Alex took off his headset and let out a sigh. He really hated this. Camryn's signal had gone off the radar (as if he didn't worry about her enough). Alex leaned back against the side of the Hummer. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. For once in his life, Alex hated not being in the field. He wanted to be with Camryn to make sure she was safe. Awkwardness settled into the car. It was quiet. Everyone was nervous, especially Daisuke. He kept running his hands through his pitch-black hair and glancing up at the radar screen.

"Oh, shit," Akira muttered.

"What is it?" Daisuke asked frantically.

"Stay back there and be quiet." Akira got out of the Hummer.

Alex craned his neck to get a look at what was going on. The windows in the back had been tinted so it was hard to see in or out. Daisuke grabbed Alex's head and shoved him down. He gave Alex a warning look. Alex took out a Nintendo DS game system from his pocket. He turned it on and waited. Soon, he could hear what was being said outside.

"We can't pull out now," Akira argued.

"That's too bad," said another man's voice. "The CIA is taking over this operation."

"You can't. One of the leading agents is in the building right now. If you go in, her cover will be blown."

"I really don't care. This is happening on American soil; therefore, the CIA heads this operation. Who's your leading agent?"

"That's not important."

"No, I guess it's not. Whoever she is, I want her out. You have five minutes."

"Fine."

Akira got back into the Hummer. "Is Camryn back yet?"

"No," Mahiro reported.

"Damn! She only has five minutes left to find whatever is in there. Having the CIA up my ass is something I really don't want."

"If Camryn at least finds a lead, I can convince the CIA to back down," Alex said.

"Well, let's just hope she comes back on the radar with in four and a half minutes."

The seconds ticked by torturously. Alex had put the game system back into his pocket. Now his full attention was on the radar screen. Come on, Camryn…Alex thought. The screen was blank – no red dot indicating Camryn's position.

"Damnit, thirty seconds left," Akira grumbled. "We're finished. She's not going to get anything in thirty seconds."

Alex leaned his head back and sighed. He just knew this was going to be a disaster. They were so close, but now the meddling CIA was on their case. Beep! Alex bolted straight up. A little red dot flashed on the radar. Alex jammed on his headset.

"Cam, how are you doing?"

"Alex?"

Alex's heart began pounding in his chest. No, oh God, no…

"Sabina…"

"You lied to me. You said you were on vacation."

"I – I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you'd better be sorry. I have your girlfriend here. I also have a syringe in my hand filled with a deadly virus. You will do as I say, or your girlfriend flies back to London in a body bag. Got it?"

"What do you want?"

"Go back to your hotel. I'll be in the lobby."

The transmitter went dead.

Camryn was trapped. She was cornered by a girl her age and three guards with automatic machine guns. The girl had Camryn's transmitter around her ears. The bracelet hung unclasped in her hand.

"How did you know I had a transmitter?"

"I was tipped off."

"By who?"

"Someone."

"Is his name Tai?"

The girl bore her eyes menacingly into Camryn. "Shut up."

Camryn wanted to laugh, but she settled for a smug smirk. "Look, honey, I grew up in New York City. Don't think you can intimidate me."

"What if I stick this syringe into your arm?"

Camryn laughed. "Could you really do it?"

The girl was frustrated. It was obvious. "Take her to the holding cell."

Two of the three guards grabbed Camryn's armed and began hauling her off.

"Hey, what's your name?" Camryn called back to the girl. "You know mine, so it's only polite if you tell me yours."

"Sabina. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said coldly.

Camryn was hauled out of the lab and into an elevator going to the seventh floor. Both guards had their weapons slung loosely over their shoulders. There was no room for a gunfight in the tight elevator. Camryn raised her right hand to her head, but the guard forced it back down.

"What?! My head itches! Can't a prisoner at least scratch her head?!"

The guard loosed his grip.

So stupid, Camryn thought. She yanked her arm out of the guard's hold and thrust her fingers into his eyes – just like she had seen on Loony Toons as a kid. She grabbed the other guard's gun and trapped it against the wall of the elevator. She punched in the middle of the forehead. She grabbed his automatic rifle and smashed the first guard in the face with it. The second guard fought her for the rifle, but she kicked him hard where the sun don't shine. He fell to his knees howling in pain. Camryn grabbed one of their handguns just as the elevator arrived at the seventh floor. She ran out onto the seventh floor and headed to the stairwell. She opened the door and dashed down the steps. She had to get to at least the second floor. She could find a way out a window from there if she couldn't get to the first floor.

Footsteps began pounding up the steps. Camryn stopped. She was on the fifth floor. She slipped out the door and waited. Peeking through the little window in the door, Camryn could see two men cautiously making their way up the stairs. The first man ran ahead. The second one watched the rear in a paranoid manner. He turned his back and headed up the stairs slowly. Camryn crept silently back into the stairwell and took aim.

"Don't move," Camryn said quietly. "Don't make a sound or you're dead."

The man stopped.

As Camryn began cautiously making her way backwards to the stairs down to the fourth floor, the man whipped around. Camryn saw it coming. She dropped to the ground immediately. Two shots were fired. Both lay still for a while. Camryn stood up and continued down the stairs.

Sorry, man, but you had it coming, Camryn thought. Suddenly, bullets sprayed from down below. Camryn threw herself flat against the wall, her heart pounding wildly. The automatics stopped firing. Camryn caught a slight movement. She leaped out, took less than a second to aim, and fired two shots. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Then she remembered the other guy that had run ahead. She waited around the corner. The second she saw him, she swung the gun around and fired another two shots. Camryn ran back onto the fifth floor. There was no way she could get down the stairs alive. But she only took three steps before she was surrounded by six automatic machine guns. She uttered one word: "Hello."