Chapter 12 - THE CLIMB
They escaped through the rear of the ranger station as Knox’s men entered from the front.
Rachel stayed with the injured Marcus in a hidden cellar.
“You trust him?” Eli asked.
“No,” Daniel said.
“You trust Aunt Rachel?”
“With my life.”
The climb toward the relay tower was brutal.
Rain turned the mountain trail into mud.
Harlan’s breathing grew heavy.
Daniel’s injured arm slowed him.
Eli kept moving.
The memory chip sat in a waterproof pouch around his neck.
This time, there was no tracker.
Below them, flashlights cut through the forest.
“They’re gaining,” Harlan said.
Daniel looked up.
“Half mile.”
A shot cracked.
Eli ducked.
“They can see us.”
“Not for long.”
Fog rolled across the ridge.
Daniel pulled them into it.
For several minutes they moved almost blind.
Then the relay station appeared.
A concrete bunker beneath a steel tower.
Daniel forced open the door.
Inside, old communications equipment lined the walls.
Harlan checked the power.
“Dead.”
Eli pointed toward an emergency generator.
Daniel tried it.
Nothing.
“Fuel line’s dry.”
Harlan cursed.
Eli looked around.
“Can we bypass it?”
Daniel stared at him.
“What?”
“You always tell me electricity is electricity.”
“That’s not exactly what I said.”
Harlan opened an equipment cabinet.
“Battery bank.”
Daniel smiled.
“Dad?”
“I was an engineer before people started giving me stars.”
Together they rigged enough power to wake the transmitter.
The monitor flickered.
SIGNAL AVAILABLE.
Eli inserted the chip.
UPLOAD: 1%.
Outside, footsteps approached.
Daniel checked the rifle.
“How long?”
Harlan watched the screen.
“Too long.”
10%.
Daniel moved toward the door.
Eli grabbed his sleeve.
“Dad.”
Daniel looked back.
“You said you left because you wanted me safe.”
“I did.”
“Stop leaving.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“I’m not leaving.”
“You’re walking outside with a rifle.”
“I’m buying time.”
“That sounds like leaving with extra words.”
Harlan looked away.
Daniel crouched in front of Eli.
“Listen to me.”
“No.”
“Eli.”
“No. Mom left in an ambulance. You left in the middle of the night. Luis stayed behind in a tunnel. Everybody keeps protecting me by disappearing.”
Daniel had no answer.
Eli’s voice cracked.
“I’m tired of being the person everyone leaves.”
Daniel pulled him into a hug.
“I’m coming back.”
“You promise?”
Daniel hesitated.
Eli felt it.
“Don’t lie to me.”
Daniel whispered, “Then I promise I’ll fight like hell to come back.”
45%.
Gunfire hit the concrete wall.
Daniel moved outside.
Harlan took a firing position at the window.
Eli watched the screen.
58%.
More gunfire.
Daniel shouted from outside.
“Three left!”
Harlan fired.
“One now!”
74%.
Then everything went silent.
Too silent.
Eli looked toward the door.
“Dad?”
No answer.
83%.
“Dad!”
A shadow moved outside.
Then Adrian Knox walked through the doorway.
He held a pistol against Daniel’s neck.
Daniel’s rifle was gone.
May you like
Knox smiled at Eli.
“Hello, grandson.”
