Page 133 of Silent Shadows

That lands harder than I intend.

I look at each of them in turn. Taylor. Maya. Jax. Owen.

Daisy. Especially Daisy.

“We don’t post locations. We don’t mention route details on comms unless necessary. We leave decoy camera cases on the east trail and enter the drainage from the south switchback instead of the north access.”

Taylor leans over the map. “That adds two miles.”

“It also keeps us below the ridge.”

“And pushes us through the muddiest section.”

“Yes.”

Jax closes his eyes. “I would like to file a formal complaint with the manager.”

“Denied,” Maya says.

Owen studies the route. “It’s ugly.”

“It works.”

“It might.”

From Owen, that is practically a standing ovation.

Daisy steps closer, looking down at the map. “And if Grant’s team is already there?”

My jaw tightens.

“Then we document what we can and leave.”

Taylor lifts her brows. “We leave?”

“If they’re hostile, yes.”

“No offense,” Jax says, “but you do know we are actively hunting a giant forest beast, right? Hostile, insecure men feel manageable in comparison.”

“No one is manageable if they’re desperate.”

The room settles again.

Because we all heard it. Whatever it takes.

Daisy’s face changes slightly.

Not fear.

Awareness.

I hate it. I hate that she has to understand what he meant.

I hate that she’s here because she wanted a story and now that she really has one, it means her safety is compromised.

“We move in twenty,” I say.

The mud is worse than expected.