Free The Storm That Is Sterling by Lisa Renee Jones

bent over Tad, repulsed as she touched his wrist and found a pulse. He wasn’t dead; she didn’t know if she should feel relieved or disappointed. She had no idea what was wrong with them, but she wasn’t going to stay around until they woke up.
    She unclipped the badge from Tad’s shirt and rushed to the doorway. Then she stopped, went back, and yanked his gun from his holster.
    It made her think of how her brother had forced her to handle a gun despite her objections. “Thank you, Kevin,” she murmured. He’d insisted she needed to know so that when he was away at war, she was protected. And so she’d learned.
    One last thought filled her mind. Money. Did she dare hope Tad had any on him? She cringed at the idea of touching him and then reached into his pocket. Nothing. She hopped over him and tried the other pocket. Bingo! A money clip that had a decent amount of cash.
    In a flash, she was at the exit, swiping the security card over the key device. A light turned green, but the doors didn’t open. She punched the keypad next to it in random combinations. Nothing. She tried again. Suddenly, water burst from the fire sprinklers, and the doors opened. Becca stood there under the spray of water, having no idea what to do next. She didn’t know how to get out of this place, and she didn’t know how to get to Sterling, or even if she could trust him if she did. Or anyone else for that matter. Muffled voices sounded down the hall. Time was up. She took off running in the opposite direction.

Chapter 7
     
    No way was Sterling leaving Becca to deal with whatever was happening in Zodius City on her own. The minute the fire alarm went off and water started spewing all over him, Sterling did what he’d wanted to do for hours. He busted open the electronic panel by the door and unlocked it himself, immediately heading down the deserted hall for the lab, knowing exactly where he was going. Not only had this section of Zodius City existed when it had been Area 51 and his assigned post, but he’d studied the maps Michael had provided while undercover as Adam’s second.
    Down a flight of stairs, he paused at a door and eased it open only to discover something was blocking it. Holy crap. There was a Zodius soldier face down in front of the door. What was going on, and where was Becca while it was happening? Sterling reeled back and shoved his weight against the door, the water puddle at its base adding resistance. He managed to create a space large enough for him to examine the vacant corridor before he exited. Bending down next to the soldier, Sterling retrieved the man’s weapons, slicking his wet hair back as the uncompromising water covered his face.
    Sterling took off in a light jog and stepped over two more Zodius soldiers lying face down, before he rounded the corner to find the lab door open. His gut clenched as he entered, and he didn’t breathe until he’d confirmed none of the six bodies in the lab were Becca. Fear for Becca seeped into him, twisting him into knots.
    His gaze landed on the computer by the doorway, water pooled around it. Not optimistic, he headed toward it, setting his weapons down to punch some keys. Against all odds, the screen came to life, and he worked his magic. In a minute flat, he had the security feed live and had opened several windows at once, confirming that whatever had happened in this area of the city wasn’t happening elsewhere. Soldiers gathered at a distant corridor, and Sterling had no doubt the only reason this place wasn’t swarming with them was that whatever had set off the alarm and flattened everyone but he and Becca wasn’t contained.
    A few more screens and he wanted to shout from relief. Becca was alive and on the move. He punched in a code to shut down the security cameras and then snatched his weapons. A search of the lab for ICE followed and came up dry. Cursing, he headed after Becca and vowed to find a dealer and the ICE that Becca needed in the city.
    Her path