Page 84 of Fallout

She headed through the door. “Is everything?—”

Brent stepped back and lifted a gun, pointing it at Jasper’s father. “It’s over, Richard. I won’t let you do this.”

One of the nurses gasped. Another jabbed her finger at something under the desk. A panic button? There were armed operatives outside, but this one man had slipped in. Destiny reached for her phone to alert them that she was in need of assistance.

Uh-oh.Her phone was still on the chair. She’d set it down when she heard the shout.

She glanced at the nurses but didn’t want to ask aloud for them to call the police. “Brent?” When she didn’t get his attention, she said louder, “Mr. Rammington?”

He kept his gun pointed at Richard.

Jasper’s father said, “Stay back, Destiny. I’ve got this handled.”

“Yeah.” Brent sneered. “Like you have everything handled. Right? Well, no more. I won’t let you destroy me.”

“Neither of us had any choice, Brent. We did what we had to do.” Richard sounded almost sad and definitely regretful. “I’m as sorry as you are that it turned out this way.”

“I don’t need your sorry,” Brent said. “I’m done, and so are you.” He shifted the gun.

Destiny saw the intention in his eyes.

The door behind Brent slammed open. One of the Famous Ones stumbled in, blood running down the side of her face. She lookedmadas she lifted a gun and fired faster than Destiny could understand what was happening.

Brent’s gun went off at the same time.

His body jerked, and he fell. Richard hit the floor. Destiny ducked down behind the counter and covered her ears.

“Clear!” Oh yeah, the Famous One was pissed.

Destiny stood so she could see the operative. “Everything all right?”

“No. I got blood on my favorite shirt.”

Destiny asked, “Richard?”

“I’m good. Brent might not make it.” His words might have sounded cold but she saw so much grief and disappointment in his eyes it stole her breath.

The operative said, “That’s what happens when someone tries to kill one of ours. They die.”

She turned and went out the door she had come in, swiping a gauze packet from a storage container on the shelf on her way out.

One of the nurses asked, “Should we still call the police?”

THIRTY-SEVEN

“And then Gage came down because he heard the gunshot.” Destiny blew out a breath.

Jasper eased himself into a seat, tugging her over so he could hug her for a second. “You’re okay?”

“Yes, and so is your father. He hit his head, so he is getting checked out.”

Jasper nodded, his cheek against her forehead. He’d already told her that Blake was fine.

“Are you sureyouare okay?” She shifted and looked at him.

“I was knocked out for a second, but the EMT checked, and there are no signs of a concussion.” The firefighters had pulled the FBI tactical team out of the debris, and he was still thanking God there hadn’t been any fatalities. It was a miracle the injuries hadn’t been worse than they were.

Jasper could hardly believe it. The whole thing had made him pray, and he hadn’t stopped—first thanking God for the safety and health of everyone and then to ask for success and Simon’s safe return. “I just want this guy arrested. Enough running around, chasing him. Looking for Simon. I need him in cuffs.”