Page 294 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

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Sharp.

Cutting.

The truth is sitting right there between us.

Ugly.

Real.

Behind me, I feel Aspen’s breath catch.

Feel her fear spike.

Not of the bad guys.

Of them.

Good.

She should be afraid.

Because I don’t trust a single one of them.

Not with this.

Not with her.

Not with any of it.

They knew what we would find.

The agent exhales slowly.

Then—

“Give me the box,” he says.

No more polite.

No more pretending.

There it is.

The command.

Final.

I don’t move.

“Take it,” he adds.

And just like that—

Everything stops.

The team shifts.

CIA agents tense.

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