Read Double Vision (Unknown Identities #2) for Free Online Page B

volume of his voic e or hers, he didn't dare speak and give away their position. Instead he knelt at her side and gently shook her shoulder.
    She screamed, striking out with fists, elbows, and feet.
    Anticipating her reactions, he dodged the wild blows until he was behind her. They didn't have time for a prolonged fight. He caught her, pinning her arms to her sides.
    Her entire body went rigid in his a rms, then she launched another round of twisting and kicking. Admiring her fortitude, he dragged her backward toward the service elevator. Feeling her gulp in the smoky air, he hoped it was enough to quell the intensity of the scream that surely followed.
    The last thing he wanted was to cause her more pain, but she wasn't leaving him much choice. The thick heel of her boot came down on his foot and he swore at the pain radiating up his leg.
    Grudgingly, he awarded a point to whoever taught her self-defense.
    He turned them, aiming her toward the back door, and let her go with a little shove.
    She lurched forward, stumbling blindly, fear propelling her away from him. If they were lucky, her probable reactions might save them both. He gave her a few yards of breathing room, hoping the space and a sense of relief would help her recover from the assault to her senses.
    Clearly some part of her brain was working because she didn' t bolt for the service elevator. Instead, she headed for the stairs, a safer choice in the event of a fire. Except there wasn't a fire and emergency crews would be making their way up this very route any time now to confirm.
    For a man with enhanced vision, he didn't realize how much he relied on his hearing. Sounds were vague and muffled as if someone had plunged him under water. He had no way of assessing how close the first responders were. It had to be the same for her.
    Which gave him only one real option.
    As Vaccaro rushed down the stairs, he paused to lean over the railing. More bodies were filing in: firefighters.
    Two victims were better for the rescue squad stats than one. Adam trailed after Vaccaro, ready to play the Good Samaritan.
    The firefighters caught her at the second floor landing and ushered her outside into the cool night air, as other members of the team charged on, eager clear the building.
    "One apartment," he said, hoping he wasn't shouting. "Tried to help."
    Helmets bobbed as the firefighters guided him out to join Vaccaro at the ambulance.
    For a moment, he simply enjoyed the dazzling display of color and light before shutting down his thermal vision.
    Without the enhancement, the world for him was a colorless monochrome existence. He'd long ago grieved the loss of real color as an unexpected side effect of his thermal vision enrichment. What a high-dollar phrase for making him a guinea pig. In some ways the colorless world was a relief and there was no doubt in his mind the lack of visual stimulation sharpened his inherent analytic skills.
    The paramedics were trying to communicate with Vaccaro, but her hearing wasn't improving. Getting slapped with two flash-bangs would do that. They finally gave up, put an oxygen mask to her face and handed her a form to fill out. Then they turned to him.
    "I'm fine," he said, assuming that was the first question. "Heard the noise," he added, hoping he wasn't shouting. "Saw smoke and tried to help." He coughed for effect.
    They offered him oxygen, and he played along while he watched the first responders do their thing. The building doorman who'd greeted her earlier, hurried over to hug Vaccaro.
    From his role observing her the past few days it seemed to Adam that everyone liked the woman. That was convenient right up to the point when it furthered her usefulness to Galloway.
    Adam left the oxygen mask on the gurney and inched closer to Vaccaro. Between his hearing returning and her shouting loud enough to hear herself, he caught the explanation she gave about interrupting a robbery. Maybe people liked her because she was smart. Her quick