"They took her," I bite out. "Someone hit me with a tranquilizer dart. I woke up in the snow. Greta’s gone."
His end goes quiet. Dead serious. "You okay?"
"I’m upright. I’m breathing. But she’s not here. And I don’t know how long it’s been."
"I’m mobilizing. Sending units now. Sit tight."
"I’m not sitting. I’m hunting."
Next call is Micah.
"Nate," he says immediately. "What the hell happened?"
"They hit me. Took Greta. From the cabin. While I was outside."
"Jesus."
"I need eyes," I growl. "Pull street cams. Gas stations. Traffic feeds. See if any vans or cars left the ridge in the last hour."
"On it. I’m getting Hale on the line. We’ll start triangulating and see what chatter’s popped up. You said dart? That means planning. Coordination. Not just some creep acting alone."
"Travis," I snarl. "It has to be him."
"You said he’s got three buddies? You said he’s manipulative, right? Good at pulling strings?"
"Yeah. But this is new. He’s escalating."
"Then so are we," Micah says. "Sit tight, brother. We’re going to get her back."
I end the call and slam my fist into the wall. Pain rips through my knuckles, but I don’t care.
I head to the closet and drag out the duffel bag I hoped I’d never need again. Inside: everything I didn’t want her to see. The gear I kept locked away in case the past ever came knocking.
Kevlar. Sidearm. Extra mags. A backup burner phone.
I load the Glock with clean, efficient movements. My hands are steady now. Rage has replaced the tremble.
I check the perimeter again. Find faint tracks near the edge of the property—too faint to follow far in this snow. They planned it well. Waited for the moment I was alone. Knew how to take me out without leaving a trace.
That means they’ve been watching us.
They’ve been close.
I dial Micah again.
"Anything?"
"We’ve got something. Gas station camera picked up a black SUV heading north out of town ten minutes ago. Matches the make you described last week. No plates."
"North?"
"Yeah. Remote stretch. Old logging road. Hale’s checking maps now."
"I’m going. Text me coordinates."
"Tom’s mobilizing local units to intercept if they can. But Nate?—"
"Yeah?"
