aWow,a Meg said with a shaky laugh. aThat was effective. Are you still alive back there?a aYeah,a Nils said. aIam . . .a He had to clear his throat. aIam hoping to hell youare not just saying that because you think youare going to die.a aWell.a Her voice was very small, and he knew he was right. aIam saying it because I mean ita"and because I am afraid Iam going to die without it being said. Iave loved you for a long time. Iall love you forever. Iam just afraid that foreveras not going to be tooa"a aYou know, you left out the part of the plan where after we get Amy and your grandmother out, you come back to California with me, anda"after Amyas had time to get over the shock of having such a handsome stepfathera"we get married and make love every night and twice during the day while Amyas in school,a Nils interrupted her, his chest feeling tight and full. But it was a good feeling, a wonderful feeling. She loved him. Not just past tense. Present tense. And, please, Jesus, future tense. aI think thatas a damn good plan. How about you?a Meg laughed softly. Sadly. aIf we do get through this, Iam not going to hold you to that or anything else youave said over the past few days.a aWhen we get through this,a Nils countered, aI owe you the rest of my pathetic story. Iam not going to hold you to anything until youave heard that. Every single stupid word. You know, I used to sell term papers for three hundred dollars. I think of that now, and I wonder how I could have been so stupid.a aIf youad gotten caught, you wouldave been in trouble,a Meg agreed.

aNo, I was thinking, how could I have been so stupid to set my price so lowa"I couldave gotten at least five hundred a pop.a Meg laughed again. aThereas nothing you could tell me that would make me stop loving you,a she said, and he knew he was the closest to winning that head ever been in his life. Happily ever after was hanging right there, just in sight.

Come on, God, keep the girl alive until we get there.

aHow could this have happened? The old woman could barely walk! How could she have gone out a second-story window?a Maram was furious. Shead finally gotten her phone call. Osman Razeen was finally on his way. She should be happy. Victorious. Triumphant. Instead she was about to pop a vein.

Umar was terrified and looking for someone besides himself to blame. He glared at the Bear. aThis is your fault. You let them go upstairs.a The Bear glared back. aThis is my fault? When I asked you to stand guard at the bathroom door? What did you do, shitbrain? Fall asleep?a Umar was about three seconds away from charging him, and the Bear refreshed his grip on his AK-47, holding the other manas gaze, daring him to try.

aFind them,a Maram ordered Umar and Khatib. aThey canat have gone far.a She looked at Bear, too. aYou, too. Find them and kill them. Itas just as good to get them taken care of and out of the way now that this is almost over.a Umar and Khatib clattered down the steps of the front porch and headed out toward the road. They knew enough to stop arguing and complaining as they left the house. In silent agreement, they each went a different direction on the road, each breaking into a quick trot.

No doubt theyad reasoned that the old lady would stick to the road. After all, the underbrush out here was dense. Or swampy.

The Bear didnat follow the two men. Instead he went back behind the house. He looked up at the open bathroom window, looked at the roof, looked at the back porch.

He moved closer to the porch, then crouched down to look at the ground.

Yes.

There were definitely two sets of footprintsa"one large, one smalla"there in the softness of the earth.

He looked up toward the thick brush at the edge of the yard, following the direction those footprints pointed. They werenat heading toward the swamp. Somehow the old lady had known to steer clear from the swamp.

Or maybe it was just good luck.

Shead had her share of luck in her long lifea"both bad and good. It made sense in the scheme of things that after being kidnapped and held hostage, her luck was now once again running clean and pure.

Because it was also good luck that Umar and Khatib had gone on the road and in the opposite direction from those tracks. Of course, it would be the best of luck for them if either were able to find their own buttocksa"even in broad daylight.

He straightened up with a sigh. Using his foot, he kicked the sandy soil over the footprints, erasing them all the way to the edge of the yard.

Sometimes even the very best of luck needed a little extra help.

Head gone into this thing because of his religious beliefs. Head get out of it for the very same.

Without another look back, the Bear shouldered his weapon and ambled toward the swamp.

How had this happened? Two different vehicles filled with SEALs and FBI agents, and Locke managed to climb into the one with Sam Starrett.

Shead had to do some fancy footwork to avoid sitting next to him. But now she was sitting dead across from him, his long legs stretched out, his big feet invading her personal space.

They were part of the backup team. Another separate convoy of unmarked vehiclesa"mostly minivans and SUVsa"were trailing about a half mile behind Nils and Meg.

These vehiclesa"a van and a campera"however, were taking a different route. They were taking the instructions that Meg Moore was receiving from the Extremists in fragments, and they were attempting to predict a final destination. They were navigating a parallel route, hoping theyad circle around and come at the terroristsa location from a different direction.

Luck and guesswork played heavily into this strategy.

And because of that, there was a strong chance they were just going to drive around all night, too far from the action to provide any kind of backup or support at all.

aI would kill for a cup of coffee,a WildCard muttered.

Starrett shifted in his seat.

Locke didnat let herself look at him. He was the reason she was so blasted tired. If shead fallen right asleep the moment shead gotten into bed, she wouldave had a healthy houras nap. Instead, no. Instead shead stared at the ceiling, fuming, furious with Starrett for coming to her room, furious with herself for losing her temper and letting him see how upset he made her.

She should have played it cool. She should have remained aloof. Yes, shead slipped when she was drunk, but now reason and sanity had returned. Slamming the door in his face wasnat the answer. Freezing him out was a far better strategy.

She let herself look at him now, practicing her iciest gaze. He looked about as exhausted as she felt, but somehow on him exhausted was attractive. Didnat it figure?

He pointedly didnat look back at her, as if he were still angry at her, too.

As if he had a right to be.

aIam getting carsick from riding in this Kleenex box on wheels, and if I donat get some caffeine,a WildCard said, aIam seriously going to hurl.a Around Locke, the SEALs sprang into action, digging into their pockets. Apparently the petty officer wasnat kiddinga"and they all knew it.

aIave got a candy bar,a Jenkins reported, opening the wrapper. aThatas got a little caffeine in it, doesnat it?a aIave got caffeine gum.a Jay Lopez tossed a piece toward WildCard.

aBless you,a Starrett drawled. He leaned forward to look at WildCard Karmody. aYou mainline that gum if you need to. Do the Technicolor yawn, and youare a dead man.a aDitto,a Jenk said. aWeave got a potential chain reaction situation. Sometimes it helps just to put something in your stomach. I donat have a lot, but if anyone wants a piece of chocolate, help yourself.a Chocolate.

Locke looked up and directly into Samas blue eyes.

Chocolate.

Heat flooded through her at the memory. Chocolate all over her body. His voice, soft and smooth as velvet, murmuring about how good she tasted. His mouth gliding across her as he took his sweet time and licked her clean. Shead finally broken down and begged him to give her what she really wanted, and then head done that, too.

Exquisitely.

She could see an echo of that night in the heat of his eyes, and despite her intentions, despite herself, she stared at him, mesmerized, horrified, hardly able to breathe.

Finally, finally, Sam jerked his gaze away, freeing her.

God help her.

aLopez, you got another piece of that caffeine gum?a Starrett asked. aIam feeling a little digestively challenged right now myself.a A car was coming.

Eve could see the headlights approaching from way down the road, lighting up the fog that hung in the air long before the car was in sight.

She pulled Amya"or maybe it was Amy who pulled hera"into the underbrush.

The bugs were intense and they were probably hiding up to their noses in poison ivy. No doubt they were going to itch and scratch for days. But scratching was far better than not being alive enough to itch.

Amy was scared to death. She was trying to pretend that she wasnat, but all these days of staunch bravery were starting to wear, and she was fighting tears.

aTheyall probably drive right past,a Eve said. aBut if they do stop, donat look at them. Do you know that sensation that you sometimes geta"that someoneas watching you?a Amy nodded.

aThatas why we want to keep our eyes down. Or closed. If they stop, we donat move and we keep our eyes closed, all right?a aWhat if itas a trick?a Amy asked. aI saw in a movie once where these people were looking for these kids, and they drove past in a car, and the kids thought they were gone, only the bad guys were also walking around, searching for them, and when the kids came out, the bad guys grabbed them.a aThen weall stay hidden,a Eve said. aWeall stay right here after this car goes past.a It was moving slowly, and it was still way down the road.

aIs that a plan?a Eve asked.

Amy nodded. aWill you tell me again about Dunkirk?a aI will if you want,a Eve said, abut I havenat finished the rest of my storya"the part that happened after VE Day. After the war in Europe officially ended. VE stands for Victory in Europe, you know.a aThereas more to the story?a Amy said.

aThere is,a Eve said. aRemember, I was marrieda"againa"in May 1945.a aThat was when you met Grandpa, right?a Amy asked.

Eve smiled. aShall I tell the story?a aYes, please.a aWith the wara"at least our wara"finally over, Nick and I didnat spend much time celebrating. Like many people, we spent those first few days and weeks reading the newspapers, searching the lists of names of war prisoners returning to England.a aNick?a Amy asked. aReading the newspapers?a aAbsolutely,a Eve said. aIt had taken five years, but he learned to reada"using the method Ralph had sent to me in his final letter. It was a miracle, but it wasnat the particular miracle I was hoping for.

aBut then, on May 27, five years after Dunkirk, we found it.a All these years later, she could still feel the dizzying thrill. Shead never lost hope. Shead never given up, but after five long years, that hope was burning awfully low. But then, just like that, with eight little letters printed in the London Times, it blazed aflame. aR. Grayson,a Eve told Amy. aThe name R. Grayson was there, on one of those lists of returning British soldiers.

aI couldnat get any further information from the war office. I didnat know if R. stood for Ralph or Ronald or Richard. But they did tell me which ship this R. Grayson would be on. And I was there on the dock as the ship pulled in and the men began to disembark.a It was a day she would never forget. Not ever. The crowds were intense. The atmosphere one of a carnival. The sky was a shade of blue shead never seen before.

Shead anticipated the crowds and brought a sign with Ralphas name on it. If he were on that ship head see it, see her.

The men came off that ship in droves, most of them moving slowly, thin and malnourished beyond belief. Eve stood there, holding her sign until her arms ached. Until the crowd dissipated. Until she was nearly alone on the dock with that sky turning pink from the setting sun. And then there were only stragglers coming down the gangplank, and her hope again had nearly gone out.

Nearly.

Head found her first. She hadnat recognized him. Not until he stopped, about five feet away from her.

He was terribly thina"frighteningly thina"his face gaunt. But his beautiful eyes were exactly the same.

He had both of his arms and both of his legs. Not that she would have cared. Not that it would have made any difference at all.

aHi,a shead said. What a stupid thing to say to the love of your life returning home from five years in hell. She supposed it was better than collapsing on the ground, overcome with relief. But not by much.

Ralph did much better. aI never stopped loving you,a he said. aI want you to know that. Not a single day has passed since you came to see me in France that I havenat thoroughly, completely, regretted the fact that I didnat tell you I loved you, too. Iave kicked myself one thousand nine hundred and seven days for that.a Eve couldnat help it. She started to cry. She just stood there, clinging to her sign and crying.

aThat trip you made to France saved my life,a he told her, his voice so matter-of-fact. aKnowing that you loved me enough to come all that way was something I could cling to. It kept me sane through some pretty terrible times. I think itas important that you know that, too.a He didnat reach for her. And she was too afraid to reach for him. He looked so fragile, and he was taking such care to keep his distance.

aYouare even more beautiful than ever,a he told her. aHow old are you now?a aTwenty-one.a She laughed at that, right through her tears. She couldnat help it.

Ralph laughed, too. aHow convenient.a But then he stopped laughing, stopped smiling. aThat is . . .a He cleared his throat. aItas been a long time, Eve. Five years. Thatas . . . very long. Are you . . . Do you need my signature? Didnat my solicitor send those papers? Is that why youare here?a aHe thought I was looking for him because I needed to finalize our annulment,a Eve told Amy. aHe thought I needed his signature so I could get married. He thought Iad found someone else.a aDid you?a Amy asked.

The car was almost upon them. aHush now,a Eve said. aEyes down. Silence until weare sure thereas no one out there on foot.a aWhatas Grandpaas first name?a Amy whispered.

aRalph,a Eve whispered back.

aI knew it!a Amy said. She kissed Eve. aI knew it! You lived happily ever after!a aWe certainly did. Shh now!a She pulled the little girl close, holding her tightly, both of their heads down as the car slowly approached.

Go past. Just go past, she ordered it silently, watching it only in her peripheral vision.

But it didnat go past. It slowed to a stop right out on the road in front of them.

And it wasnat a car. It was a van. Just like the one their captors had driven.

aWeare almost there,a John reported to Lieutenant Paoletti over his radio as Meg approached the house. aGo slowly,a he told Meg. aAnd remember, whatever happens, donat get out of the car.a From the car the place looked run-down and deserteda"except for all the lights. aThis has got to be it,a John continued into his microphone. aThe house is dark but the yard is lit up like the surface of the sun.a aTell them not to try to get close.a Megas heart pounded. God, if the Extremists saw even just one commando type crawling across their lawn, Amy and Eve would be killed immediately.

If they werenat already dead.

She was going to find out soon if her daughter was dead or alive. Please, God, if something was going to go wrong, if she were going to die here tonight, at least let her find out that Amy was still alive. At least let Amy escape.

She wanted to hold her daughter so badly, her hands shook.

Megas cell phone rang.

aThis is it,a John told her from the backseat. aMeg, I need you to continue to stall. Our team is getting into place.a Stall. How? He was still talking on his radio, still describing the place in complete detail to his CO.

The phone rang again. aI canat pick up until youare quiet,a she told him.

He shut his mouth.

Meg took a deep breath and answered the phone. aYes.a aBring him inside.a Stall. aPlease,a she said. aI wanta" Iad like to talk to them first. To my daughter and my grandmother. I want to hear their voices, to know theyare alive anda"a The line went dead.

aThey hung up,a she told John. aThey justa"a Boom. The sound was impossibly loud, even from inside the car.

aShit! Yes, confirmed,a John said into his radio. aWeave had a single gunshot from inside the structure. Meg and I are unharmed.a Meg couldnat breathe. A gunshot. From inside. aOh, my God.a The cell phone rang.

aOh, my God.a She couldnat even say hello, could barely hold the phone to her ear, her hands were shaking so hard.

aItas too late to talk to the old lady,a the voice on the phone said, abut if you want to talk to the little girl, you should bring him inside. Now.a Meg got out of the car.

aShit!a Nils said. aMega"a She opened the back door. aThey killed Eve,a she told Nils. aOh, my God, Johna"a aGet back in the car, Meg,a he ordered her, trying to infuse her with his calm. This situation wasnat out of controla"not yet. But it would be if she didnat get back into the car. aIall go in there, but youa"a Shit.

She was already moving toward the house, and he scrambled to follow her, to make it look as if she were pulling him with her.

aWhat the fuck . . . ?a came Wolchonokas voice over his headphones. aGet her out of there!a Nils couldnat. She was just out of his reach, and then she was out from behind the car, and a clear target, easy to pick off by a terrorist shooter aiming from one of the darkened windows of the house.

And then there was nothing to do but keep moving forward, pray, and try to shield her with his body.

His MP-4 was locked and loaded. He kept it concealed under his coata"Razeenas coat. aWhen the shooting starts, stay down, stay behind me,a he told her.

She was crying, and his heart clenched. Those bastards. Those goddamned sadistic bastards. If wouldnat surprise him one bit to find out that theyad kept Eve and Amy alive all this timea"only to kill them now, in front of Meg.

aWhen?a she asked as she led him up the brightly lit path toward the house.

aIf. I meant if,a he corrected himself, even though he knew damn well he was probably lying to hera"for the very last time.

Sam couldnat believe it.

The genius who was driving this camper was convinced theyad taken a wrong turn. Head been arguing with the genius who was driving the van for about ten solid minutes. And thena"even more brilliant!a"theyad stopped the frigging things right there in the middle of the road and got out so that he and genius number two could both look at the same map.

As highest ranking naval officer in both vans, Sam pushed his way out into the night. Was this how they trained aem to keep a low profile at the Bureau?

aWhatadya say we just keep moving?a Sam suggested in his friendliest-toned good-old-boya"just in case any tangos were out there in the woods, listening in. They were just a bunch of stupid campers, lost as shit. aWeare bound to find our campground sooner or later. There just arenat that many roads out here. Whatadya say we get back into the vans before we start getting unwanted attention from the wildlife?a He gave them each a pointed look, praying that theyad catch his drift. Crap, nothing like standing around making a lot of noise.

It rubbed even worse knowing that Nils and Meg were out there somewhere, about to walk into a nestful of K-stani terrorists, and here he was with Huey and Dewey, wasting time.

aHow about we give the map reading job to one of the Boy Scouts in the back,a Sam suggested. aI bet we got someone whoas got a navigation merit badge.a He heard the sound before Huey and Dewey dida"something big, something human-sized was out there in the underbrush. He leapt in front of the FBI drivers, pulling his handgun free from his shoulder holster, ready to fend off an attack . . .

From Little Red Riding Hood and her granny.