Page 127 of I Am Salvation

But Dragon won’t leave, and I won’t leave him.

The monitors flicker again.

A metal door. At least I think that’s what it is. Everything’s grainy. Shouldn’t this be top-of-the-line surveillance equipment?

Above the door is…

I squint to make it out.

It’s some kind of symbol.

A snake coiling around a cross.

Oh, God…

This cult is called the Order of the Serpent.

Just looking at that symbol makes me nauseated.

There’s evil behind that door.

“Charlie team, breach,” comes a voice across the radio.

My heart thunders as I watch the monitor. A SWAT member steps forward and places something on the door.

I grab Dragon’s hand again and squeeze even tighter. He doesn’t recoil or comfort me.

A deafening bang echoes from the speakers, and the screen fills with smoke. It was some kind of explosive. That’s what the guy put on the door. When the smoke clears, what was once solid metal is now reduced to scrap.

This is it.

“Proceed with caution,” Jameson’s authoritative voice cuts through the eerie silence.

As the team advances farther into the room, my breath hitches in my throat. This is where they carry out their dreadful rituals, shrouded in secrecy and darkness.

On one side of the room, a figure comes into view on the monitor.

Oh, God…

My heart leaps into my throat.

Dragon drops my hand and goes completely rigid.

It’s a woman. She’s thin and frail with blond hair. The image quality isn’t great, but from Dragon’s reaction, I know it’s Griffin. She’s bound and gagged.

Dragon vibrates next to me, a growl emanating from his throat.

“Dragon…” I begin.

“Don’t talk,” he commands.

“Target located,” one officer radios back to Jameson.

An officer approaches Griffin. His steps are slow and measured, eyes never leaving her as he lowers his gun. The team behind him spreads out, securing the room. The officer speaks to her, words we can’t hear. As the officer starts to untie her, a cry pierces through the radio feed followed by a series of rapid shots.

The image on the monitors quakes as whoever is carrying the camera takes cover.

“Alpha team report!” Jameson’s voice roars across the radio frequency, echoing around us.

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