Distant Thunder

by Mary Alford

  “Piper, stop!” Reed called out to her and closed the space between them until he stood a few feet away. “Don’t do it.”

  She froze. Turned to face him. Almost lost it at the heartbroken look on his face

  “Toss your weapon and the bag over to me.”

  She couldn’t do any of those things and he saw it.

  “Piper, please. Not this way. You’ll never survive.” His voice broke. “Please, let me help you.”

  Tears blurred her vision. He couldn’t help her. She would only drag him down with her. There was only one way out for her. She glanced behind her at the rushing water and he saw it.

  “You’ll die.” His voice was frantic. The pain in it real. “I don’t want that. I love you. I don’t want to lose you. Not like this.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Reed. I love you, too, but I’m not going to prison for something I didn’t do, and you’ve seen the evidence. They’re determined to blame me.” She stopped. Struggled to keep from losing control. “Goodbye, Reed. I love you so much.” Without waiting for his answer, she turned toward the river. The only way out.

  “Piper, no! Please don’t do it.”

  She needed one last look. Wanted to imprint his image on her brain for whatever lay ahead of her.

  “I’ll always love you.” Before he had time to react, she dove into the water. Went under. Popped up again. Heard him calling her name as the swift current swept her away. Whether to life or death, Piper wasn’t sure she much cared anymore.

  Chapter Nine

  Two years later. Winter - Anana Harbor, Alaska. -7 below...

  Being on the run had a way of playing havoc with one’s sleep patterns. Not that Casey Montgomery managed much sleep after the attack. Since she’d buried Piper Morgan in the waters of that river in Maryland, she’d risen from the watery grave a new person. Her existence simple. Shelter Food. Sleep when it came. Every possible minute otherwise spent trying to find out who was behind the attack that August night two years earlier. So far, it felt as if she were wading through quicksand. Every time she thought she had a lead, another string of unanswered questions threatened to pull her under.

  The snowmobile she’d bartered for some fur she’d trapped earlier had barely made it into town. It sputtered as she pulled it into the center of the small village of Anana Harbor, Alaska and surveyed her surroundings. She suspected it was bad spark plugs. Not much hope in finding a replacement set here.

  Casey dismounted and removed her helmet. The bitter cold sliced across exposed skin. In these weather conditions, it wouldn’t be long before frostbite sat in.

  She was still getting used to the new name. Since she’d gone on the run, she’d changed her name at least three times. Each one was an adjustment. She’d taken the name Casey Montgomery from a character in a suspense novel she’d read. Somehow, it just seemed right.

  As quickly as possible, she pulled on the full face ski mask she carried in her pocket and tugged up the fur-lined hood of her heavy jacket before shoving sunglasses over her eyes. Not that anyone was looking for her here, but best not to take any chances.

  Casey loved the small villages of Alaska best of all the places she’d traveled over the past few years. No one seemed to care one way or the other who she was. She’d drifted from village to village around the state since leaving Anchorage.

  Samson, the St. Bernard, who had been her companion since she’d rescued him in Anchorage last year, leaped out of the sled Casey pulled behind the snowmobile. Everything she owned in the world was contained in one bag so Samson had plenty of room in the sled.

  She’d learned from her time on the run that it was best to travel light.

  Anana Harbor, Alaska consisting of only a handful of stores. None looked too promising for spark plug replacements, but maybe someone around the town would have an extra set. When you lived in such a remote location, you learned to be self-sufficient.

  “What seems to be the problem,” a male voice boomed from nearby.

  Casey whirled. Samson growled. The dog was as mistrusting as his master.

  In an instant, Casey’s pulse sped up as she watched the man standing near her. The voice was just familiar enough to rip her heart to shreds. It wasn’t Reed. She’d lost the love of her life forever.

  The man stepped closer. Though nothing like Reed, he watched her with the eyes of someone hunted. A kindred spirit. Here in the middle of nowhere, she’d found someone else on the run. Very few people came this far north without having a story they’d just as soon forget. This man was no exception. Neither was she. She’d give anything to be able to forget the life she once claimed.

  “Spark plugs, I think,” Casey managed in way of an answer.

  The man kept his attention on the dog.

  “Sit Samson,” Casey ordered. Though Samson didn’t trust the man, he did as she commanded.

  With the dog under control, the man lifted the hood of the snowmobile. He took two seconds to confirm her diagnosis. “It’s the plugs. Surprised you made it this far.”

  Casey kept her distance from him. She’d gotten good at letting no one too close because trusting someone might cost her life. And she was considered the FBI’s number one fugitive. The reward for her capture was great. A pretty good temptation for anyone searching for an easy payday. Her face had been plastered on every major news channel across the country. Still was from time to time. She couldn’t afford to call too much attention to herself.

  “Any idea where I could pick up a set in town?” she asked while keeping her head turned slightly away. She didn’t want this man to get a good look at her.

  He stepped into her line of sight, shocking her into silence. The handgun she’d taken two years early was in her jacket pocket. It would take two seconds to reach it and she was deadly accurate.

  “I may have a set at my old place. Hop in and I’ll take you over there. We can search the barn together and see if we can find them.”

  Casey didn’t budge. Putting herself at someone’s mercy was not something she ever did. Sizing him up, she pegged him for ex-military. What if he were one of those sent to find her? Bring her in. Kill her. She couldn’t afford to get sloppy.

  “Names Teddy Harper,” he said and offered a gloved hand as if sensing her distrust.

  Several beats ticked away while she tried to assess the threat level he might pose.

  “I mean you no harm,” Teddy assured her with his hand still out in front of him.

  Another handful of seconds passed before she accepted it. Call it gut instinct, but she trusted this man who was a stranger to her. She just hoped her gut wouldn’t let her down.

  “Casey Montgomery.”

  Teddy didn’t release her hand when she tried to pull free. “You look like you could use some help, Casey. Maybe even a warm meal.” He glanced down at the dog. “You too, boy. Come on. Let’s look for the plugs, then I’ll get you both something to eat.”

  He let her go and headed for a camo-colored Jeep parked in front of the grocery store.

  Her breath came in bursts. She so wanted to trust Teddy Harper.

  Please don’t let him hurt us… She prayed the though in her head.

  It had been days since she and Samson had eaten anything of substance. Her supplies were almost gone. Money as well.

  Help me make the right choice. The prayer continued to flow through her thoughts. The only good thing to come from being branded a terrorist was that she’d hit rock bottom. God met her there and picked her up out of the waters of despair. She’d trusted him ever since.

  Go. The word popped into her head. She might not trust Teddy yet, but she trusted God. With the decision made, Casey grabbed her gear and followed Teddy to the Jeep while Samson was on her heels.

  Opening the back door, Samson hopped in but didn’t let down his guard one little bit. He’d defend her to the death if necessary.

  Casey got in beside Teddy.

  “The old place is a good way outside of Anana,” he
told her and fired the Jeep and headed north a little too fast for Casey’s preference.

  “The old place?” she asked while dividing her attention between the deep snow in front of them and the man beside her.

  Teddy spared her an assessing look. “Yeah, I moved a few months back. Built a new place past the woods.” He pointed up ahead and to the left. “I like to keep mobile. Staying in one place too long isn’t good. But I’m guessing you're familiar with the concept.”

  Casey had gotten good at keeping her reaction deadpan. It came in handy now as Teddy stared her down a minute longer before shifting his attention to his driving.

  The few cabins that dotted the countryside disappeared. Nothing but snow and woods—and the rugged Brooks Mountain Range—in the distance.

  “This is it.” Teddy pointed to a small cabin that peeked out from underneath a pile of snow.

  He got out and started for a dilapidated barn that appeared to be one more big snowfall away from collapsing in on itself.

  Casey caught up with him as he forced the door open with brute strength. The dog bounded inside after her. Her first thought was that the interior of the barn was well organized. Shelves labeled. Neat.

  “Why don’t you start over there?” Teddy indicated the right side of the barn while he headed the opposite direction.

  With Samson shadowing her steps, Casey scanned the labels on the first shelf. Bolts. Nails. Screws. Keeping a careful eye on Teddy, she checked out the barn. A Sno-Cat was parked inside. Capable of moving across deep snow in blizzard conditions. Teddy was well-prepared.

  Something mounted on one wall close to the ceiling caught her eye. What innocently appeared to be a light was, in fact, a very high-tech security system.

  “Found them.” Teddy materialized beside her. Caught her looking at the security system. Before she knew what was happening, he drew down on her.

  “Most ordinary people wouldn’t have noticed that system up there. Only someone trained to detect such things. So how about you tell me who you really are and why you’re here. Did you come to kill me like you did the rest of my team?”

  Chapter Ten

  “She’s been one step ahead of us for two years.” The frustration in his tone was clear and directed solely at Parker. “She needs to be eliminated. Now. It’s no longer beneficial to keep her alive.”

  “We’ll find her,” Parker promised with confidence. “She won’t be able to resist the bait this time. It’s on point.”

  His commander scowled venom. Parker could feel rage radiating from the commander’s body like a heat source.

  This was one of their rare face-to-face meetings. Parker always dreaded them because it meant he’d have to endure the commander’s fury.

  “Let’s hope. So far she’s resisted. Not a nibble. Not a word since we lost her, but she hasn’t disappeared into the unknown as we’d expected. She’s digging into the attack, among other things. She has to be eliminated. Too much is at stake. You’re positive she’s in Alaska?”

  “I am. And I can assure you the narrative on the Internet will draw her out soon. She could have gone off-grid for whatever reason, which would explain the lack of immediate response. But I’m positive she’ll be checking for any information that mentions VX gas.”

  “I hope your right. Morgan’s smart and she has nothing to lose. She’ll be aggressive in digging into what happened to her team and herself. She won’t let it go. By whatever means necessary, she has to be stopped.” He leaned forward, a steely glare in his eyes as he repeated, “By whatever means.”

  ◆◆◆

  “So that’s my story. Every ugly detail of it,” Casey said and blew out a breath as she pushed her empty plate away. The bacon, eggs, and toast hit the spot. She hadn’t eaten that well in a long time. At her feet, Samson licked his bowl to get every morsel.

  She patted the dog’s head. Waited for the man seated across from her to say something.

  Teddy rose and went over to the coffeemaker. Poured more coffee. Held the pot up with for her.

  Casey shook her head. She had too much adrenaline in her veins as it was. She’d given this man everything he’d need to turn her in. Get a huge reward. She hadn’t been that open with anyone since Reed. Would he fail her?

  Teddy reclaimed his chair. “The way I see it, we have a lot of work to do,” he said, and took a sip of the strong black coffee.

  His stone-cold expression gave nothing away.

  “What do you mean?” she asked while still trying to get a read on him.

  Teddy’s eyes nailed her in place. “I believe the same people who killed your team and framed you are the ones who have been systematically eliminated my men, and I plan on doing everything in my power to bring those thugs to justice.” Teddy stuck out his hand, a smile creasing his face. “Welcome to the fight, Casey Montgomery.”

  She stared at Teddy, torn between wanting to laugh at the expression on his face and fighting back tears. Teddy was the first person other than Reed who believed her unconditionally.

  Without hesitating, she clasped his hand. Felt strength sparking from the older man’s calloused hand to her.

  “Where do we start?” she asked. So far, in two years, she’d uncovered very little on the mystery man she’d seen outside of the house before the explosion. There was no doubt in Casey’s mind Mosul Amani lured her team there to eliminate them. Whether or not the information he provided about the man he referred to as the Serpent was real or just a trap she wasn’t sure. Either way, someone with a lot more juice was calling the shots. Had to be in order to pull off the attack and get the information in place to set her up for it.

  Teddy glanced around the cabin. “Well, for one, I could use an extra set of eyes close by. You looking for a place to hide out for a while?”

  She was. She’d moved three times in six months. “Maybe. What do you have in mind?”

  “This place. You could stay here and help me find these people. Bring them down before they hurt someone else… or follow through with whatever diabolical plot they have planned.”

  A chill sped down her spine. She was sick to death of running, but so far, it was the only thing keeping her alive. “Oh, I don’t know.”

  Teddy got up again. “Come with me.” Like before, he didn’t wait for her to answer but disappeared inside one room.

  Glancing at Samson, Casey followed Teddy into a bedroom.

  Near the center of the room, Teddy lifted a rug. A door was built into the wood floor. Her mouth fell open as she moved to peer inside the cavernous hole while Teddy grinned at her reaction.

  “Took me years to build it. Had it in place before I even started on the house.” Teddy lit the lantern hanging near the hatch. “Come see.” He stepped onto the ladder. Casey waited until he’d taken a few steps down before following.

  “Stay here, Samson.” The dog grumbled but settled down near the opening.

  Casey grabbed the burner phone from her pocket and clicked on the flashlight app, illuminating the space below. Teddy stood on the ground, watching as Casey slowly eased down the ladder. She jumped off the final rung and glanced around.

  “You did this all by yourself?” she asked in amazement. The amount of time and work it would take to finish such a project was unfathomable.

  Teddy chuckled. “I did. It took almost six long years. Thankfully, the property’s isolated. No one knew what I was doing. Still don’t. You’re the first person I’ve shown it to.”

  In an instant, the threat she and Teddy both faced became real. They were about to wage war against men who outranked them in power, technology, and weaponry. If they failed, they’d be labeled traitors or kooks. Their stories would be buried with them. And no one would be the wiser.

  No matter what, Casey couldn’t let that happen.

  Chapter Eleven

  Six months later. A storm is on its way…

  Unease rippled up her spine. It had been there ever since she spotted the footprints a few minutes earlier while
on recon. She’d done surveillance every day for the past two years no matter where she lay her head.

  Teddy told her the locals hunted caribou and moose this time of the year to fill their freezers for the long winter coming on soon. She’d planned to do the same. Here in Alaska, if you wanted meat, you hunted and fished for it.

  Still, the footprints bothered her. She glanced around the rugged terrain. Suppressed another shiver. Someone stepping on your grave…

  Samson bristled. Growled low. Charged toward the trees and barked ferociously at something.

  With her pulse hammering in her ears, Casey squinted toward the dog. “What is it, boy?” Samson continued to bark in an attack stance.

  Shouldering the rifle she carried, Casey pulled out her handgun and slowly eased toward the location.

  Samson dug at the underbrush at the edge of the woods.

  Casey moved close to the dog. Saw nothing. Drawing in a breath, she moved into the woods. The weapon shook in her hand. She did a three-hundred-and sixty-degree spin. Nothing. Still, she couldn’t let go of the feeling of being watched.

  To the north, lightning flashed. Seconds later, thunder crackled electricity through the countryside. The predicted storm was moving in. Time to take shelter. Yet she stood rooted in place. Her gaze panning the trees in front. What had her on edge?

  Stepping forward, she touched the tree closest to her. Wasn’t sure what she expected. Someone to jump out and grab her.

  Samson stopped digging. Watched her while sniffing the air.

  Casey turned on her heel. “Come, Samson.” She was grateful to leave the woods behind, but the feeling of being watched hung around her after she moved out in the open.

  Even with lightning dominating the skies, Casey chose not to take a direct path home. She couldn’t let go of her worries.

  After she’d covered several yards, Samson fell in beside her. She crossed the creek and moved toward the mountains, stopping periodically to check for any sound out of place. Nothing but her uncomfortable breathing.