The fighting outside stopped. A heavy silence followed.

Etzli and Paras, still holed up in the bathroom, looked at each other.

The sounds of movement outside. Several people, working in tandem. None of them spoke. They were quiet and unhurried, precise, well coordinated. They sounded almost casual, like they were rearranging furniture.

"Oh, hell." Paras took a deep, exhausted breath. "That's the Special Tactics Operational Unit."

"Doesn't ...