The Rush Read Free Page A

going to just leave
now. Not when the scanner in Mia’s hand was worth a thousand of those trifling
baubles in the case.
    There was only one real option here, but the thought of it
was terrifying. Mia had to take control of the situation. Now.
    Before she could talk herself out of it, Mia charged the
wall, hitting the structure as hard and as low as she could. As she had
suspected, the temporary wall was only magnetically sealed to the floor. The
wall crashed into the star diamond display case, shattering the glass. Mia had
just a moment to see the look of shock and recognition on the face of the Swede
before she bolted back into the maze.
    But the flare of alarms and flashing lights announcing a
break-in did not materialize. Bars should have come down over the doors.
Virtual security guards should have popped up in every corner. The lack of any
response gave her severe pause. Clearly, this trio had disabled any and all
alerts set in the exhibit. There would be no help from the outside.
    But the die was cast. She didn’t have time to think of
another plan. The tour guide had seen where Mia was heading, so she was
effectively trapping herself inside the structure. What was done was done,
though.
    Rather than bury herself in a back corner somewhere, which
her attackers would almost certainly expect, Mia went high, climbing up on top
of one of the displays. Her movements were smooth, silent. Her sensei would
have been proud.
    And she listened. Soon enough, she heard the voice of the
woman moving toward her. Her tone held more than a few traces of pain and
irritation, giving Mia a perverse sense of satisfaction.
    Mia pulled back from the leading edge of the display where
she perched, waiting for the first opponent to come along. She was used to
facing them in the ring. With rules and a referee. Oh, and barehanded.
    The first person to appear was the older Brit, carrying some
sort of ceramic gun. Mia took a moment to enter a code into her scanner and
hide it on top of the wall before turning her attention back to the dapper
thief.
    The man was wary, and by the way he moved, it was clear that
he had not allowed himself to go to fat. She waited until the man had passed
completely by her display, then leapt out, her foot aimed right at the back of
the Brit’s neck.
    Some errant breath of air or sixth sense must have alerted
the man, as he spun halfway around, catching Mia’s kick square in the side of
his jaw. Rattled, but not down, the man roared, charging her. Mia dodged to the
side, catching the Brit on the back of the head with her two fists knotted
together. The hit sent the man careening into a wall where he slumped to the
floor, unconscious.
    Not quite as quick or as soundless as she could've hoped
for, but Mia would take it. She darted out of the area, seeking another dark
corner from which to attack next. As she rounded a corner, she found herself
face to face with the Belgian, who took on a fighting stance, his mouth
contorting into a feral grin. From the stance, Mia could see this would not be
such a quick win for her. She glanced around, seeking some sort of additional
help with a much taller, much heavier opponent. She saw none.
    The man must have observed her failed search; his grin
widened and he moved in with more confidence. Watching the man’s advance, Mia
noted a hitch in his left foot and attacked just as it came around the second
time.
    Her punch fell on empty air as the man dropped to the floor
and swept Mia’s legs out from under her. As Mia landed, her breath whooshing
out of her, she realized she had fallen for a feint. There was no limp. The man
followed up with a fist to Mia’s face, splitting her lip. Mia had been fooled,
and now she was hurt…and down on the ground, vulnerable.
    But so was he.
    Mia was nothing if not quick. And limber. She flipped
herself up to standing and was ready to catch the Belgian with a roundhouse
kick to the side of the temple. Well, she thought she was ready.