“It’s what our agents do, Dr. Whitman. Dr. Arnoff understood that and used the opportunity to conduct experiments that would’ve never been allowed in the medical community. You can do the same.”
Max held up the phone and nodded.
Ava yelled, “No, thanks!”
Max punched in a three-digit number on his cell phone and the back of the building exploded outward, rocking the structure.
He grabbed Ava’s hand. “Let’s go!”
They ran toward the gaping hole in the wall in a crouch while machine gun fire sounded from above.
He pulled Ava close. “When we hit the opening, I’m going to lunge forward and I’m taking you with me. Get ready.”
They stumbled through the gap, and Max launched himself forward just as the building behind them exploded. The force propelled them closer to the car, the heat intense on his back, the ends of his hair singeing.
The helicopter above them screamed and whined, and he twisted his head around to see it lurch onto its side, its spinning blades glancing the roof of the burning building.
Max dragged himself up from the ground and Ava popped up beside him.
She clambered into the driver’s side and crawled across the console to the passenger seat, dropping her weapon on the floor, and he gunned the engine before he was even sitting in the driver’s seat.
Another explosion burst into the night sky as the chopper plowed through the roof of the building.
Max hit the accelerator as burning debris fell around them.
Ava turned around in her seat to watch the lab collapse. From his rearview mirror, Max witnessed a ball of fire rolling toward the sky.
Not until he reached the road that connected to the main highway did he let out a long, smoky breath.
He rubbed a patch of soot from Ava’s white cheek. “Are you all right? Not hurt?”
She covered her face with her hands and said through parted fingers, “When you said you were securing the building, I didn’t know that meant you were booby-trapping it.”
“I figured the less you knew the better. You had other things to concentrate on. I didn’t want to scare you or distract you.”
“How’d you know they’d be coming by helicopter? How’d you know they’d be coming at all?”
“I didn’t know about the helicopter, but car or helicopter, that explosion would stop either one. And once I heard they had Bessler, I figured it was only a matter of time before they found that lab. They’d debrief Bessler or shoot him up with truth serum or torture him, but one way or another they were going to find out everything he knew about us, including that bug he put in your brother’s apartment.”
She ran her hands through her hair, showering bits of debris into her lap. “I hope Dina got to Cody and he made it out of Snow Haven safely.”
“Once you get to a secure location, you can call him. Tempest is not done with you, but once we part company I’m sending you to Prospero. You can tell them our story. You can show them the formula for the antidote. They’ll take care of you, whether they believe you or not.”
“You still don’t trust Prospero? You won’t come with me?”
“Even if I had the time, which I don’t, I wouldn’t turn myself over to Prospero, but you should be okay.”
“And who says you don’t have the time?”
He grabbed her hand and circled his thumb in her palm. “We’re not going to find another lab and get our hands on those chemicals in three days, Ava. It was a good try and we were close. I appreciate everything you did. I more than appreciate you. I love you. Always know that.”
He steeled himself for more tears. It was a bittersweet victory that he was human enough now to be undone by Ava’s tears.
She laughed.
He whipped his head around, but she continued to laugh, her eyes sparkling in the darkness of the car. Maybe the stress and tension had finally driven her off the deep end.
“I guess the idea of a doomed man falling in love could be funny and I’d rather see laughter than tears from you, but are you sure you’re okay?”
“You’re not a doomed man, Max.”
“Three pills, three days.”
She plunged her hand in the pocket of her jacket. She pulled it out and opened it wide, cupping a glass vial in her palm.