Page 114 of Shielding Instinct

And somehow Petra was on his heels. Then she was diving, arms scooping around his knees, and they both went crashing to the ground.

In her mind, she was back in the lake, protecting her neighbor from the bully.

And just like at that lake, once she had the guy in a hold, the good idea fairy flew away.

Hawkeye was calling Cooper off the terrified kidnapper, in the glow of the overhead lamp, Petra could see blood dripping down the bad guy’s injured arm.

Good. He should be in pain.

Petra pulled her badge around—the one she swiped through the machine to identify herself as she entered the J Edgar Hoover building—and commanded, “FBI, don’t move!”

Nope. This didn’t at all go to plan.

***

While they waited for Rowan and his buds to finish up at the house, Petra had called the hospital with the information about Amanda Peterson.

It was a long wait for the gun toting, actual badge wearing special agents to show up.

Prescott was back with the family and the other kidnapper.

Finley and Rowan climbed from the car.

Rowan was shaking his head at her. “Spot on,” he called as he walked over.

Herb and the kidnapper lay side by side on the ground, knees bent, shoelaces tied together, hands laced behind their heads. Cooper—who was thoroughly pleased with the way the evening had gone—sat guard.

Gun or dog? Petra would probably choose the dog every time.

After all, you can’t snuggle with a gun at night.

And the dog came attached to a wonderful man.

“Checking on you,” Rowan said, stopping in front of her. “This was genius. But I told you to step away.”

“I—”

“You were saving a child. I know.” He gave her a hug. “How are you?” Rowan turned to stand by her side and observe.

“A little wigged out, thanks for asking.” Her eyes were on Hawkeye and his on her. “Cooper’s happy.”

“Cooper’s always happy when he gets to eat the bad guy.” Rowan chuckled.

“You’re not arresting Herb, are you?” Petra asked on an exhale.

“This is a big case. We think it’s best if we turn the Johnsons. Having informants on the role might help us figure out what the Prokhorovs are building next in terms of their psyops.”

“Herb’s been over there processing his life and his choices out loud. Seems like the Prokhorovs have figured out how to leverage doomsday cults. Not just big money to pay for the family’s psyops endeavors. There’s an army of adherents who no longer think. It’s like those gamers using Taylor Knapp's video games only on steroids. The fast videos you gave me to process work really well. Too well. It’s insanity. We can’t let this happen.” Petra said. “Tax-free church money and a variety of First Amendment rights protections. I think the Prokhorov Family has landed on the legal means to leverage America against itself.”

Rowan kicked at the ground. “A goal that they have been pursuing for generations.”

They stood silently side by side while the kidnapper and Herb were moved to the back of Finley’s car.

“The brain is a magnificent thing. It looks like all of this magically fell into place, but it can be traced from one step to the next,” Petra said.

“Walk me down that path.” Rowan crossed his arms over his chest.

“From Hawkeye’s point of view, this will probably look too neat. Too coincidental. The world doesn’t work that way.”

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