The sound of the downpour outside resonating off my window woke me moments before the pounding at my door.

"Harper! Get up." It was Ava's voice. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and mumbled something in reply to dissuade further assaults on my small quarters at Interpol. "Garrison will be past to get you. Five minutes." With that, Ava's footsteps retreated. My shoulders relaxed in response.

Outside my window, the sky looked gray beyond the sheets of rain though I knew it was morning. I remembered how much I had hated the incessant rain as a child. It seemed strangely comforting now.

Having slept fully dressed, I moved to pull on my shoes. Last night was a blur. After being nearly murdered yesterday, my emotional and physical stamina had been spent.

I shuffled to the door and reached for the knob as Garrison opened it from the other side. With dark, greying hair, I guessed the man to be around Ava's age. The square black glasses and tablet under his arm gave the impression that he was more of an analyst than an agent, though I didn't bother asking.

"Good, you're up," He shoved a coffee in my direction before tucking his device into the inside of his brown blazer. I took a sip and winced at the excessive cream and sugar.

I drank it anyway as we hurried down the hall. Wiping the resulting small splatter from my nose, I asked, "Where are we going?"

Either he didn't hear me or ignored me, but I took his silence as a signal that I would know soon enough.

We entered a room filled with computers and mounted monitors. I spotted Kael and Ava in the center of the room. The sight of them stopped me short in the doorway. Kael was in a prisoner's uniform. My heart rate quickened. They must have devised this plan last night after depositing me in my quarters with some much needed sleeping aids.

Ava, who had been pacing when I entered, stopped to speak earnestly to Kael. She ordered, "Don't give him any reason to be suspicious. Just be the same bad character he knows and he'll break." Her hands twisted in front of her navy pencil skirt as she spoke.

Garrison ushered me into the room then, closing the door behind us. Kael looked in my direction and lifted his head in greeting. After a few quick words to Ava, he headed in my direction. I met him halfway.

"What are you doing?" Although my voice was low, I knew I sounded upset.

"Ava's got to lock me up with him, Harper." Seeing Kael in a prison uniform sent chills up my spine as I had imagined it more than once in the past. The déjà vu feeling swept over me as he continued. "We think Higgins may have wanted to be locked up to find me. I'm going to see if he feels like a talk."

I started to run my fingers through my hair and stopped, feeling the burning pain from where the bullet had grazed me yesterday with the attempted gesture. The sobering appearance of his disguise brought me back to the pressing matter at hand and I asked worriedly, "Are you sure? Did he go through interrogation?"

Someone called his name and he started walking backwards slowly, disappointment in his voice, "Yeah. Nothing."

Ava came over to adjust something under his shirt. I watched them in silent horror, trying to process the extent of their plans.

She sounded proud as she explained, "This undershirt will act as a makeshift bullet proof vest. Garrison designed it for you. The latest technology," she boasted and tugged on the thin material, trying to hide it from view. "We can get you out if we hear anything from Gideon. At this point though, I'm not anticipating contact."

Kael said nothing. I knew what her words meant. If he didn't succeed, other leads like this were unlikely. He helped Garrison fit a wire to his torso. They took their time in order to keep it as inconspicuous as possible. They appeared to be attending to every detail, but this didn't loosen the knot in my stomach. I had so many questions, but I had walked in too close to his incarceration.

As if reading my mind, Garrison called out, "You're good to move. You're showing up as a transfer."

Garrison pulled out a pair of cuffs and shackles and moved to fasten them. Kael didn't seem to notice as he adjusted the wires under his sleeve.

The nature of the plan, the time he intended on staying in there...so many important details eluded me. The sound of metal grating into place around Kael's ankles made me cringe. I was too late. Garrison stood from his work of locking the cuffs.

"Ready?" Garrison asked.

Kael glanced at Ava.

She nodded, "I got her."

It took me a moment to realize they were talking about me.

Kael caught my eye with a shadow of a reassuring wink before turning away. Within seconds, he clanked from the room, the door closed, and I was left with Ava, Garrison, and a room full of monitors.

My eyes moved across the images of the prison on the screens. It had been such a relief to discover that Kael was not a criminal after all, and now I dreaded the irony of seeing him on these screens.

Ava surprised me by coming up from behind and placing a supportive hand on my shoulder. Her proximity did more to unnerve than comfort me.

"You shouldn't worry about him."

I looked sideways at her, wondering at her motives considering the uncharacteristic personal contact.

She smiled knowingly. Tapping a finger on my chin she said, "He doesn't know it yet, but you're going to break them out."

I watched wide eyed as she started across the room. She couldn't be serious.

She continued, "You heard me. In the interrogation, all Higgins said was that the old man wants to meet you now. The only way we are going to get cooperation is if we make them think you are collaborating. Sorry, Harper, but I can't think of another way."

"Kael will never agree to this," I said flatly. I knew my words wouldn't deter her, but it was the first thought that came to me in my defense.

At the door, Ava turned and motioned for me to come, saying slyly, "I know, that's why I didn't tell him. But without you, we never get to Gideon. You never find Garrett." She knew he was my weakness. I had never disliked her more, but she smiled, "Trust me. You will meet the old man before the end of the day." I still hesitated so she added, "If you can't do this, tell me now. Although it's likely our last chance." She watched me and awaited my response.

"Alright..." I took a shaking breath, afraid of what I was about to say next. I paused, and twisted my hair over my shoulder before raising my eyes to meet her gaze. Firmly, "I'll break them out. And meet Gideon."

Ava's eyebrows shot up in surprise at how easily she'd won me over. She didn't mask her lack of confidence in me, but I'd done nothing to make her think me capable. Her voice held doubt when she asked, "Really? He may just want to kill you himself, you know."

I nodded, not knowing where this sudden wave of courage was coming from. I could have used it in the past several days. My voice sounded confident as I explained, "I know. But it's probably the only way I can find Garrett. If we're lucky, we can catch Gideon as well." Trying to gage her faith in me, in this plan, I turned a steady gaze to Ava.

"You're sure?" Ava's voice was solemn.

"Yes."

I felt my hands start to shake at my sides as the reality of this situation settled over me. She couldn't know that I was already breaking. I nodded and walked past her. Exiting the room, I closed the door behind me and leaned into it. What have I done? In my heart, I feared I had just made a fatal mistake.

The prison wasn't far from Interpol headquarters. Ava and I took the company car that evening. Little if any conversation passed between us. We had spent enough time planning and debriefing. I knew what I had to do. The less I thought about it, the better. We pulled up to the guard shack. Our position allowed a good view of the high fences, the barbed wire. I had never seen a place like this up close.

Ava flashed her badge to the guard who opened the front gate. She found a spot in the visitor's parking and stopped the vehicle.

Hands still resting on the wheel, she took a deep breath and asked again, "You are sure?"

I nodded, not wanting to open my mouth in case my voice was shaking. Garrett. I had to keep focused on him.

"Once you break them out, it will be just you and those two. I can't get too close or all this is for nothing."

I had never been the strong silent type. I shifted in my seat, changing my mind about keeping silent, and noted, "Ultimately, this scenario could work out rather well for you."

Ava bit the side of her lip. "I hope it does, but," she hurried to finish as I opened my mouth to speak, "that in no way means I want any harm to come to either of you. I'm just ready to bring this man down. I wouldn't agree to this if I didn't trust Kael implicitly."

"That makes two of us." I opened the door, not giving this decision any more thought.

*****

This is a bold, brave move for Harper. At the beginning of the book, she wouldn't have considered it. Do you think she is doing the right thing? The end is near... 

*****