The Eighth Day

Chapter 27

"He got away?" The director sat upright at his desk, and his eyes blazed beneath a knitted brow. "A dozen agents on his ass, and he got away?"

Standing across from him, Chad Dodd kept his expression impassive. "The hotel clerk called the cops."

"That goddamn video."

"They pulled in siren blaring and drew on our agents outside the hotel. By the time they sorted things out, Echo-7 was long gone."

"How'd they handle the police?" the director asked.

"Convinced them they were Feds and unassed themselves from the situation before the cops figured out otherwise."

"Good. We know where Echo-7's headed?"

Chad shrugged. "East. Moore City, Ohio State, New York—it's still a coin toss. But even if he's going back to New York, both Moore City and Ohio State are on the way. He could stop at either."

"He remembered New York." The director shook his head. "Un-fucking-believable. What about Tyler?"

"She's functional. No issues."

The director leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. At last, he said, "Get teams on the ground in both Moore City and Columbus. Then I want you both on the first thing smoking out of here."

Chad raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"

"I want you on-site to handle this personally." The director rolled his eyes. "Oh, for Christ's sake, wipe that goddamn smirk off your face. I know you've been itching to get back in the field, so don't fuck this up. It needs to end here."

"It will," Chad said. "I promise you."

The director waved him away with a limp hand, and Chad turned on his heels and marched out of the room. A plan began to take shape in his mind, and a raptorial grin spread across Chad's face that was all teeth and anything but good intentions.