A phone began ringing inside the cruiser.
Evan answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then he looked at Mara.
“It's for you.”
Mara took the phone.
“Ellison.”
A man's voice came through.
“You took longer than expected.”
“Who are you?”
“You already know.”
“No.”
“You will.”
Mara looked toward the building.
“You have Nolan's family.”
“Yes.”
“Are they alive?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“Then you still need something.”
Another pause.
“You're good.”
“Better than you expected.”
“We need your credential.”
“You won't get it.”
“You will.”
“Why?”
“Because you care about innocent people.”
Mara's expression didn't change.
“You've made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You think caring makes people weak.”
The voice laughed.
“No. I think it makes them predictable.”
Mara looked at Nolan.
Then at Colter.
Then at Evan.
“Who told you about my assignment?”
The voice went silent.
Mara smiled faintly.
“That was the question you didn't want me to ask.”
The call ended.
Mara lowered the phone.
Colter stared at her.
“What now?”
She looked at the building.
“Now we find out who is really inside.”
The answer came twenty minutes later.
Federal vehicles arrived without sirens.
Black SUVs rolled into the facility grounds.
Men and women stepped out wearing dark tactical uniforms.
Mara recognized the team leader.
“Vance.”
Thomas Vance removed his earpiece.
“You're difficult to surprise.”
“You're late.”
He smiled.
“We wanted them comfortable.”
Colter looked at the federal team.
“How many?”
“Enough.”
Mara nodded.
“Good.”
Vance turned toward the facility.
“We have a warrant.”
Nolan stared.
“My family?”
“We're getting them out.”
Mara looked at him.
“Stay here.”
Nolan nodded.
The federal team moved.
The next ten minutes passed in controlled chaos.
Doors opened.
Commands were shouted.
Lights flooded dark rooms.
Two suspects surrendered.
A third tried to escape through a rear corridor.
He was stopped before reaching the parking lot.
Then a federal agent called out.
“We found the hostages.”
Nolan broke down.
His wife and daughter were brought outside.
They were frightened but unharmed.
Nolan ran to them.
Colter watched silently.
Mara stood beside Vance.
“Who was behind it?”
Vance looked toward the building.
“Come inside.”
They entered the facility.
The server room was colder than the booking room.
Rows of equipment blinked beneath fluorescent lights.
On one monitor was a file.
Mara stopped.
She recognized the name.
Baltimore.
Vance watched her.
“You know it.”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
Mara stared at the screen.
“An old federal operation.”