he felt none—but with the knowledge that evil often found a way to survive and he wouldn’t permit it, not this time.

The leopard took several experimental steps. His back leg dragged a bit, but he could walk. Pain crashed through him after the first few feet, the numbness wearing off.

“You need help?” Rio came up on his left side, his gun ready as they hurried through the swirling smoke toward the fence. His face was grim, eyes bloodshot, always moving, searching through the smoke for an enemy, but his hands were rock steady.