Driving back toward the hotel from the wreckage of his home, Hunter plans to pick up food and give Rink and Suzanne time to talk. Instead, he notices two unusually clean black SUVs moving with obvious coordination near the hotel, and the pattern immediately makes him suspect an organized team rather than relief workers or random guests.

Hunter parks at a distance, watches one SUV stop by reception and the other pause nearby, and sees two men head into the subterranean garage. Because he had switched off his phone earlier to avoid Walter Conrad tracking him, Hunter first has to power it back on and call the hotel. Once Rink answers, Hunter warns him that multiple hostile people are closing in, tells Rink to get Suzanne down to the Ford, and promises to clear them a path.

Using damaged neighboring property and a vacant lot for cover, Hunter slips into the garage and studies the attackers' route. He realizes the men likely entered the stairwell because a fire-exit door had failed to seal after someone opened it from inside, giving them access without forcing entry. Before Hunter can follow, he spots a female accomplice entering the garage with a suppressed pistol, confirming to Hunter that this is not a police action but a hit.

Hunter hides and waits because he wants to be sure of her purpose before shooting. When machine-pistol fire suddenly erupts from above, Hunter knows Rink has already made contact with the attackers. He shoots the woman in the thigh, disarms her, tries to force information from her, then knocks her unconscious when she resists. With more gunfire sounding overhead, Hunter abandons the interrogation and races for the stairwell to support Rink and Suzanne.