Once their plan had been worked out the night before, Blake had been excluded because what they were doing wasn't exactly the way the government would approve of handling the situation, and Blake had a senator's seat to consider. He hadn't been happy, but he'd finally bowed out, mostly because he didn't want to be a hindrance since he had no experience in law enforcement.
I have to be patient. I have to give them time to get through the ventilation system.
Ellie hadn't slept, but she was far from tired. Her nerves were on edge, and her hands were shaky as she made her way to the front entrance of the building. She knew she'd be lying if she said she wasn't afraid, but it was Zane's life she was afraid for right now.
What if he's already dead?
She had to stop and take a deep breath, clear her mind of negative thoughts. There'd be no functioning the way she needed to if she panicked.
A cold chill ran down her spine, and she instantly knew she was being watched. The window in Sean's office looked over the entrance, and Ellie was positive he was scrutinizing her every move.
Hefting the duffel bag over her shoulder so he could see that she was carrying a bag and a laptop under her other arm, she unlocked the door of Colter Labs and stepped inside.
With a glance at the alarm panel, she noticed that the system for the main building was off. Sean had either never reset the office and reception alarms, or he'd just shut them off before she entered.
Her phone rang, and she startled, nearly dropping Zane's laptop. Hurriedly, she sat the bag and the computer on the receptionist desk and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jeans.
She looked at the caller ID before she answered. "I have what you want. Now I want a trade." Her voice was surprisingly firm. Anger that Sean had brought Zane into his crazy game was fueling her courage right now.
"Come up to my office alone," Sean warned.
"I am alone," she shot back at him. "I'm on my way, and I want to see Zane."
"He's here, and he's not very happy right now," Sean replied cheerfully.
"What did you do to him?" Ellie asked furiously, only to find that the line was now silent.
"Dammit!" She shoved her phone back in her pocket and gathered up the items on the desk, and then made her way to the elevators that led to the offices.
By now, Tate, Lara, and Marcus should be in position. Ellie wasn't sure what had finally made Tate relent and bring Lara along with him. But Ellie had heard him remind his wife of her promise before he'd gone into the building, so Ellie knew Tate didn't believe Lara should be anywhere near the dangerous situation.
Ellie took some deep breaths before the lift stopped at the floor where Sean's office was located, trying to keep as calm as possible. Her greatest fear was that she couldn't save Zane.
He never gave up on me. I won't give up on him.
The words had become her mantra, her strength. She'd give her life in exchange for Zane's in a heartbeat; she was just afraid that she wouldn't have the chance.
Sean's office door was open, and Ellie felt her heart hammering against her chest as she walked into the space slowly, frantically looking for Zane. "Where is he?" she asked, feeling like she wanted to smash the evil smile off Sean's face as he greeted her at the door.
"I'll take those," he growled menacingly, snatching the duffel bag and laptop from her arms.
Her eyes caught sight of one of Sean's office chairs moving, a pair of hiking boots flat on the floor. "Zane!" She ignored Sean, who was rifling through the bag to make sure it contained real money, and ran to the chair.
Fury coursed through her body as she saw how he was literally tied from neck to knee into the chair, blood streaming from his head, his face bruised. "You bastard," Ellie turned and cursed at Sean. "You hurt him."
"I didn't say I wouldn't have a little fun," Sean answered nonchalantly as he pulled his handgun from his waistband and pointed it in their direction.
"You said you wanted a trade." She tried not to flinch as Sean carelessly waved the gun in the air before retraining it toward her and Zane. She kept Zane's back to Sean while she faced him, her body beside Zane's chair. If Sean was going to shoot Zane, he'd have to come through her first.
"Surely you aren't that ignorant, Ellie," Sean answered. "If I let you go, then what? I'd be on the run for the rest of my life. That's not the way I have things planned. I kill both of you, and by the time they find your bodies, I'll be on my way out of the country. I have a charter waiting, and I can sell scientific discoveries anywhere. A million dollars can go a long way to setting me up where I'll be safe."
"Zane's family will hunt you down like a hound dog on the scent of a rabbit. They'd chase your ass to the end of the Earth if they had to," Ellie hissed.
"There are places that even the Colters can't reach. Besides, they can't prove that you two didn't have a little domestic dispute and ended up with a murder/suicide situation. I can make it look that way."
"They already know you have him as a hostage."
"They'd have to prove I killed you both. Believe me, I'll cover my tracks."
Sean raised the gun to follow through on his murderous intentions. Then, everything happened at once.
Ellie slammed into Zane's chair with her body, pushing it so hard that they both landed on the other side of the room as Sean's gunshot exploded, hitting the area where she and Zane had just been positioned, shattering the glass in the office window in the process.
From her vantage point on the floor, Ellie tried to take in the situation. Evidently, Marcus must have let go of the heavy metal grille to the vent system, the hit to the head disorientating Sean, before Marcus came down right on top of him and subdued him. Tate followed, dropping into the fray. Lara swung off to the side, landing on her feet on the carpeted floor, and drew her handgun.
Not having a single doubt that Marcus, Tate, and Lara could handle Sean, Ellie turned her attention to Zane, finding some scissors and a pocket knife in Sean's desk drawers to start cutting the bindings.
She pulled the tape off his mouth first, which, in hindsight, was a big mistake.
"What in the fuck did you think you were doing? I told you to call the police. You had to have known he wasn't likely to let either one of us go. Why did you do this, Ellie? I asked you not to do it." Zane was furious, but there was also fear in his eyes.
Ellie had cut through the substantial twine and rope around Zane's body and worked through some of the knots. "I swear if you say another word, I'll put the tape back on your mouth again," she warned as she put some muscle into cutting one of his ties.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Marcus and Tate had easily subdued Sean. Police officers barreled through the door, and she heard Tate mumble, "Right on time," as the officers took over custody of the struggling madman.
"Just tell me why? I could fucking handle that asshole killing me, but not you," Zane growled.
Ellie sawed and jerked on a particularly tight piece of rope as she answered, "Well, I couldn't handle him killing you. It would have been like he killed me, too. Even though you aren't being particularly pleasant right now, I love your stubborn ass, Zane Colter, and I wasn't about to give up on you. You never gave up on me." Ellie spoke her mantra again, hoping it would be the last time she needed to say it.
The rope finally gave, and she was able to finally free Zane from his prison. He had to be sore. He hadn't been able to move all night.
Marcus, Tate, and Lara ran over to Zane the moment the police took Sean out of the office in handcuffs.
"You okay?" Marcus asked, frowning as he saw the blood coming from Zane's head and the bruises on his face.
"Did you just tell me that you love me?" Zane questioned, his gaze focused on Ellie.
"Yes. I'm tired of not saying it, so I'll say it again. I love you, Zane Colter, and you couldn't expect me to sit and do nothing."
"I love you, too," Zane replied huskily. "Not telling you that was my only regret."
Ellie's heart soared as she looked at him. "Marcus asked if you were okay?" she reminded him, since he'd completely ignored his brother. "Can you stand?"
"Of course," Zane said arrogantly as he started to rise from his chair.
Luckily, Tate and Marcus were there to catch Zane's body as he fell, the two of them laying him gently on the ground.
"Sorry. I guess I got dizzy," Zane mumbled, his eyes closed.
Marcus probed Zane's injuries. "He has some pretty bad gashes and lumps. I think we need an ambulance. He probably has a concussion."
"Already on the way," Lara answered as she stuffed her phone back in her pocket, obviously having already called for help.
"I'm going to be so pissed when I'm not so damn dizzy," Zane muttered. "Ellie and Lara definitely shouldn't have been here, and neither should any of my family. You should have just called the police. And how in the hell did you get my laptop?"