Chapter 3

"Explosives?!"

A collective gasp echoed across the team. Even Sean's breath caught in his throat.

Miller spoke fast and clear.

"Wires running from beneath his boots across an unmapped blast radius! A direct breach is suicide!"

The dynamic flipped instantly.

What had started as a hostage rescue had just turned into a powder keg ready to blow everyone to kingdom come.

"Fuck me..."

Cole muttered under his breath, sounding entirely helpless.

Chloe seemed paralyzed by the news. Her crying cut off abruptly, leaving only faint, startled hiccups.

A beat later, that irritating, condescending tone returned.

"S-See? I told you not to push him!"

"He feels vulnerable, terrified, and this is his only defense mechanism!"

"We have to validate his emotions and build a foundation of safety—"

"Validate my ass!"

A fury-choked roar erupted over the line—it was Cole from the breach point.

"I could've blown his brains out five minutes ago! Now we're all sitting on a damn bomb because of your pet therapist!"

"Shut up, Cole!"

Sean barked, but there was an unmistakable tremor in his voice.

He took a ragged breath.

"Chloe, keep him talking. Keep him steady!"

"EOD, assess the trigger! Breach team, pull back and find hard cover!"

His orders were a contradictory mess. He wanted Chloe forward to negotiate while ordering the shooters to retreat. The surprise had completely rattled his composure.

Having received her mandate, Chloe acted as if she had been crowned a hero. Her pitch went up an octave.

"You don't really want to do this, do you? Let us help you..."

"Just let the boy go first..."

The killer's jaw twitched, his crazed eyes scanning the rafters.

He dug the knife harder into Jason's throat, drawing fresh beads of blood.

His wild cackling stopped, replaced by sheer, insulted fury.

"Understand me? Help me? Go to hell!"

Spit flew from his lips as he shook with rage.

"You fake, pathetic pigs! All you're thinking about is how to take me out!"

"Sending a girl to baby-talk me! You think I'm a fucking idiot?!"

Chloe went pale, staggering half a step back.

Desperate to prove herself, she forced herself forward again, her voice shrill and accusatory.

"How dare you speak to me like that! I am trying to save your life! An antisocial personality like yours—"

"You're the antisocial freak!"

The killer slammed his heavy combat boot against a rusted steel rack, sending a deafening crash through the slaughterhouse.

"Get the fuck out of here! Or I'll open his neck right now!"