Page 59 of Croatia Collateral

“Here,” Dax replied, his voice rumbling against Giva’s ear.

He was alive. Thank God. Dax was alive.

Fearghas and Atkins appeared in the mirky haze of swirling dust.

“We have to get out of here,” Dax was saying. “Maas and the others are on their way to a backup location. We have to get there before they set off the EMP.”

“Injured?” Fearghas asked.

“Nothing that will slow me down,” Dax said. “Let’s go.”

With his arm around Giva, Dax followed Fearghas and Atkins back the way they had come.

Giva didn’t want to let go of him. She had an irrational fear that if she did let go, he’d disappear into the dust that didn’t seem to settle.

After they went through the first locked door, they were free of the dust and able to move faster.

“Do you know where the alternate location is?” Fearghas asked as they waited for Giva to enter the code on the second door.

“I overheard him say something about a bell, a deer, and maybe an abandoned hotel.” Dax shook his head. “Maybe Dmytro can make sense of that.”

The lock clicked, and the door opened.

They sprinted to the next door and finally emerged into the night.

Fearghas immediately contacted Dmytro and gave him the bits of information Dax had overheard. “He’s looking.” A moment later, Fearghas said, “I’m here. What do you have?”

Giva stood with her arm around Dax, holding her breath, straining to hear what Dmytro was saying to Fearghas.

“Belvedere Hotel, west of Old Town. We’re on our way.”

“We’ll need transportation.” Peter Atkins sprinted ahead of them.

Giva turned to Dax. “Can you make it?”

Dax’s eyes narrowed in his dust-covered face. “Yes. Let’s get there.”

Giva hurried alongside Dax as they headed for Pile Gate. The clock was ticking for twenty-five million people.

They had to stop Maas.

When they passed through the gate, Peter Atkins shouted and waved. He stood next to an SUV and several motorcycles with riders.

Despite the late hour, traffic moved slowly past the gate as people left restaurants and bars in Old Town to return to their lodgings outside the walls.

As they neared Peter, he shouted, pointing to the car and the line of motorcycles. “Your choice!”

Giva and Dax veered toward the motorcycles.

Fearghas and Peter did as well.

Dax climbed on the back of one and held onto the driver.

Giva didn’t hesitate. She slipped onto the back of another with a driver she didn’t know. She preferred to drive the motorcycle herself, but they didn’t have time to switch.

Dax’s driver shot away from the curb and merged into traffic.

Giva wasn’t far behind. The motorcycles weaved in between vehicles as they navigated the busy city streets.

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