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They ran out the front doors, sidearms drawn. Met a wave of people running the other way. “Valet stand,” said Mathers. “To the right.”

They ran right. Hugged the wall of the casino. Dodged terrified bystanders, a mob, all of them screaming. Rounded the corner to the valet stand and found Julio Ramirez facedown on the pavement, his security guards nowhere in sight.

There were more gunshots. Like firecracker pops. Stevens ducked behind a Corvette and Windermere crawled behind him. “The parking garage,” she said. “Across the street. On the roof.”

Another pop. Mathers cried out and dropped, clutching his face. Stevens felt his stomach lurch, but the kid sprung up again. Hugged the wall, his face bloody. Caught a stone chip or something. Ricochet.

Stevens backed up tight against the Corvette. Peered across the hood and the casino lot. Across the roadway to the parking garage beyond. Scanned the roof, the parked cars. Then he saw the sniper.

THE ASSET KEPT SHOOTING, Long after the target was down. He had a look on his face, a sick smile. Parkerson reached for the weapon. The asset shrugged him away. Kept shooting. Lit up the driveway. Parkerson grabbed the kid’s arm. “Time to go, soldier.”

The kid kept shooting until he’d emptied the mag. Down below, there were bystanders injured. Dead, probably. A guy leaned against the casino wall, clutching his face. He was holding a pistol.

Parkerson slapped the asset. “Wendell,” he said. “Time to go.”

“Time to go,” the asset said. He grinned at Parkerson, breathing hard.

Parkerson took the rifle from the asset’s hands. Wiped it down the best he could, then shifted into gear and drove across the garage. Halfway to the exit, someone stepped from between two cars. An older man, paunchy, a concerned look on his face.

Parkerson leaned on the horn. The man stood there, jaw set. Crossed his arms and glared at Parkerson, shaking his head. Parkerson swore. “Jesus Christ.” He backed up the Civic. Shifted into drive and aimed straight at the man.

The man’s eyes went wide as the Civic approached. He didn’t move, though, didn’t duck for cover. Went up and over the hood and bounced away to the pavement. Parkerson kept driving. Sped down through the garage and out onto the street. Sped away before the police appeared.