Cole thought he’d feel a sense of relief once they arrived at the base of the mountain safely, but if anything, his head kept drumming out the urgency of reaching the camp. Even then, would they be truly safe when fighting a battle that went way beyond mortal men? They were in a fight against the prince of this world, and even though he knew the outcome, facing off against the supernatural was terrifying.
They’d been forced to leave their chopper and the cargo planes in a series of hangars the previous camp owner had set up to blend into the countryside. No one flying over the area would know the amount of air power stowed there included a C130 cargo plane, a couple of C-17 Globemaster cargo planes, and several Osprey helicopters.
According to Victor Douglas, the commander of Strike Force, the camp would need a lot of work. It had sat vacant for almost eight years after the previous owner passed away. There were half a dozen four-wheelers abandoned up in camp, but none of them were in working order, which was why they’d been forced to make the trip up the mountainside on horseback.
Thankfully, most of the cabins had been built to withstand the harsh conditions, and the team had become adept at fixing things.
The campsite clearing appeared through the thick foliage. Cole wasn’t sure what to expect. He pushed out a relieved breath. The place was more massive than he’d pictured in his head. But a lot of the buildings were in various stages of disrepair, and it was still winter.
While the wilderness location would insulate them from flyovers, housing so many people was going to be tricky. There wouldn’t be enough cabins. Some would have to double up.
“We set up a makeshift prison area for our Legion guests.” The commander’s voice broke past Cole’s troubled thoughts. Cole shifted his attention to Victor who flanked his left side. “We’ve assigned shifts so that there’s someone watching the prisoners at all times. Although most of them have no place to go, and we offer a much better option than Walton Kirkpatrick would.”
Cole snugged his arms around his daughter, his attention going to the man they’d once believed was the monster behind all the current world chaos. But that was before they’d learned the truth.
It was still a shock to realize Walton Kirkpatrick, the kindly old grandfather who held the US ambassador to Afghanistan position, was the mastermind behind the attacks across the world led by the group of high-level terrorists known as Legion.
Strike Force had been fighting the overthrow attempt for more than two years. Each member had endured horrendous hardships to reach the point where they believed the threat was coming to an end. With the capture of Martin Collins, Cole was convinced the world would return to normal. Until the truth had been revealed at a press conference led by Kirkpatrick who condemned Cole’s wife, Eva Abram, as conspiring with Collins and indicted the president in the conspiracy. Cole was certain it would only be a matter of time before Kirkpatrick came after Strike Force. With the world entering a dangerous point in world history, time was running out.
Collins sat astride a horse flanked by two Strike Force members on either side and guarded in front and back by armed men. Even as a wounded prisoner, Collins was a dangerous man. The ride up the mountain—although Cole was certain from the way Collins handled the animal that he was a skilled rider—had taken its toll. Collins leaned heavily against the saddle horn.
“We need Doctor Oviok to check him as soon as possible,” Cole said with a worried frown. Collins’ intel into what Kirkpatrick had planned was critical right now because the team had been thrown for a loop by recent events happening in Germany and Israel.
“There’s the main lodge for the camp. It’s in relatively good shape. We’ve set up a makeshift medical center in there, and James’s intelligence team are busy getting our computer systems up and running again,” Victor announced. “Let’s get Collins to the medical team for treatment. And then I want to speak with him. We need answers and we don’t have long to wait for them.”
Cole’s gaze panned across the expanse of the camp. “I’m grateful God saw fit to provide us with a highly qualified team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics.”
Victor smiled. “Amen, brother.”
As they neared the lodge, familiar faces headed out to greet them. Seeing them was like coming home to his family. The team’s dog, a St. Bernard named Samson who belonged to Sidney, trotted past the group to the approaching horses.
Eva dismounted swiftly and came round to take Sadie from his arms. The child buried her head against Eva’s neck as if being close to her mother could shut out the danger. The sight of his wife and child stirred Cole’s heart. Sadie still didn’t know Cole was her father. They’d been running for their lives ever since Cole met up with Eva and Sadie in Israel. There hadn’t been a right moment yet to tell Sadie he was her father, but he was ready.
Cole slipped from the saddle, his gaze connecting to Eva’s. Though they were married, it had been six years since he’d seen his Mossad agent wife. They’d married in a rush. For two spies, promising forever had been something they couldn’t do. Yet he still loved her, and she loved him. The rest they’d figure out.
“Eva, Kinsley can show you and your friends to your cabins.” Victor turned to the woman standing beside him. The love he and Kinsley shared was an inspiration to Cole, proving love could not only survive in dangerous circumstances, but it could bloom. He prayed for the same for him and Eva.
“I’ll come find you,” he assured Eva when she hesitated. He entwined his fingers with hers. They still had so much to talk about, but with the current world situation, finding the time for something personal felt impossible.
She smiled sadly and let him go. With another searching glance, she and Sadie followed the former secret service agent, Kinsley Allison, and her friends while the dog trailed behind them.
“She’s a strong woman, Cole,” Victor stressed. “You both can help Sadie understand all that’s happening in the world. I’m glad you reconnected. We all need to hold our loved ones close, especially with the dark times ahead of us.”
After what happened over the skies of Haifa, Israel, Cole was certain, God’s countdown to end-time events spoken of in the Bible loomed close.
“Let’s go inside and get everyone together. I know you’re all exhausted, but we don’t have the luxury of waiting.”
Cole agreed. They desperately needed some insight into what was coming next before it caught them off guard. And after Kirkpatrick’s surprise press conference where he announced that he’d gathered world leaders together for a peace summit confirmed the type of influence the older man had.
“Is there any news from the president yet?” Cole asked as he followed Victor into what proved to be a surprisingly large living space. He blew out a long whistle. “This is more than I expected.” Seeing the interior of the lodge was a major relief. The team could make it work as their headquarters for however long they’d be able to remain in Idaho.
Victor looked around the room at the activity taking place. “It’ll work. We’ll make it work.”
Doctor Oviok and his team met them at the entrance. Collins was placed in a wheelchair and taken away. An Inupiat, Doctor Oviok had escaped Anana Harbor, Alaska, with other members of Strike Force. He’d joined the team because like many others after him, there was no other choice. Legion knew he’d assisted the team in escaping. He had a bounty on his head. The kindly doctor had become the lead physician for Strike Force and an important member of the team.