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Chapter 1

Bree Stone was thirtyhard as she ran east along a path by the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC It was a gorgeous spring day in late March, ith a fragrant breeze

The Japanese cherry trees that lined the path were in full blooe a few of the and day that she didn’t mind

She was in her late thirties, but her legs felt stronger than they had when she was just out of college So did her breathing, and that pleased her The daily exercise orking

Leaving the Tidal Basin, Bree cut past the statue of John Paul Jones and jogged in place, waiting to cross 17th Street SE beside a DC bus discharging and loading passengers When the bus sighed and rolled away, Bree looped around the pedestrians to cross the street, toward the National Sylvan Theater and another grove of bloo cherry trees The cherry blossoms only peaked once a year and she intended to enjoy them as much as possible She’d just passed a knot of Japanese tourists when her cell phone rang

She plucked the phone from the slanced at the unfamiliar phone number and let her voice mail take the call She ran on and soon could see a teas surrounding the base of the Washington Monuain, same number

Irritated, she stopped and answered, “Bree Stone”

“Chief Bree Stone?”

The voice was male Or was it? The tone wasn’t deep

“Who’s calling, please?”

“Your worst nightmare, Chief There’s an IED on the National Mall You should have answered ure out where I left it”

The line died Bree stared at the phone half a beat, then checked her watch 7:28 am Detonation: 8:26 am? She hit a nu the iet well off the Mall as fast as possible

DC Metro Police Chief Ji

“Why isme? I told her to take a few days off”

“I just got an anonymous call, Jio off at 8:26 a in the dogs”

In the short silence that followed, Bree thought of sos

“Are you sure it wasn’t a crank?” Chief Michaels said

“Do you want to take the chance it isn’t a crank?”

Michaels let out a sharp puff of breath and said, “I’ll notify National Park and Capitol Hill Police You sound like you’re running Where are you?”

“On the Mall Going to high ground to spot the boe”

Chapter 2

It was 7:36 am when the elevator doors opened

Bree rushed out onto the observation platforton Monument, some five hundred and fifty-four feet above the National Mall She carried a chattering US Park Service Police radio, tuned to a frequency being used by all FBI, US Capitol Police, and DC Metro Police personnel rapidly responding to the situation

She had a pair of binoculars lent to her by the officers guarding the closedat her initial deiven her a hard ti her story