Page 90 of The Firefighter's Fate

It’s night. Which, of course, doesn’t help things. A sense of dread creeps up my spine and refuses to leave. I can’t see far behind me in the darkness - no lights from another vehicle as we climb the winding roads up to the mansion. I know I shouldn’t really be feeling this, but I can’t stop.

I can’t see anyone that might be following me.

But I still have that feeling. I just can’t shake it.

I have always trusted my gut – it’s gotten me out of many dark situations in the past when traveling around the world. And this one feels like one of those, even here in Crystal River.

“I can’t drive you into the mansion,” the taxi driver informs me.

“They’ll let me through,” I tell him. “There’s no worry. They will allow us in.”

“It’s not that,” he replies darkly. “I just don’t want to go in there. Personally.”

That doesn’t help that feeling crawling up my gut.

“Oh, sure. I understand.”

I get out of the taxi and watch it speed back toward Crystal River, leaving me alone outside the Penmayne gates.

I’ve got no choice now but to buzz the intercom.

“Who are you?” the disembodied voice asks.

“I’m Ember Mortensen,” I reply into the speaker. “I’m here to see Waylen.”

There’s silence from the other end.

I stand here awkwardly. I doubt myself - what if they refuse me?

Then I’ll have to walk back into town. In the blackness.

To be fair, I have turned up here unexpectedly. Waylen hasn’t invited me. This is all my own doing. I was cocky. I thought they would let me through.

I’ve made this bed, so I might as well ride it out...

And so I wait.

And I wait.

I wait by the intercom. For a long time. The gates above seem totally impenetrable.

Maybe I’m going to be stuck out here all night.

And I still can’t shake that feeling of being followed.

I glance back into the dark forest that surrounds the mansion. There’s no one there. But I still can’t lose that sense of someone...

It’s just a forest, Ember. That’s all.

A big scary forest in the middle of the night, full of god-only-knows-what.

Suddenly, the gates start to open, and I am invited inside the Penmayne compound.

Thank God.

I make the long, lonely march down the long driveway to the main doors.

I slam the stack of papers down on Waylen’s desk in front of the billionaire.

---