Dear readers, this chapter is one extra to the contest requirement. I could have made longer chapters throughout, but I wanted to keep it easy reading.

At the sound of the break-in, Chase grabbed Paula and dragged her behind the small bar, pushing her down and telling her to stay put. He hurried back and grabbed Sanford's shotgun, shoving the stunned host to the floor.

"Stay." He checked the chamber, and took a position behind the chair.

"They know me. I can explain," Sanford said, beginning to rise.

A burst of fire raked part of the room, and he fell back on the floor, flattening his thin body as much as possible.

"Explain that," Chase said, aiming the shotgun at the study doorway.

"Better for everyone if you just come out now," a voice called.

"Okay, we give up," Chase said.

A man stepped into the doorway, automatic weapon raised, and Chase fired, blowing him back into the hallway in a shower of blood and shredded clothing. Sanford groaned and struggled not to void his bladder.

"Is there another way out of this room?" Chase hissed.

"Oh, God! Oh, God!"

"Is there another exit, Sanford?"

"Uh- be- b-hind the- the bookcase."

"Show me."

"I can't! I can't move."

The gun barrel rested against his cheek. "Show me. Now."

With quick scrabbling moves, Sanford crawled across the room while Chase brought Paula from the bar.

"Told you they'd come for us." He dragged her across the room to where Sanford was crouched, moving books aside on one shelf.

"They tried to kill us!"

"Surprise, surprise." He watched as a section of shelf swung back, and he shoved her and Sanford through as another burst of gunfire blew books from the shelves in a flurry of torn pages.

"Why are they shooting at us?" Paula cried out, gaping around at the room.

"How can we lock this," Chase asked Sanford, ignoring her panic.

"We can't, but there is another exit from here to the upstairs."

"Let's go." Chase grabbed Paula's arm and dragged her after him. "Have you got any more shells for this?" He asked as they climbed a tiny circular staircase that led to a closet in the master bedroom.

"Just three, the rest are in the gun cabinet downstairs."

"Okay, you two get over there and keep quiet."

Chase crept slowly to the door and slowly opened it, peering cautiously out into an open balcony with a railing and a set of wide curving stairs down to the main floor. He stepped toward the railing and looked down. He could hear anxious, whispered voices, and two men appeared in the vestibule.

A third man appeared, and pointed back to where Chase caught the sight of a leg and a puddle of blood.

"The shooting must have screwed up the mechanism for that bloody shelf, we can't get it open."

"Well it wouldn't be a dead end. It must exit somewhere in this place. Spread out and search. You two head upstairs, we'll do this floor."

Chase stepped back to the bedroom door. He figured there were only the four left, and two were coming cautiously up the stairs. He pulled the door to and watched through a crack of space. They stopped at the top and then split up, going in opposite directions. With a finger to his lips, he waved them further back, and crouched down beside the doorway.

The door swung very slowly open, the barrel of the automatic weapon poking through the opening. Chase grabbed the barrel and yanked the man through the door, kicking it shut, and slamming the shotgun barrel into the man's jaw. He let out a painful gasp and collapsed on the floor, taking another blow to the head and laying silent.

"There are three more," he whispered. "One up here and two downstairs."

"Is he dead?" Paula asked, a hand trembling at her mouth.

"I don't know, but he's no problem anymore." He handed Sanford the shotgun and the shells. "I'll take his gun. You willing to use that, or was downstairs all bravado?"

"Honestly?"

"Never mind. Just remember, it's us or them - for keeps." He checked the automatic and stepped back to the door. "Paula, you stay put. Get back in the closet if necessary."

"What about him? What if he comes to or- or . . .?"

Chase gave the man another blow on the head. "Problem solved. Now keep quiet and don't come out."

The door suddenly opened and Chase stumbled away as the other man came in. In the blink of an eye, Sanford pulled the trigger and the man flew backwards out of the room and over the railing, landing with a crunch in the vestibule. Paula stifled a scream and Chase pushed the barrel down to the floor. Sanford stood frozen.

"Harv?" The call came closer as the other two men raced up the stairs. "Harv? Where are you?"

Chase stepped out of the room firing a spray across the landing, catching both men by surprise. In just a few seconds it was all over, and he was leading the shocked Sanford, and crying Paula past the riddled bodies and down the stairs.

Sanford recovered after a good dose of his scotch, and Paula settled in a chair, her mind still reeling from the violence. Once again she felt ridiculously conflicted about her feelings. She couldn't rationalize her attraction for this man.

"I'm calling Doc Reagan, and letting him know what happened. Are you still on board about the drug?"

Sanford looked at him and then at Paula. "Miss Howard?"

She gulped in a breath and nodded. "More than ever."

"Then the deal stands, Mr. Chase."

Chase went to the phone and called. "Doc? Your team failed. Sanford and Miss Howard are getting in touch with the FDA. The drug will be held back until it is proven to be what your niece wanted right from the start. Sanford's money will disappear if there is any opposition, and he will call the shots on who and when as far as proceeding goes."

"You disappoint me, Chase. You know you are a dead man."

"Yeah, well that's always been a possibility. But as long as I am alive, not a hair on Paula's head will be touched, or you will be my prime target."

"We're too big to be stopped for long, you should know that."

"Just remember what I said. I know where you live, Doc, you'd have to find me. And just so you understand this situation, four of the five are dead and one will recover enough to happily savehis own skin."

The silence went on for a minute and then Doc spoke. "It's been a pleasure working with you, Chase. I always thought you were a lot smarter than my other sources. Paula won't be touched - I'll guarantee that - as long as my man stays silent."

"Deal. So long, Doc."

******

"Why did you go back in the house?" Paula asked as the car sped down the long road to the highway.

"To check on anything I might have missed."

"What about that wounded man?"

"He didn't make it." Chase swung the car onto the highway. "I'll drop you two in town and you can do whatever you have to getting your drug plan on track."

"What about you?" She was staring at his profile.

"I'm taking a vacation for a while."

"They've made you a target haven't they?"

"I was from the moment this all started." His eyes swung over to hers, and he saw the beginning of tears. "It was my choice, Paula. I knew the consequences."

"Where will you go?"

He chuckled. "That would be classified, Miss Howard." He looked again and she was blushing.

There was a brief goodbye in town, and she stood on the sidewalk watching his car out of sight.

******

Three months later Rytex announced with pride, the introduction of their new drug and the plaudits received from the medical community placed the company and its groundbreaking product in the lead story of every broadcast. Sanford's money was back working as it should have done and Paula was promoted to overall laboratory supervisor.

The military's involvement nor any of the sinister events leading up to the announcement were ever mentioned.

Home and relaxed after all the excitement over the success of the drug and her new position, Paula sighed, sipping a glass of wine and sorting through her mail. One letter stood out because when opened, it held a blank postcard showing a picture of a back road motel/diner - as well as a plane ticket to Hewanora Airport in St. Lucia.

She threw back her head and laughed, tear filled eyes glistening.

The End