Page 83 of Avenging Angel

“That’s fine by me,” Bennett says. “I’ve never been part of the CIA’s covert operations. I’m more of a desk jockey.”

“You’ll have to play soldier boy today,” I tell him. “If anyone other than our team, Eva, or Genevieve comes out of the tunnel, you can’t let them get away. That gun you carry may be what saves your life. Now go. We don’t have much time before the sun comes up, and remaining stealthy will become twice as difficult.”

For the next hour, we trek through the woods, covering three miles. The chatter is kept to a minimum except for the occasional position reports.

I find a spot on top of a berm 500 meters from the entrance of the mine, making it a perfect place from which to take a shot. I glance around for some waist-high vegetation that can be used as an added layer of cover, noting a pile of dead branches off to my right. That’s when I see it.

“Overwatch is in position, and I have visual on the electric ATV used in the getaway.” I go over and move some of the branches. “It has a portable battery charger attached.”

“Then we can assume that’s how he plans to make his escape,” Vinny says. The drone flies low under the canopy, hovers, turns, and then heads toward the ATV to get a closer look. “I can confirm that this is the same model of ATV used in the abduction of Genevieve.”

“The only way he can get away is to go through me,” I say.

The sun is now well above the horizon, and I haven’t moved an inch in almost four hours. There’s been no sign of anyone here, only a herd of deer moseying about their business.

Using the scope to keep my eyes and attention zeroed in on the entrance to the mine, I make slight sight adjustments on my rifle for changes in windage. If I had a flag, it would make things a lot easier. Instead, I’m forced to use objects in nature like leaves and blades of grass. Luckily, I’ve been doing this long enough that it doesn’t pose a problem.

I know my team is out there, no more than 100 meters apart now, but like me, they’re remaining still. Even Bennett is hard to spot, though he’s not remaining quiet as Roger gives us updated information as it comes in.

The last update was an hour ago when Roger informed us that Jerry had landed in Colorado Springs. Now he has another one for us. “Director Finnegan has spoken to CIA Director Ludlow after a very lengthy and private Q&A session.”

Bennett snorts. “Let me guess: he claimed he had no knowledge of Dominion Atrix Group or that his wife was one of the missing girls.”

“That’s correct,” Roger tells us. “Abigail Calvert disappeared from a religious organization by the name of TRUST the same year Sadie Alekseev went missing. Abigail was deemed a runaway, so a formal investigation was never launched. There was nothing to connect her to the National Park Kidnapper because the profile didn’t match, and no reason for anyone to suspect that Chelsea Ludlow had a former identity.”

“And what does Chelsea have to say?” I ask.

“We’ll know once they find her and take her in for questioning, then confirm through DNA testing that they are the same person. We still have Director Ludlow’s full cooperation in this matter.”

A few more minutes pass before I notice movement through my scope. “We have company.”

Sure enough, Brad Callahan walks out of the tunnel and checks his watch. Then he yells to no one in particular, “You sent me a text with cloak-and-dagger instructions and then don’t even bother to show! I did what you wanted; now give me what you promised!”

Owen takes over as the one person here who can make the arrest. “Daisy, prepare to fire if he makes a run for it. Bennett, watch Daisy’s six. The rest of you, move in.”

“Hands up!” Jaxon demands as the first to emerge from the treeline.

Brad does as he’s told, but does so with a confused expression on his face. “Is this some kind of joke?”

Owen cuffs him and begins reading him his Miranda rights. “You have the right to remain silent….”

“I know that I’m on private property and trespassing, but I’ll pay the fine. Is it really worth arresting me over?”

“We’re arresting you for the abduction of Genevieve Fowler,” Jaxon tells him.

Owen continues, “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law….”

“Genevieve who? What are you talking about? I’ve been waiting to meet someone for the past twelve hours. Look, you can see inside the tunnel for yourself. My stuff is only about a quarter of a mile inside,” Brad pleads. “I’ll show you!”

“Be careful,” I tell the team. “Watch for wires or booby traps.”

“Copy,” Faith says.

One by one, the team disappears inside the tunnel, Owen and Brad leading the way. The comms become garbled the further they get from the entrance.

The drone hovers near the entrance as Vinny says, “They’ve turned a corner, and I’ve lost visual.”

I watch in horror as a series of detonations outside the mine trigger a rockslide above the entrance, burying the drone in the process.