The shot was quieter than she would have thought. The sedative struck him in the upper left part of his chest, close to his shoulder. Her eyes flickered open then closed. She waited five seconds before shaking him.

"Asher" she yelled. "Can you hear me?"

He didn't budge. She dropped the gun onto the floor and ran for the garage.

She was nearly halfway across the cement floor before the computerized voice warned her that she had violated her authorized perimeter. The shrill siren began as she started the car engine. She started to back out before the garage doors had fully opened, and there was an ugly scraping sound,...