"Am I?" The voice sounds amused. "Check your eastern ridge camera. The one you installed two days ago to cover the blind spot. The one Boone Garrett identified."
Sully's fingers fly across his keyboard. The tactical display shifts to show the camera feed from the eastern ridge.
It's black. Dead.
"That camera was hardwired," Sully says, his voice tight. "Someone had to physically cut the line."
"Someone did." The voice on the phone is smug. "About three minutes ago. Your perimeter isn't as secure as you think, gentlemen. And your window is closing."
The line goes dead.
For a moment, no one moves.
Then Deck is issuing orders, rapid fire. "Wolfe, report. What do you see from your position?"
The radio crackles. "Movement in the tree line. Eastern approach. At least four, maybe more. They're using the terrain for cover."
"They're coming here." I'm already moving toward the door. "They're not waiting for us to bring her to them. They're coming to take her."
"Boone, wait?—"
I don't wait.
I'm out the door and running, my boots pounding against the frozen ground. Mara's cabin is two hundred meters away. I can see it through the trees, warm light spilling from the windows.
Cade is on the porch, weapon drawn, scanning the tree line.
"Report," I bark as I reach him.
"Quiet so far. But I heard the call. They're really coming?"
"Eastern approach. We need to move her now."
I push past him into the cabin. Mara is on the couch, laptop open, probably trying to work despite everything. She looks up when I enter, and her expression shifts from surprise to concern.
"Boone? What's wrong?"
"We need to go." I grab her arm, pulling her to her feet. "Now."
"Go where? What's happening?"
"They're here. Coming through the eastern ridge." I'm already steering her toward the door. "The plan's changed. We're extracting you to the backup location."
"The backup location?" She plants her feet, resisting my pull. "Boone, stop. Talk to me."
"There's no time?—"
"Make time." Her voice is sharp. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."
I force myself to stop. Breathe. Look at her.
"They knew about our security. About the camera installation. About you being here. They've been planning this for longer than we realized, and now they're coming through the perimeter."
Her face pales. "How is that possible?"
"I don't know yet. But right now, the only thing that matters is getting you somewhere safe."
"And you? What happens to you?"
