Her bare back was exposed, the sheet wrapped around her from the waist down. She lay on her stomach, her left arm bent, her palm down, her thumb touching her perfect nose. The only light was coming from her bathroom, the door cracked just enough for me to avoid tripping over something and waking her. I tried to memorize every freckle, every curve of her body in that position, her eyes closed, the corner of her mouth slightly turned up from a good dream. It was the second night I’d spent in her room, and I wasn’t looking forward to returning to sleeping in my room Sunday nights through Thursdays.
Although I’d spent most of our time alone pleasing her, I was determined to wait until we had a chance to get tested before we went any further. I didn’t trust my willpower enough to have nothing between us. Our opposite work schedules would help a little, not that I was happy about it.
Darby had Fridays and Saturdays off, but she had to work doubles until Stavros hired someone new for Tilde’s three-to-eleven shift. Those were the only two days where she wasn’t at work when I was getting off work, sleeping, or leaving for work. I spent dinner and a few late-night hours with her when she wasn’t busy. I’d encouraged Stavros more than once to get someone hired as soon as possible.
I slipped out into the hall, walking down the hallway to the lobby.
“Morning,” Stavros said from behind the checkout desk. “That’s twice in a row you’ve come from down the hall and not the elevator.”
“Mind your business,” I said as I passed. “You have one week to get someone hired and get Darby off doubles.”
“She won’t quit.”
“No, but I’ll steal her. I think I’ve found a place.”
“Don’t you dare!” Stavros called.
“One week!”
I jogged out to the parking lot, in a rush because I’d spent too much time lying awake with Darby, then watching her sleep before I left. It was still dark, the crickets and frogs still wailing. There was nothing I hated more than leaving her alone in that bed. It made it hard to leave for work, to enjoy my job, even though my team made it bearable.
Naomi skidded into her parking spot, Harbinger and Kitsch next. Just before we’d decided to walk in and clock in, Martinez parked, followed by Sloan.
“You’re late,” I barked to the last two.
“We’re not late! We’ve still got ten minutes!” Sloan said.
“That’s late!” Kitsch said.
We reported, and then I gave assignments. I wanted to check the perimeter again. It seemed after the weekend, we always found weird shit near a group of residual boulders near the fence line. The rumors ranged from satanic rituals at the base of the mountain to gang activity. We found dismembered rabbits and fire pits with burn marks that somehow never showed up on the security cameras, but today there was nothing. Harbinger and Kitsch had a bet going, and I’d hoped Harbinger’s thought that it was just bored kids would win. Naomi and I went down Echo to bother the Deep Echo security. They’d gotten to where they’d turn on the light and sound the warning horn before we reached the door.
“Don’t you wonder what they’re guarding down there?” Naomi asked, walking with me toward the chow hall.
“Aliens, probably.”
Naomi laughed once, and then her eyes grew wide. “You’re serious.”
“Completely.”
“Wow. I thought I knew you.”
We stopped at our lockers before heading to the chow hall. It was Italian day, and Naomi was overly excited about the Make-Your-Own-Pasta-Bowl option. As soon as we pushed through the orange double swinging doors, the smell of oregano, basil, and tomato hit our noses, and we breathed it in. Naomi grinned wider each time she added an ingredient to her pasta.
We sat, waiting for the rest of the team. Martinez and Sloan pushed through the doors, barely acknowledging us before making a beeline to the noodle buffet.
“You’ve been smiling a lot today,” Naomi said. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Things going well with Darby?”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Oh?”
“I told her I loved her the other night. She hasn’t said it back, and I don’t even care. She’s everything I thought she would be.”
Sloan and Martinez sat, followed closely by Harbinger and Kitsch.
“Already? You said the L-word already?” Naomi said in disgust. She wiped her face with her napkin and threw the wadded white paper to the table. “Right after you told her the truth, I hope?”
“Most of the truth,” I clarified. “She knows I was a federal agent.”
“Wow,” Harbinger said. “How did she take it?”
“Amazingly well,” I said. “I’m telling you, she’s the one.”
We were nearly alone in the far corner of the large room, a dozen rows of long tables, and chairs that squeaked against the linoleum floor every time we moved, echoing to remind us we were deep underground. The low hums of the men and women who worked in the kitchen were the only competing noise to our forks scraping against the plates.
“How is she not running away screaming?” Martinez said with a smirk.
“All right, that’s enough,” Kitsch said.
“I’ve never seen you like this,” Naomi said. “You’ve been smiling for days.”
I shrugged. “I’m in love, what can I say?”
The team traded glances, not sure what to say next. I couldn’t blame them. They were used to seeing me brood. Seeing me grinning like an idiot and talking about love must have been jarring.
“How do you know?” Sloan asked.
“Because now that I’ve found her, I never want to know what it’s like to be without her.”
“Hey,” Martinez said, exchanging pushing me for hooking his arm around my neck. “We’re happy for you, man.”
“You know, I remember you talking about her a couple of years ago,” Kitsch said. “On our last deployment. It’s cool that you’ve finally met her. I know you didn’t actually mean Darby, but that you feel like you’ve met that one person out there for you.”
Everyone nodded, and Sloan slapped my shoulder. “Perfect timing, now that we’re all settled.”
The double doors swung open, and Senator Bennett came in. He loosened his tie, sweat glistening on his forehead. Being underground, we didn’t have an air-conditioning unit, but that was because there was no need. We were too deep for the sun to warm the air. “I just heard about what guys walking the perimeter found the other day. Why the hell wasn’t I informed?”
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and sat up tall. “Uh, I apologize, sir. You’re not in the chain of command, and I—”
“The hell if I’m not. I run this goddamn facility. I should be the first to know if there’s a bunch of sacrificed animals found on the property.” He glanced at Naomi. Unsettled.
I cleared my throat. “My apologies, sir. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened since. We think it was one of the lab rats or maybe one of the flyboys playing a prank.”
“You’re sure?” Bennett said.
“What else could it be?” Naomi asked, eyeing Bennett.
“I came here to ask you that question. I want anything else suspicious reported to me immediately.” Bennett swiped a napkin off the table and dabbed his brow. He glared at me. “Naomi, bring me a full report in an hour.”
“There is no report, sir,” I said before Naomi could respond.
“I’m sorry, Trexler. I misheard you. It sounded as if you didn’t complete an official report of suspicious activity near a top-secret government facility,” Senator Bennett said. “When you’re the goddamn head of security!” he yelled.
“The general was very specific,” I said.
“Peter, why are you so nervous about this? What’s up?” Naomi asked.
“If this gets out, the media will be all over it.”
“Over a few dead animals?” Naomi asked.
“There’s been an underlying fear in Colorado Springs of the cult activity around this mountain for decades. You know a girl was found murdered not three miles from here fifteen years ago? They’re still doing stories about her on the six o’clock news! How the fuck am I supposed to explain the no-fly zone to news helicopters? It’s a goddamn PR nightmare.” He straightened his tie and then loosened it again. “It’s bad enough with the fires. We have to warn off news choppers every day.”
“This mountain houses NORAD, sir,” I said. “This is a restricted airspace. With all due respect, you don’t have to explain shit.”
Bennett resituated his tie and walked away. He looked back, pointing me out to Saunders, who was standing at attention by the door. “I like him. Make sure he stays put.”
“I’ll tell the general, sir.”
We all relaxed once the last man had followed Senator Bennett.
“Jesus Christ, that’s not normal,” Harbinger said. “Surely he’s not that uptight about a little conspiracy-theory press.”
“He’s young and he was put on the committee for this facility because of who his dad is,” Naomi said. “He doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. Not yet.”
Everyone stared at her.
She held up her hands. “It’s just a guess.”
“Sure,” Martinez teased.
Naomi grabbed her fork and stabbed it into the table centimeters from Martinez’s hand. He stared at the fork, wide-eyed.
Sloan chuckled. “Haven’t you learned yet?”
“We were talking about Trexler’s love life, not mine,” she said. I frowned. “Aw, c’mon. Did you lose your sense of humor when you moved here?” Naomi said, nudging my arm.
“Did he ever have one?” Martinez asked.
“When do we get to meet her?” Sloan asked.
“Never,” I said.
The team complained, quickly shushed by Kitsch.
“I haven’t told her I’m a Marine. She can’t know. Not yet.”
Naomi frowned.
“I’m going to tell her. I just need her to get to know me first so she knows I’m nothing like him.”
“Like who?”
“Her ex, Shawn. He was a real bastard. He hurt her. She’s said on several occasions she wouldn’t date a military guy, and I don’t—” Naomi kicked me. “Ow! Fuck!”
“Trex,” Naomi snapped. “You continue to keep shit from her and she won’t just accept that you can’t tell her the details of your job. And if she figures it out, she’s a threat to national security.”
Martinez pointed to Harbinger. “What do you tell your wife?”
Harbinger shrugged. “Just that I got new orders. She doesn’t ask. I’m not missing soccer games or birthdays anymore…that’s all she cares about.”
Sloan pointed at Harbinger. “See?”
“This is still new, Sloan. I’m not fucking it up to introduce her to you heathens.”
“Heathens? Now I’m offended,” Kitsch said, unable to keep a straight face.
A group of whitecoats pushed through the doors, Drs. Philpot and DuPont among them. The group eagerly moved toward the noodle buffet. As far as we knew, they’d all just spent the past months in Deep Echo. They looked pale and tired, but excited to venture out.
Dr. Philpot rubbed his hands together while he pointed out ingredients to the cook, and then chatted with another man in a white lab coat twice his size. Philpot had to stand back several steps just to avoid cranking his neck back. One by one, they took their trays and sat at the table behind me.
Naomi was eyeing them, chewing her food at the same time. “What?” she said finally.
I turned to see Dr. DuPont smiling at her.
“Isn’t it interesting,” Dr. DuPont began, “that there are thirty tables in this cafeteria, and Dr. Cohen—the first of us to get his tray and sit—chose to sit at the table next to yours? Humans inherently fear loneliness. We crave belonging, whether we realize it or not.”
“It ain’t because we smell good,” Sloan said. The team chuckled, but Dr. DuPont’s small, creepy smile didn’t change.
“You’re looking a bit tired, Dr. DuPont. We haven’t seen you in a few weeks. Where have you been?” Harbinger asked.
“Deep Echo,” Philpot said, chowing down on his bowl of noodles.
“Have you been sleeping down there?” Naomi asked.
“We do when there’s a lot of work to be done,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Not that it’s necessarily voluntary,” the tall doctor grumbled.
“Trex, meet Dr. Andrew Cohen. He’s our biophysicist.”
“Biophysicist?” Martinez asked. “Why the hell does the mountain need a biophysicist? I guess that’s classified, too?”
“Yes,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Are there some kind of crazy-ass experiments on people happening down there? Aliens?” Martinez asked.
“All classified,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Horseshit,” Sloan said, gaining Dr. Philpot’s attention.
“Be glad you don’t know,” Dr. Philpot said. “In the mountain, ignorance truly is bliss.”
“At least you have the knowledge to make an informed decision whether you want to be working for this outfit or not,” Harbinger said, unhappy.
“No, you’re wrong,” Dr. Cohen said. “Knowledge here takes away decision.”
“Well that’s just creepy as all hell,” Martinez said.
“All right.” I stood. “Break’s over, let’s reconvene in our quarters.”
My team followed me out, across and down the hall to our locker room. I sat on the center bench, typing out a message to Darby that would never reach her since she didn’t have a phone.
“That’s so…creepy,” Naomi said.
“Mind your business, then,” I said.
“Why don’t you just get her a phone?” Sloan asked. “Girls like that stuff, don’t they?”
“I’ve asked. She likes not having one. Shawn freaked out if she didn’t pick up on the first ring or text back immediately. I can’t blame her, but now…I have to figure out a way to get her one. I’m looking at a house soon. It’ll be easy to wire security cameras and an alarm system. Panic buttons. It’s a mile and a half from a police station. If I could get her there, she’d be safe around the clock.”
“Not sure about the house, but maybe if she knew all you wanted it for was to write her love notes on the phone, she’d go for it,” Naomi teased.
My radio scratched, and Saunders came over the speaker. “Trex, report to the control room with your team immediately.”
“Copy that,” I said, gesturing for the team to roll out.
Saunders was standing in front of the entrance when we arrived. He escorted us across the room to the exterior monitors. “The fire is within ten miles of the Complex.”
“So? The irrigation systems and the Complex fire department can handle it. We can bring all personnel and equipment inside,” I said. “We should get started.”
“The winds aren’t in our favor, and…” He pointed to a section a few miles out from the outer fences. “There’s a small group of wildfire fighters who are getting closer to our outer perimeter. They’ve been instructed to save the Complex. But if the winds change…they’re fucked.”
“The Alpines are out there today. Did they happen to say it was them?” I asked.
“No, they didn’t say,” Saunders said.
“We should get out there. Keep eyes out, maybe be ready for a quick evac,” Naomi said.
“You’re not trained for that,” Saunders said.
“Get the satellite on the area,” I said, pointing at the monitor. “Now.”
“Your objective is to make sure the people in this facility and property are safe. That’s your only objective,” Saunders said.
“We’ve all been staying at the same hotel for months. They’re all friends, and they’re not only civilians, but civil servants,” I said, taking a step toward Saunders. “And they’re protecting this complex. This falls under my objective.”
“With all due respect, Trexler, I disagree.”
“I don’t give a fuck if you agree or not.” I walked past my team. “Let’s go.”
Harbinger, Kitsch, Naomi, Sloan, and Martinez followed, stopping just outside the metal door of the control room. “Naomi, go upstairs and get us clearance to help.”
“What? How?”
I frowned, unhappy about my own plan. “From Bennett.”
Her mouth opened, her cheeks flushed. “You want me to owe him a favor? Are you fucking serious? There’s gotta be another way.”
“This is the quickest way. Go upstairs and don’t take no for an answer. Kitsch, take Sloan and bring in the equipment. Martinez, make sure all personnel are inside. Get on the alarm. Harbinger, you’re with me.”
“Where are we headed?” Harbinger asked.
“To the warehouse to find a vehicle. If the winds change, we’ll need to get those men out fast.”
We had just hit the halfway point to the warehouse in Charlie corridor when the alarm sounded. Harbinger and I rushed to a Jeep and hopped in.
One guard jogged over to us. “We’ve been instructed by the general to lock down, sir. I’m sorry, but—”
“Trex,” Naomi barked over the comms. “We’ve got clearance for evac only. Best I could do.”
“Everyone have their objectives locked down?” I asked. “Sound off.”
“Personnel inside,” Martinez said.
“Last of equipment coming in now,” Sloan barked, his voice muffled by the sound of machinery.
“Meet us in the warehouse in five. We’re going to be there to evac that crew if needed.”
We passed the Complex fire crew on the way to the warehouse. They were spraying down the perimeter with retardant, checking hoses, and making sure all employees were inside. We arrived at the hangar-sized metal door just as the guard was lowering it. The Jeep just barely slid beneath, and I jumped out. “What are you doing? You’ve still got your fire crew out there.”
I pointed to the slowly closing door. “My team has been cleared by Senator Bennett for evac of the hotshots on the mountain.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t report to Senator Bennett. This is a direct order from the general,” the guard said.
Naomi, Martinez, Sloan, and Kitsch arrived, breathing hard but amped up. We’d been walking the halls too long. We were all ready for more action.
“Are they going to open it again or what?” Martinez asked. His faced darkened as the door pinched off the sunlight.
I shook my head. “The general has the Complex on lockdown.”
Naomi nodded to a smaller door. “We can fit the ATVs through there.”
I looked to the guards. “Close it behind us?”
The older one pondered, then nodded.
“Load up!” I yelled, jogging to the corner of the warehouse with rows of ATVs.
We each grabbed helmets, chose an ATV, revved the engines, and ramped out the smaller door, zooming past the Complex firefighters and the still-open gate they were working out of. We kept our radios on, and fanned out, rolling over the rocky terrain of the Cheyenne Mountain toward the area where we last saw the Alpine crew on the screens in the control room.
“Bark if you see anything,” I called across the radio.
We drove for ten minutes, then fifteen, our ATVs kicking up enough dust to rival the smoke. The dark cloud settling in the Rocky Mountain National Forest grew thicker the more distance we created between us and the Complex.
“Flames, one o’clock!” Kitsch said.
We drove past aspens and blue spruces that stood helpless in the crosshairs of the fire. We stopped at a shallow cliff, looking across. The fire was less than two hundred yards away and barreling toward us.
“What the hell?” Sloan said. The smoke was clearing before our eyes. The winds had changed.
“Zeke!” Naomi yelled, scrambling from her ATV. She pulled off her helmet, and fell to her knees, looking below.
I followed her, standing at the edge of the cliff and looking down. The small group of Alpines that had broken off from the others were standing at the bottom, working against the clock to fashion a hoist for Fish, whose leg was injured. He was propped against the twisted trunk of a large aspen.
“Everyone all right?” I asked, looking down. They were trapped, and one of them was hurt.
Taylor Maddox stood next to his twin brother Tyler and Zeke, looking up at us in confusion.
“What are you doing here?” Zeke asked, his eyes bouncing from Naomi to me, then the rest of our team.
“Does it matter?” she asked, smiling. Dirt lined her face.
Zeke and Taylor glanced back at the approaching flames. “You got a rope?” Taylor asked. “Fish rolled his ankle. We’re not going to beat the fire outta here.”
“Lucky for you,” I said as Harbinger let down a rope. “We’ve got wheels, too. Is this everyone?”
Tyler nodded. “If you don’t have room, just take out who you can. We’ll try to bypass.”
“Not leaving anyone behind,” I said. “Let’s get Fish up first. Let’s go!” I yelled.
The hotshots sprang into action, tying the rope around Fish’s chest. We pulled him up first, and then the rest of the Alpines climbed up one at a time. They were all spent, but used the last of their energy to pull themselves up to where we were. We yelled encouragement to each one as the fire burned closer. The smoke began to surround us just as the last hotshot, Taylor, had nearly reached the halfway point. The fire crawled across the ground and soon the end of the rope was flickering.
“Let’s go!” Tyler barked. “Double time!”
Taylor put one hand over the other, but the flame was climbing faster than he was.
“He’s not going to make it,” Zeke said.
“Move your ass, Maddox!” Tyler yelled.
As the fire climbed the rope and reached Taylor’s feet, his brother smacked Zeke and lurched forward, his top half falling over the edge, his legs following. Zeke dove for Tyler’s ankles, grabbing them just in time.
“Got him!” Tyler yelled.
The other Alpines joined Zeke and heaved both Maddoxes to the top.
I kicked off the rope, letting it fall to the bottom, watching the fire engulf what was left.
The Alpines were covered in soot, their shoulders sagging from exhaustion.
Taylor looked at me from beneath his dirty brow. “Don’t tell Falyn.”
I pointed to the patch on my arm that read CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX. “Don’t tell Darby.”
Taylor climbed on the back of my ATV, Zeke on the back of Naomi’s, Fish was with Martinez, Runt and Smitty crawled on with Kitsch, Tyler with Sloan, and Watts and Cat with Harbinger. The smoke was already choking us by the time we pulled away, the heat at my back reminding me to keep my thumb pressed all the way down. Even with Fish’s injury, Martinez didn’t slow down, swerving around trees and ramping over bumps like the rest of us, hoping to keep ahead of the flames.
Taylor patted the back of my helmet. “Faster!”
I didn’t bother explaining that the ATVs were built for checking the perimeter, not outrunning fires. My thumb was pressing on the throttle as far as it would go. The only thing I could do was not slow down.
The Complex fire crew was gone when we arrived at the fence line, and even through the smoke, I could see that the warehouse doors were closed. The ATVs kicked up dirt when we paused, ash falling around us.
“Keep going?” Naomi asked, yelling over the roar of the fire.
I nodded. “Southwest side.”
The massive sprinkler system was triggered, steam rising just outside the fence line.
At full speed, driving through the gallons of water flooding the Complex exterior felt like riding a rocket through a storm, and the hotshots all ducked their heads from being pelted with stinging rain.
Soaked, bleeding from sharp branches, saturated with mud, soot, ash, grass, gravel, and leaves, we slowed to a stop near the entrance of the Complex. The parking lot was just a few hundred yards away. A flicker caught my eye, and I turned back, watching the fire twist and devour everything in its path, but heading away from the Complex.
We sat for a moment, in disbelief that we were no longer being chased.
Sloan removed his helmet. “Holy shit. It’s like that damn thing has a mind of its own.”
“I have to remind myself that it doesn’t,” Zeke said.
Fish groaned, looking down at his swollen ankle. He was missing a boot, and Smitty’s arm was burned.
“Trex to Saunders. Come in, over,” I called over the radio, leaning my head toward the mic.
“Saunders,” he repeated, his radio clicking off.
“These men need medical attention. Call for a couple of ambulances to meet us at the first security check, and make a call to their HQ to report their guys are safe, over.”
“Copy that, over,” Saunders said, his side going silent again.
I nodded to my men, and we continued on the ATVs, transporting the dirty, sweaty, exhausted hotshots to the first booth.
Taylor hopped off, checking on Fish before coming back to me and holding out his hand.
I took it, shaking it a few times.
“You saved our asses back there, Trex,” Taylor said.
Naomi hugged Zeke, grabbing his cheeks and evaluating the cuts on his face.
Zeke winced. “Did you have to drive through every tree branch between the cliff and the Complex?”
“Yes,” she said. “Did you notice we were the first ones back?”
One side of his mouth turned up. “You’re so damn competitive.”
She winked at him. “You have no idea.”
The ambulance took the hotshots away, and we stood at the checkpoint and waited until they were out of sight.
“What the hell was that, Nomes?” Sloan asked.
“None of your damn business,” she said, walking to her ATV.
Harbinger slapped my back. “Good call, boss. Felt good to save lives again.”
“Oorah,” I said, putting on my helmet.