Page 56 of Red Zone

Mav turned toward me, his mouth compressed into a harsh line. “We need to find that fucker.”

We were in agreement. “I don’t know him well. Do you? We need to figure out where he would’ve taken them.”

Maverick crossed his arms, his gaze narrowing. “Skye mentioned once how territorial he was about his lab. If he wanted control, that’s probably where he’d go.”

Fiona returned and caught the tail end of our brief conversation, her fingers flying over her phone as she relayed the situation to dispatch. “That makes sense.”

My fists clenched at the thought of Skye and Lily trapped with someone who wanted to do them harm. “Then we’re wasting time. Let’s go.”

Fiona’s hand shot up, stopping me in my tracks. “No. You’re not charging in blind. If Joe’s there and he’s unstable, you’ll only escalate the situation.”

“What are you saying?” I demanded.

“I’m saying we do this right,” she said firmly. “I’ll contact backup. You and Maverick stay close, but let me lead. If Joe sees you and feels cornered, it could make things worse for Skye and Lily.”

Maverick put a hand on my shoulder, his grip steady. “She’s right, Cartwright. We go in hot, we risk blowing it. Let her handle it.”

Every instinct screamed at me to act, but Fiona’s unwavering calm and Maverick’s steady logic held me in place. I nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But we’re not waiting for backup. Let’s move.”

Fiona hesitated but didn’t argue. She gestured toward my truck. “We’ll take one vehicle. Stay quiet, and do as I say.”

As we climbed in, I clenched my fists, my jaw tight. Skye and Lily needed me. And I wouldn’t let them down.

The drive to the university was a blur of tension and silence. Fiona sat in the passenger seat, her phone pressed to her ear as she coordinated with dispatch, her tone clipped and professional. “We’re en route to the science building. Suspect is possibly holding two hostages. Name: Joe Riken. Male, mid-twenties. Potentially armed and dangerous. Standby for confirmation on-site.”

Maverick leaned forward from the back seat, his hands gripping the headrest. “How sure are we about this?”

“It fits,” Fiona replied, her voice steady. “If he’s trying to control the situation, he’d pick somewhere familiar, somewhere he can manipulate.”

“And the lab is isolated,” Maverick added grimly. “No one would stumble in on him by accident.”

My knuckles turned white against the steering wheel as I pushed the truck faster. My thoughts kept flashing to the scene of their damaged and abandoned car.

Fiona’s voice broke through my thoughts as I whipped into the nearly deserted parking lot behind the science building. “Liam, slow down. We can’t afford to draw attention.”

I forced my foot off the gas, though my chest burned with the need to get there faster. Every second felt like an eternity. When I threw the vehicle into park, Fiona was out of the truck before I could cut the engine. She gestured sharply for us to follow, her movements precise and purposeful with her Glock at the ready but pointed down and at her side.

“Stay behind me,” she ordered, her voice low but firm.

The three of us moved quickly but quietly through the back entrance, Fiona leading the way with her flashlight cutting through the dim hallways. The air was heavy, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the building’s fluorescent lights.

My pulse thundered in my ears as we approached a closed door near the end of the hall. That was when I heard it—Joe’s muffled voice, sharp and frantic.

“Do you think I wanted this?” A loud crash like something metal hitting the floor.

Then Lily’s cries pierced through the door, high and trembling with fear. “Mommy!”

Every muscle in my body coiled, ready to break down the door, but Fiona’s hand shot out, pressing against my chest.

“Wait,” she hissed. “We need to know what we’re dealing with on the other side.”

“I don’t care,” I growled, my vision narrowing. “Lily’s crying?—”

“Think, Liam,” Maverick cut in, his voice low but firm. “If we go in without a plan, we risk making it worse.”

Another loud crash sounded from inside, and Fiona’s jaw tightened. “I’ll open the door. You two follow my lead. We need to keep him distracted long enough to secure Skye and Lily.”

I nodded sharply, every nerve screaming for action as Fiona reached for the door handle.

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