Kaitlynn and her two children

, squeezing the air out of her lungs. Her eyelids felt glued shut, her limbs heavy and disconnecte

and sharp, spiked through the fog in her brain. This wasn't right. She was a DEA agent. She was trained

, Dawn. You gav

ed of cheap tobacco and stale beer.

ightweight." A female voice, sharp and nasal

s of two people standing near the doorway. The woman had stringy blonde hair and a pinched face.

ad of crumpled bills. "But I ain't paying the rest until I

n, and I get the rest when you're done. It's not like she's going to remember anyway. And

haze in Kaitlynn's mind like ice pick

a quiet boy with dark eyes and a little girl with pigtails. A husband in a green beret,

as in someone else's body, someone else'

ont of the house, followed by a

mmy, open

surfaced instinc

ping toward the bedroom door. "I tol

d out the window," Dawn his

small cry of pain, and then Dwayne's heavy footsteps returning

g in the air. The boy's face was red, tears streaming d

ttle shit." Dway

g the wooden doorframe with a sickening thud. He crumpled to the floor, gasping, a

nside Kaitl

with years of combat training, sending a surge of pure adrenaline through her v

d. The pain anchored her. It focused her. The sharp, grounding agony was a weapon, a jolt of pure fire she used to b

in spreading across his face. He reached fo

't think about her weak muscles or

w her knees up to her chest, ignoring the screaming protest of her musc

ed squarely with

the air leaving his lungs in a rush. His eyes bulged, and he do

e locked her knees. She reached for the heavy brass l

g to catch his breath. He looke

his neck with a sickening crack. Dwayne dropped like a puppet

that echoed off the thin walls. She backed away, h

two strides. Her hand shot out, grabbing Dawn by the throat. She sla

bulging as she clawe

e was low, rough, and stripped of all

ng a shaking finger toward Dway

liant. She knelt down, patting Dwayne's jeans. She found the wad of cash Dawn h

ng the woman slide down

reathing shallow. The anger drained away, replaced by a cold, sharp f

oice softening but retaining i

loset door. Paige's face was streaked with

there, baby.

apid. She parted his hair, examining the gash on his forehead. It was bleeding

wering on the floor. The fear in Dawn's e

ne of his ankles. She began to drag him toward the bedro

shoulder at Dawn. Her eyes we

Foll