The Phoenix Secret

The operative never saw her coming.

As he stepped past the linen bins, Claire swung the heavy wrench with the full force of her upper body, catching him squarely across the temple. He crumpled silently to the floor without even drawing his weapon.

She didn't hesitate. She stripped his tactical vest, his secondary sidearm, and his encrypted radio headset, slipping the vest over her torn dress and securing the pistol at her waist.

Ding.

The rusted doors of the old freight elevator at the end of the corridor slid open.

Richard stepped out, his navy suit jacket discarded, his shirtsleeves rolled up to reveal forearms corded with muscle and old combat scars. He scanned the hallway in a fraction of a second, his eyes locking onto Claire standing over the unconscious operative.

""Good form,"" Richard grunted approvingly, jogging toward her. ""Come on. The roof is compromised, but the service tunnel connects to the municipal subway storm drain three blocks down.""

""What about Marcus?"" Claire asked as she fell into step beside him.

""Marcus is about to find out what happens when you corner an old soldier who has nothing left to lose,"" Richard replied grimly, pulling a spare tactical rifle from his duffel bag and handing it to her. ""Can you still shoot?""

Claire caught the weapon with practiced ease, checking the safety and the chamber load in one fluid motion. ""I haven't missed a target since I was fourteen, Dad.""

""That's my girl.""

Before they could reach the storm drain access hatch at the end of the tunnel, the reinforced steel doors behind them exploded inward in a shower of sparks and smoke.