It had been months of research and undercover work in the making. This newfound ability to pause time had helped me slowly assist in rooting out the group of underground assassins, although not without some fatalities. Several other agents and some civilians had been injured or killed, but since the next international summit was next week, we agreed that a loss of 8 agents was a small price to pay.

I had been told that the main trainer of the league was now targeting my family. I had called Interpol, and I was to meet my contact for lunch at the Mall of the Americas, where he and his team was to take my wife and children to a safe house. The escort of three Humvees met us in the parking garage, and I left them with the agents as I met the contact.

I kept alert for tails or familiar faces as I entered the restaurant and met Tom, the contact's alias. He waved me over to the table, and as I shook his hand, I caught a glimpse of a laser dot on the back of his head! I paused time, and was able to examine the angle of the laser, coming from the next level up and across the courtyard. I realized that anyone shooting from there would not be able to escape, unless very well disguised!

Since I could only pause time, I knew falling to the ground was the only way to survive the split second following the shot. I pushed play, and fell over backward, while Tom was on the floor next to me, dead. I radioed the agents to lock down the mall, and I rolled over to the door, spotting the assassin running on the next level toward the street exit.

The assassin disappeared into a storage room, and I knew this led to a tunnel, that could go to either the garage or the street. I gave the codeword "green" to the convoy, and they left with my family for the safehouse. I gave chase, and guessed to head toward the garage. My guess was correct.

I tracked the assassin to the bottom level, thinking either they were heading for a trap, or I was. I hid behind a column, listening and waiting for some movement from the closed-off section. I looked in time to notice that several FBI agents were approaching from all the other exits, so in a matter of seconds, we had the area sealed off.

I signaled to the agents to let me warn the assassin, and I yelled, "Shooter, you are surrounded! Put your weapon down, and get on your knees with your hands behind your head!" The voice came from a darkened section of the garage, saying "You think I'm stupid enough to come here without help?"

Four Cadillac Escalades came screaming down the ramp, all with automatic weapons pointing out the windows. I paused, and as I looked at each vehicle, I saw they were all international plates. I knew that one phone call might end this, so as I pushed play, I signaled the other agents to cover me.

I dialed the secure number, and gave the country plate IDs to the dispatcher. My guess was right, and just before the Escalades reached our level, they all shut down. They were all rentals with fake plates. The rental company used GPS to disconnect the main fuse.

With nowhere to go, the men inside the Escalades came out and right into the handcuffs of our agents, I yelled at the gunman, "Your help doesn't seem to be available! Give it up!" I heard a new clip inserted, and told the agents to hit the lights on the Humvees. I paused just as the lights came on, and the gunman was aiming for the fire system.

I realized our only way to shut him down was to pin him down and disable the alarm system. I hit play, and fired a double tap over his head, right at the power box. The lights and fire system in the garage went out, and the gunman laid down his weapon.

At the debriefing, all the responding agents received commendations, and the international summit went off without incident. I was reunited with my family one week later, and only used my pause power when I absolutely had to!