Donovan jerked his head up. From the feed covering the main gates, he saw a line of SUV's and SWAT cars entering the school grounds. A hint of doubt filled Donovan, trying to understand how they were there.

"How'd they know?" he mused.

Carter shook her head, her eyes still glued to the screen. "Must have been my tracker. It's the only explanation."

Donovan took a seat beside her. The line of cars fanned out, creating a perimeter on the inside of the school gates. The instant they stopped moving doors were flung open and hordes of men in full body gear clambered out.  A man in a black suit, wearing a FBI bullet proof vest, stepped out of one of the SUVs followed by more hard faced men dressed in similar attire. From the second his foot hit the ground, the man was barking out orders that neither Carter or Donovan could hear. But one thing was clear, this was the man in charge.

Within minutes, stations were up and troops of men were formed into packs and ready to move on command. The scene continued to unravel and Donovan found himself studying each vehicle and face.

Beside him Carter leaned back in chair. The movement made her wince. Instantly, he looked away from the screens, focusing on her.

"Your arm?" he asked.

She nodded, looking down at it. The sleeve that was now thoroughly ruined. Looking at him, she raised her arm.

"You mind?" she asked.

He rolled his chair closer to her, his legs bumping against hers. The contact brought back a flooding awareness of her and thoughts he was trying to keep at bay. She leaned towards him, offering up her other sleeve. He ripped it off and moved to her wounded arm. Carefully, he unknotted the makeshift bandage.

The cut was still bleeding and Donovan masked his worry over it. Beneath his fingers, her skin was warm and despite the defined muscle, soft. He quickly bandaged her arm, not letting himself linger. When he finished and let go, Carter looked down at her bare arms then up at him.

Her face was only a few inches away from his.

"I don't think the ripped shirt is my look," she said.

His eyes grazed over the lines of her arms.

"I don't know," he said, his voice low. "I could argue a few points in its defense."

He stared at her. In her blue eyes were all the emotions he felt. Against knowing where they were and what they still had to deal with, in that moment, all Donovan wanted to do was tear both their masks off and kiss her. In her face, he saw this same desire racing through her.

They both shifted closer.

The sharp buzz of a radio in the room shattered the moment.

Biting back annoyance, Donovan pulled away, logic returning to him.

"Agent Porter come in," a baritone voice commanded.

They went searching for the radio. The command came once more as Donovan found it.

"Agent Porter is currently unconscious," Donovan said, "as well as the rest of the security team."

As Donovan looked to the screens he spotted the gray haired man glaring at the front doors, as he held a radio similar to the one in Donovan's hand.

"Who am I speaking to?" the man said, iron in his tone.

"This is Agent Donovan Keller of the Secret Service," Donovan said, his voice strong, hoping to make this short.

The gray haired man turned to a man beside and talked rapidly. A screen was consulted and the man in charge turned his attention back to the school.

"Agent Keller this is Associate Deputy Director Townsend with the FBI," he said, his face hard as stone. "I have no record of you. You have one minute to explain to me who you really are and why this radio is not in the hands of an FBI agent."

Donovan kept his face calm, knowing there was an easy solution to the confusion.

"With all due respect, sir," he said, confident though knowing to keep it still respectful, "it's because you do not have the right clearance. Now if you will connect me to-"

Townsend's eyes narrowed, as irritation across his expression.

"I am second to the Director of the FBI," he said, cutting Donovan off. "I can assure you I have the right clearance."

Donovan flexed his jaw in annoyance.

"Deputy Townsend," Donovan said, trying to hold in his impatience. "We do not have time for this. I'm currently in a school that has been hit with knock out gas and filled with an unknown amount of hostiles. I need-"

"No." The word was a sharp refusal. "Understand this. I am standing outside a school in lock down and talking to a so-called agent by the name of Donovan Keller that we have no record of. There is nothing you can say-"

Townsend cut himself off when a faint voice spoke. Donovan felt Carter's eyes on him, but his gaze remained fixed on the screen, fist clenching the radio. From the speaker they could hear a distant voice.

"Did you say Keller?"

Chatter sounded in Donovan's ear, and he pulled out the ear piece, not needing the distraction. From behind Townsend, his brother walked out. The sight of Brock was relieving. The situation could be dealt with quickly and they could handle the situation before them.

"Yes," Townsend said, still holding down the talk button.

Donovan's brother looked on the Deputy Director with the utmost respect, his posture military straight.

"If he said Donovan Keller, sir, you can trust he is telling the truth," he said. "One call to Director Joseph will confirm it."

"You know him?"

"He's my brother, sir. His current position is highly classified."

Townsend pulled out his phone. Donovan waited, knowing the call would be short.

"That's Brock?" Carter asked.

He gave a single nod. The radio was filled with static as they waited.

"Agent Keller," Townsend said, his voice no longer harsh.

"Yes?" Donovan said.

"What's your status?" With that simple question all matters of Donovan's legitimacy were pushed aside. Donovan's shoulders lowered.

"The entire school is unconscious. The Falcon is secure in the Lock room as well as Lancer. Six hostiles have been neutralized. I'm positioned in the security booth, along with a civilian. Carter Owens. Her father is Agent Owens of the Secret Service."

On screen Townsend took all of this information in with a straight faced expression. At the name 'Owens' he called out something. A second later Carter's father came around a van and into view of the camera.

At the sight of him, Carter sagged as if a weight was taken off her shoulders. Donovan looked to her, seeing the relief that washed over her face. On screen, her father's expression was impassive. Townsend spoke to him. He gave a single nod and a one word response.

"Agent Keller," Townsend said, "my men are preparing to breach the main doors. I need you to vent the school."

"Tell me what to do," Donovan said.

He obeyed Townsend's instructions with quick accuracy, familiar with the rhythm of following orders. All the while Carter sat near him, her eyes watching him.

What she was thinking he didn't know, needing to solve this problem as fast as he could. Her arm was still bleeding and he wanted it to be fixed.

As he finished and hit enter, a faint whirring sound came on above them. Thirty seconds later the computer flashed a message.

"Venting complete."

"Deputy Townsend," Donovan said, removing his gas mask, "you're clear to breach."

"Copy that."

Townsend nodded to a group of men beside him. The men approached the school with swift, calculated movements. Donovan watched the group's progress with an expressionless face. The front doors stayed sealed, despite the men's access codes. One soldier spoke into a comm set. Townsend listened, a frown edging it's way between his eyebrows. Donovan went rigid, trying to work out the complication.

Townsend said something into a different radio and the men fell back to the perimeter of cars. Once they were away from the doors, Townsend shifted radio's.

"Keller," he said.

"Yes, sir."

"They've overridden our access codes," Townsend said. "We can not breach. I need you to reverse the lockdown on your side. The manual switch is in Principal's Wither's office. I'll give you instructions on where it's located."

"I'm on it, sir. What do I need to do?"

While Donovan listened to Townsend's directions, Carter rifled though the unconscious men's pockets. By the time he knew what they were doing, she had set guns on the table along with more zip ties. He nodded at her, seeing if she was up for the last task. In her eyes, he saw a fire rekindle to life.

"I understand, sir," he said. "I'll be radio silent until it's complete."

"Understood," Townsend said.

Donovan switched off the radio and slipped it into a pocket. He looked at Carter, his face hard with determination.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Let's finish this," she said, her voice strong.

Donovan took an extra gun and tucked into the back of his pants. They checked their clips for the remaining darts, before moving to the door. At the door, he released the locks and eased it open. They slipped into the hallway, guns trained in either direction.

They kept the same form they had before, Donovan taking the lead as Carter brought up the rear. They moved quickly and efficiently, accustomed to each other's thoughts and pace. In under two minutes they had covered the distance to the main office.

At the final corner, Donovan peered around. Further down the hallway, windows along the far wall showcased the office's interior. From his vantage point, he could see four men and Mr. Philips standing in the center of the office. Anger burned inside his chest at the man.

When he pulled his head back, he looked at Carter.

"We have five hostiles," he whispered, smothering his emotions. "We need to move now before more arrive."

She nodded. Donovan dropped into a crouch, Carter following. They sped across the width of the corridor, then edged their way down the hallway, towards the office door. Beyond the windows they could hear the hum of voices.

Donovan crossed to the other side of the door and held up his hand, halting Carter. She waited for his directions. The voices continued talking, their words muffled. Anger. Protest. Caution. Command.

Donovan pointed to himself and then to the right. Carter nodded with understanding. Something darted across her face as he reached up for the door handle, but Donovan knew it was too late to turn back.

He turned the handle and they burst through the door, guns raised and targets already in sight. The room's occupants barely had time to turn around before shots were fired. Carter's first dart took down Mr. Philips.

Donovan got quick shots into two of the men before he was attacked. Two of the three remaining conscious soldiers went for him. One knocked his gun out of his hand then laid a punch into his side. Pain from his already damaged ribs flared inside him. Even with the hit, Donovan was ready for it and shifted back, lessening some of the impact. Adrenaline kept the full force of the pain at bay, as he moved to block the attack of the second man.

He ducked the second man's swing while kicking the original attacker in the stomach. The man doubled over and Donovan kneed him in the face, taking a hit to the ribs and back in the process. Blood spurted from the man's nose as he went scrabbling backwards. Donovan gritted his teeth against shock of pain and turned, raising his forearm. He managed to deflect a third hit and landed a punch to the man's jaw.

The man staggered back and Donovan snatched the gun from the floor and spun around firing on the man doubled over. Before the man even hit the ground, Donovan was focusing back on the other attacker, raw energy and strength burning through him. He let off another shot into the man's neck. As he fell, Donovan turned to check on Carter and her assailant.

What he found was her unconscious on the floor and the man standing over her.

**********************************************************************

After them!

Wow we should really start running if they are after us, cause I can't throw a punch to save my life and I'm not giving up my ice cream to them! So...RUN!!!

Phew! Barely got away and my ice cream is only half melted. I say that is a win win. 😁

Gosh sometimes it amazes me how truly odd I am. Oh well, I don't feel like doing anything about it now so might as well eat ice cream and go on with life.

So funny fact! I actually wrote that whole fight scene with Donovan and the two guys in my original draft. I really just wanted to show how kick butt he was. But my sister said it was actually jarring to jump to him and then back to Carter, especially since I hadn't ever done that before in the book.

So it was cut. But! At least now you get to see it! So yay! Happiness all around!

Vote, fight, comment, kick butt, follow, throw a punch! (preferably the drink kind because you might break a fist if you try the other.)