Page 92 of Burn the World Down

Bastian cursed.

Georgie and I moved into the crowd of partygoers. The music was louder and more people were dancing.

“Where’s Snyder?”

“He was in a pool cabana, cavorting with three women,” Bastian replied.

My lip curled. I kept Georgie close as we moved toward the pool. The cabanas were on the other side to us.

A second later, there was a giantboom. Georgie jerked beside me. Fireworks filled the sky overhead.

Everyone looked up, the crowd oohing. Multicolored sparks filled the night sky. More booms followed, more explosions of light.

I didn’t watch the fireworks. I scanned the pool and saw someone else wasn’t watching the display either. Snyder was hurrying out of one of the cabanas, his phone clutched in his hand.

Georgie and I watched him. He must have sensed us because he stopped and lifted his head. His gaze locked on us.

Then he turned and was swallowed up by the throng of people.

“Bastian, he’s on the move.”

“Wait, I’ll get Theo to access the cameras.” There was a pause. “Got him. Theo says Snyder is heading to the far end of the house. He slipped into a side door.”

I tugged Georgie along the pool. The crowdahhedas the fireworks continued and no one paid any attention to us. We moved along the outside of the house and ahead, I spotted a door ajar.

Inside, we found ourselves in a wine cellar. The large space was filled with backlit, built-in shelving filled with dozens and dozens of bottles of wine. I heard the sound of a door closing and spun.

“Stay behind me,” I warned Georgie.

We moved down a short hall, then I yanked open a door.

We stepped into a well-equipped gym. There were weight racks, exercise machines, and mirrors on the walls.

And Snyder sprinting through it.

“Snyder!” Georgie yelled.

He looked back, then pulled a gun from under his jacket. He fired.

I leaped at Georgie and took her to the rubber floor behind a weight bench. More bullets hit the wall above us and she cried out. I moved my body over hers, shielding her.

The shooting stopped. I waited a beat, then lifted my head. Through the machines I saw that Snyder was gone.

“We can’t lose him,” she said.

I pulled her up. I pulled my gun out and she did the same. We crossed the gym and reached the door Synder had escaped through.

We paused on either side of it. She nodded, then I cracked it open.

I could see cars. It was a garage.

Staying crouched, we slid inside. It was the biggest garage I’d ever seen. We cautiously moved inside, looking for our target. I pressed a finger to my lips and Georgie nodded.

The place was fancy as hell. The floors were polished concrete and the walls were painted black. Lines of modern LED lights ran along the ceiling, illuminating the row of expensive cars. I saw a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, an Aston Martin DBX SUV, a McLaren, and more.

There was no sound. No sign of him.

Where did he go?