CHRISTOPHER
Christopher and Logan had parked the truck a quarter mile from the cabin, approaching on foot through the dense woods, in the kind of silence that came from years of tactical training. The night was cool, and Christopher could hear every sound around them. An owl hooting somewhere overhead. The rustle of small animals in the underbrush. His own controlled breathing and Logan’s beside him.
Through the trees ahead, he could see the cabin, a single light glowing in one of the windows. His phone showed the tracker dot was now stationary, right where the cabin should be. Todd had stopped moving. This was it.
Christopher signaled Logan to circle around to the back of the cabin. They needed to confirm the girls were inside before making their move, and they needed to approach from two directions to cut off any escape routes.
Logan nodded and disappeared into the trees, moving with the practiced stealth of his old Army Ranger training.
Christopher crept up to the front window, his movements careful and deliberate. He pressed himself against the side of the cabin and peered in through the dusty glass.
Relief flooded through him so powerfully that it nearly made him dizzy.
Maddy and Trinity were sitting on a sofa in what looked like the main room. Alive. They appeared unharmed from what he could see, though both looked scared. Todd was pacing in a small kitchen area, his phone pressed to his ear.
The girls spotted Christopher at almost the same moment he saw them. To their credit, they didn’t react obviously. No gasps, no pointing, nothing to alert Todd. They just made eye contact with him, and Christopher saw the relief flood their young faces.
Good girls.Smart girls.
He put his finger to his lips, signaling silence. Then he made a series of hand gestures that Trinity, at least, would understand from growing up around military personnel.Hide. Take cover. Stay down.
Both girls nodded their understanding. He watched as Maddy called out something to Todd about needing the bathroom. Todd barely paid attention, just waved them off without looking. The girls moved quickly down a hallway, and Christopher heard a door close and lock.
Perfect. They were as safe as they could be for the moment.
His phone vibrated softly. A text from Logan:In position. The back door is accessible. Waiting on your signal.
Christopher texted back quickly:On three. Front and back simultaneously. Secure the suspect. The girls are in the bathroom down the hall.
He moved to the front door and tested it gently. Locked, but it was an old lock. Not much security. He could kick it in easily enough.
Christopher counted silently in his head.One. Two. Three.
He kicked the door just beside the lock with such force that the wood splintered around the old mechanism, and the door crashed inward.
“Get on the ground!” Christopher shouted, his weapon drawn and trained on Todd.
Simultaneously, Logan crashed through the back door with a sound like thunder. Todd spun between them, trapped, his face going from angry to shocked to terrified in the space of a heartbeat.
He reached for something in his pocket, and Christopher didn’t hesitate. He closed the distance in three long strides and took Todd down hard, slamming him face-first into the floor. Todd grunted as the air left his lungs.
“Hands behind your back,” Christopher ordered, his knee in Todd’s back, keeping him pinned.
Logan tossed Christopher a set of zip ties, and Christopher secured Todd’s hands behind his back with practiced efficiency. Todd was yelling now, cursing, threatening legal action, but Christopher ignored him completely.
“You have the right to remain silent,” Christopher said flatly. “I strongly suggest you use it.”
With Todd secured, Christopher stood and turned toward the hallway. “Maddy! Trinity! It’s Christopher! You can come out now! It’s safe!”
He heard the bathroom door unlock, and then two faces peeked cautiously around the corner. When they saw Todd on the floor and Christopher standing there, both girls came running down the hallway.
They threw themselves at him, and Christopher caught them both, going down on one knee so he could holdthem properly. His heart was pounding, adrenaline still flooding his system, but he forced himself to be gentle as he checked them over.
“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” His hands moved quickly, checking for injuries, looking for any signs that Todd had harmed them.
Both girls shook their heads. “We’re fine,” Trinity said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. “We knew you’d come.”
Maddy nodded, tears streaming down her face now that the danger was over. “You’re our hero.” She glanced up. “You too, Logan. Our heroes.”
