Page 114 of Twilight Tactics

His phone buzzed. He had service? Lindy Grace must have been able to do what he asked. “Sullivan.”

“Martinez. Second location is clear. No sign of her.”

Sully’s heart sank. “Copy that. Regroup at my location.”

He ended the call and turned to his agents. “We need to—”

The radio on his belt crackled. “Agent Sullivan, this is Agent Brooks at the mine entrance. We’ve got movement inside. Someone’s coming out.”

“Is it Thompson?”

“Negative. Looks like three armed males. They’re talking about ‘the woman’ escaping through some kind of trapdoor that leads to an old logging road. We will neutralize them on your command.”

A logging road. All righty then. “Detain them and get the exact location of that door.” Sully turned to Cooper and Ramirez. “Back to the vehicle. Now.”

They sprinted back to their SUV. If Elena had escaped onto a logging road, she could be miles from any of the convenience stores they’d identified.

His phone buzzed as they reached the vehicle. “Sullivan.”

“Brooks again. We’ve got the location. There’s an oldlogging road that connects to Forest Service Road 25, about three miles from the mine entrance.”

“Send the coordinates.” Sully climbed into the driver’s seat. “And get search teams there immediately.” The coordinates appeared on his phone. Cooper punched them into the GPS while Sully threw the SUV into drive.

The vehicle bounced over the rough terrain, headlights cutting through the darkness. He gripped the wheel harder, every muscle tense.Hang on, Elena, we’re coming.

“Sir,” Ramirez said from the back seat, “tactical reports they’ve secured the compound. Multiple arrests in progress.”

“Any sign of the girl from the cell? Maria?”

“She’s safe. Being transported to medical now.”

At least that was something. “What about a woman named Iris? Iris Higgins.”

“Hold on.” Seconds passed, then a minute. “Negative on a woman named Iris Higgins.”

Sully pressed harder on the accelerator as they hit a paved road. The GPS indicated they were still minutes from the logging road.

“All units,” Sully called over the radio. “We’re looking for a woman on foot along Forest Service Road 25 or the logging road. Approach with caution. Hostile forces may be in pursuit.”

Acknowledgments came back from the various teams. Sully checked his watch again. How long had Elena been out there? How far could she have traveled on foot? She was in good shape, so if she was moving fast, quite a ways?

The SUV’s headlights illuminated a sign: ForestServiceRoad25 – 1 Mile. “Keep your eyes open,” Sully ordered as he turned onto FSR 25. “She could be anywhere along here.”

They drove slowly, scanning both sides of the road with their flashlights. The forest pressed in close. Cooper pointed to a narrow dirt road branching off to the right at the sametime the GPS notified them of a turn. “There. That looks like it could be the logging road.”

“Sir, look.” Ramirez pointed ahead. “Tire tracks.”

Sully braked as he approached. Fresh tracks cut onto the seasonal road through the snow, packing it down. He made the turn, and the SUV’s suspension groaned as they bounced over ruts and potholes.

“Multiple vehicles,” Cooper noted. “Recent.”

The preppers. Had to be. “Radio all units,” Sully said. “We’ve got evidence of pursuit vehicles on that logging road off FSR 25.”

They continued forward, following the tracks. The road curved and began to descend into a valley. Sully slowed even more, careful not to miss anything in the darkness.

His radio crackled. “Sully, this is Sheriff Donovan. We’ve found something at a little mom-and-pop market that wasn’t on our radar.”

“Go ahead.”