They’ve got drones. I’ll take out the first wave, but when I give the word, you move. Outside, engines idled low, like predators waiting for a command.
Henry walked to his old wooden desk, pulled open a drawer, and retrieved a revolver. Guess retirement’s over. Ethan gave a grim smile.
Let’s make this count. A single flash of light cut across the cabin, a flare arcing through the trees, and then the night exploded. Bullets tore through the windows, glass raining across the floor.
Klein dove behind the couch, returning fire through the open door. Sparks jumped from the metal hinges. Move, back door.
Reddick’s voice roared through the static. Go now. Ethan grabbed Anna from Loretta’s arms, shielding her with his body as they crawled toward the rear exit.
Jennifer followed close behind, clutching the encrypted drive against her chest. Henry covered them, firing two rounds before ducking behind a beam. Keep low, Klein shouted, his voice hoarse.
The back door splintered as Reddick burst through, covered in mud and smoke. This way. Um… They dashed into the darkness, the rain turning to a cold mist that clung to their skin.
The forest ahead was alive with gunfire. Trees cracked under stray bullets, branches falling like broken bones. Up the ridge, Ethan shouted, go, go.
Anna’s small hand clung to his jacket. Her breath came in tiny gasps, but she didn’t cry. Loretta pushed her forward, whispering prayers between breaths.
Behind them, the cabin erupted in flames. The fire lit the forest in a sick orange glow, shadows leaping like ghosts. Klein and Reddick covered the retreat, firing short, precise bursts.
One attacker fell, another stumbled and vanished into the dark. Jennifer tripped on a root, falling hard. Ethan turned back, helping her up.
You okay? She nodded, teeth chattering. The drive don’t let it fall. I won’t.
They reached a narrow ravine, the trail slick with mud. Reddick gestured toward an old storm drain beneath a collapsed bridge. Down there, they won’t track heat signatures under steel.
They crawled into the tunnel, their breaths echoing off the damp walls. The smell of rust and wet earth filled the air. Henry limped behind them, holding his side.
Just like Beirut, he muttered darkly. When the last of them was inside, Klein pulled a metal grate over the entrance. That’ll buy us a few minutes.
Ethan set Anna down and wiped mud from her cheek. You okay, sweetheart? She nodded weakly. Are we winning? He managed a tired smile.
We’re still standing. That’s winning for now. Above them, faint voices shouted orders.
The attackers were searching, their flashlights cutting through the trees. Jennifer leaned close to Ethan. Dad’s bleeding.
Henry waved her off. It’s a graze. I’ve had worse hangovers.
Ellis crouched near the end of the tunnel, peering through the grate. They’re sweeping in a grid. If they bring dogs, we’re done.
Klein tapped his earpiece. Reddick, you still out there? A faint reply came through. Barely.
Took out their drone. Two down, one wounded. But they’ve got a command van coordinating.
I can take a shot at it. But it’ll give away my position. Ethan’s jaw tightened.
Do it. End this. Silence for three long seconds.
Then the world outside shook with a thunderous explosion. Flames burst skyward, followed by shouts and confusion. That was the van.
Reddick panted through the radio. They’re scattering. Ethan looked at Jennifer.
Now’s our chance. They crawled out of the tunnel, the smoke from the burning vehicle stinging their eyes. The attackers were retreating into the woods, disoriented.
Henry pressed a bloody hand to his side. Grimacing. You get me out of this alive.
I’ll finish that article if it kills me. Ethan helped him toward the road. Deal.
Um… They made it to the ridge just as sirens wailed in the distance, real sirens this time. FBI vehicles tore down the highway, red and blue lights flashing through the mist. Torres led the convoy, stepping out with her gun drawn as soon as she saw them.
Jesus Walker, she said, taking in the smoke behind them. You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you? Ethan exhaled. Not when trouble keeps finding me, Torres gestured to her agents.
Get these people to medics, and someone secure that drive before I lose another career. Jennifer handed it over reluctantly. It’s encrypted, but if they try to bury it, they won’t, Torres interrupted.
This time, the press is already watching. Walsh, your father’s name still carries weight, Henry smiled weakly. Guess I’m not obsolete after all, Torres turned to Ethan.
You did good, Walker. But this isn’t over. Whoever funded this operation is still out there.
Um… Ethan looked back at the burning remains of the cabin. His expression, hardening. Then we find them, Anna tugged on his sleeve.
Mr. E, does this mean the bad people lost? He knelt beside her, meeting her solemn gaze. Not yet, Anna. But they’re running out of places to hide.
As dawn broke over the ridge, the first sunlight in days filtered through the smoke. It glinted off the wet leaves, off the spent shell casings scattered across the ground, and off the drive now in Torres’s hands the proof of everything. For a long moment, no one spoke.
The fire burned behind them, consuming the lies that had nearly cost them their lives. Then Ethan said quietly, Let’s finish what we started. The morning after the attack broke like a long sigh, gray, heavy, and quiet.
The forest around the smoldering remains of Henry’s cabin was wrapped in fog, as if the earth itself wanted to hide the scars left behind. By noon, the FBI had finished securing the area, and Torres gathered Ethan, Jennifer, and the others at a makeshift command tent beside the highway. The drive’s intact, she said, eyes scanning the small group.
Our tech team confirmed the data’s authentic hundreds of documents, bank statements, offshore transfers, congressional correspondences. It’s enough to trigger federal indictments. Ellis nodded, though his face was grim.
Once this goes public, the system will eat its own. But don’t expect it to do so quietly. Torres folded her arms.
That’s why we’re coordinating the release. We go live at 8am tomorrow. Multiple outlets, simultaneous coverage.
By the time the first denial hits the airwaves, the truth will already be too wide to bury. Jennifer exhaled, the weight of months finally showing in her shoulders. And Henry? Torres glanced toward a nearby ambulance, where paramedics were stitching up his wound…
