Page 90 of Twilight Tactics

“No,” Iris whispered. “I’m choosing to survive. Foryou. Even if it means you hate me.”

And with that, she turned and walked the rest of the path alone, disappearing into the dark between floodlights.

Eleanor didn’t follow.

She stood in the cold, heart pounding, feeling something inside her quietly tear away—not completely, not yet, but enough.

The beginning of distance.

The first real fracture between them.

The moment Iris had begun to disappear—not all at once, but piece by piece.

Looking out over the ranch, Elena wiped the tears from her cheeks. Realization hit her. Hard. She’d wanted to leave the compound because she hated it. Hated the life. Hated everything about it—except for her family. But she’d been afraid if she stayed, she’d come to hate them too. And even then, as ateen, she must have realized if she left, maybe Iris—without the need to protect her baby sister—wouldn’t turn into one ofthem.

The self-aware moment had shocked her, and it had taken her days to process it.

And now she had to process it again, all the while wondering if she’d done the right thing. She walked across the yard and headed to the barn, only to stop as a young girl approached on horseback and talked to the guard, who then searched her and the horse. She didn’t recognize her, but the prepper logo-less hat sat on her head. She was thin, with dark hair pulled back in a messy braid, maybe fourteen or fifteen years old, and she sat the horse with confidence.

The guard spotted Elena and waved her over. Elena headed his way. “What is it?”

“She said she’s looking for you.”

“Me?”

“If you’re Eleanor Higgins—or Elena Thompson.”

“That’s me.” Elena stepped forward, noting the clothes—practical layers that looked handmade. Prepper clothes. Her stomach tightened at the memory of how much she’d hated them.

Under the guard’s watchful gaze, the girl reached into her jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “This is from your father.”

Elena froze. Her father? “So he’s still living there?”

“Yeah. He said it’s important.” The girl extended her arm, the paper pinched between her fingers.

Elena took the note. “Who are you?”

“Just a messenger.” The girl glanced around nervously. “I need to go before they notice I’m gone. He told me he’d make sure my brother got medical care if I came and delivered this, but no one could know. I delivered it, now I have to hurry.”

“Wait—”

But the girl had already turned her horse, nudging it into a trot away from the gate.

Elena unfolded the paper, recognizing her father’s handwriting. The sight of it transported her back to childhood lessons at the kitchen table, his patient corrections on her math worksheets.

Eleanor—or should I say Elena,

I’m sorry I’ve waited so long to reach out, but I had my reasons not to. I hope you can understand that one day. Things have changed here and not for the better. Your mother and I were happy in the beginning, but once we moved here, she was adamant that LaRoche was building a cult, not a peaceful prepper community. I’ve come to realize she was right—much too late. All that aside, the time has come to let you know that your sister needs your help. She wants out, but can’t leave on her own. Maybe it’s not too late for me either. Meet us at the old gathering place at sunset today. Come alone. Anyone else will spook the others, and we won’t get another chance. This might be our only opportunity for reconciliation.

Dad

Elena read it twice more. Her father wanted to see her. Iris wanted out.Theywanted out. After all these years of silence, of wondering if they even thought about her anymore, she had the chance to help them escape.

She folded the note and slipped it into her pocket, glancing at her phone. Still no signal, but at least it let her know the time. She had a few hours until sunset. Enough time to prepare and make the journey without rushing Harley.

Elena headed to the barn to grab her backpack, then hurried to her apartment, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She shouldtell someone where she was going. Sully would insist on coming with her or sending backup. But the note was clear—come alone or risk everything.

What if this was her only chance to help Iris? To see her father again?