Page 27 of Property of Mercury

As the engines warm up, I walk over to the cabinet and grab the walkies we use when we’re out on the prowl. Boötes comes strolling through the sliding doors, out of breath and bending over. He holds his hand up letting us know he needs a minute. When he stands back up, he says, “Hercules sent me to catch you before you leave to find out if you were taking those.”

“We are, we were about to bring you guys a couple so we could keep in touch in case we run into trouble or it comes pounding on the door,” I explain.

“Did you run here?” Gemini asks.

“I did. I was worried you’d leave before I got here,” he states.

“We need to get better at communicating,” I add. “We’re so used to doing everything just the four of us that we don’t think about our team.”

“It’s new for all of us,” Boötes replies. “We’re not offended if that’s a concern.”

“It is and we’ll figure out a way to improve how we relay information at the next church,” I tell him, eager to get out there and see if we find anything.

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

Mercury

We kick the ATVs into gear, the machines spitting gravel as we peel out of the barn. The forest swallows us whole within minutes.

These mountains are unforgiving, with sheer drops and thick, knotted pine that hides everything from view.

We ride in a loose formation, eyes darting over every shadow, searching for anything that looks out of place.

“Stay alert,” Gemini shouts over the steady rumble of his quad. “If they’re using these woods, they aren’t going to make it easy for us to find them.”

Orion falls in beside me, his gaze fixed on a cluster of heavy brush to our left. “You really think they’d be stupid enough to park a blind right on the ridge?”

“These sickos think they’re untouchable,” I reply, my grip tightening on the handlebars. “Arrogance is their biggest weakness.”

We snake through a narrow ravine, the air getting cooler as the sun dips behind the jagged peaks. Adrenaline and unadulterated rage surge within me, making my heart hammer violently against my ribs.

Every snapping twig sends a jolt of electricity through my veins.

“Hold up,” Pisces signals, killing his engine.

The sudden silence is deafening. I cut my ATV off, and the only sound left is the distant chattering of birds. Pisces points to a tangle of branches about fifty yards up the slope. It looks like a pile of debris, but something about the way the logs are stacked seems deliberate, almost like a wall.

I dismount, my boots silent on the carpet of pine needles. I creep toward the stack, heart thudding in my ears. As I get closer, I realize it’s a camouflage screen, expertly woven into the surrounding foliage. I peel back a layer of brush, and my blood runs cold. A dark, gaping hole stares back at me.

A hidden cellar door, buried right in the side of the mountain. Thankfully, this side of the mountain isn’t Blackfeet tribal land. Otherwise, we could lose any hope we have of joining forces with them.

“Gemini, get up here,” I whisper, my voice thick with dread. “I think we found their first nest.”

Gemini steps off his quad, boots crunching on the hard ground. He moves with a predatory grace that makes the hair on my arms stand up. He kneels beside me and inspects the seal. It is heavy steel, painted to match the surrounding rock. It is not something a weekend camper throws together.

“This is not a simple supply cache,” Gemini says, his jaw tight. “Look at the padlock.”

He points to a massive chain wrapped around the handle. It is rusted, but fresh scratches mar the surface. Someone has been here recently.

“You think they are inside?” Orion asks, his voice low. He is standing behind us, his hand resting on the knife at his hip.

“Only one way to find out,” I say, though my gut tells me to keep it sealed. “But if they’re inside, that means someone else is out there because they sure as fuck can’t lock themselves in.”

Gemini shakes his head and stands up, signaling for us to fan out. “No. We don't touch it yet. If they’re in there, they’ll hear us coming a mile away. By the time we find who else is out there, they’ll be long gone since we have to be careful in this terrain with the drop offs. We need to scout the perimeter. If there is one hole in this mountain, there is likely another.”

Pisces nods, his eyes scanning the ridgeline. “I’ll take the high ground. See if I can spot any trails leading in or out.”