Page 21 of Zero Visibility

Their options were quickly dwindling. As far as Ben could see, there was only one choice. “Listen up, everyone,” Ben faced the group of people whose lives were all on the line. “Crossing into Montana the way we planned is no longer an option. I just spoke to a truck driver who suggested a different route, but it won’t be easy.” He faced Peter. “Can you drive this thing?”

Peter’s face broke into a smile. “I can. My parents used to own one a long time ago. It wasn’t as long as this one, but I think I can handle it.”

“Good, you’re driving. Will, copilot, and I need you to bring up GPS directions to the old Montana highway. The driver said it’s pretty rough, but it should get us across the border. Hopefully they won’t have roadblocks set up there.” He peered at each person. “We have to be prepared for the worst.”

“You got it.” Will typed the information on his phone and brought up the route while Peter looked over his shoulder.

Ben slipped down next to his wife and clasped her hand. “We’re okay. We have each other and we’ve got a lot of highly trained people backing us up.”

Jen turned to him and smiled. “You’re right, we do.” Because of him, she was in the middle of a fight she didn’t ask for. She deserved to know why. But explaining how men who claimed to be loyal to their country could betray it in such a horrific way was difficult. He did his best. As she listened, the shock on her face proved how impossible the story was to hear.

“I can’t believe it. Why would they do such a terrible thing?”

He’d lived through most of it and was still trying to understand the reasons behind such evil.

She clutched his hand tight. “They have to be stopped, Ben, before they take away everything we hold dear.”

But would they all survive long enough to bring Legion down?

“I made sandwiches for everyone.” Nancy stopped beside them with a couple of plates. “You need to eat something for the baby.”

Jen smiled up at her and accepted the plate. “Thank you.”

“I have food, everyone. Help yourself,” Nancy announced. She placed a plate on the console where Peter and Will could reach it.

“How’s Tegan?” Ben asked. Nancy and Everett had been keeping careful watch over his friend.

“Better. I’m going to make him some soup and then he needs to rest.” Nancy stared at Jen. “You saved his life. If you hadn’t been there, it might have been a different story.” Nancy patted her arm and left them.

“Thank you, God,” Ben said the prayer aloud. Tegan had become like a brother to him. Along with Will and Peter, they’d survived being undercover with Legion in Alaska. Faced down countless attacks. He couldn’t imagine being in this battle without them.

“How are you doing really?” he asked his wife as he took a bite of his sandwich. He’d been so worried when he’d learned she was pregnant. With everything happening in the world—the danger closing in on every turn—he’d gotten Jen back and they were going to have a child. Even in the darkness, God’s blessing shined through.

“I’m good,” Jen quickly assured him. “I’m almost four months pregnant and the baby is healthy.”

Guilt riddled his heart. Why hadn’t he trusted this woman he loved so much with the truth? “I’m sorry for not being there for you.” He stopped when the emotions piling in on him threatened to break him. “If anything happens to you because of me—”

She linked her arm with his. “This isn’t your fault, Ben. None of it. I should have told you what I was feeling. You had the right to know about the baby. I just panicked when I realized I was having a child. Instead of talking things through with you, I ran.” There were tears in her eyes when she looked at him.

He couldn’t let her take on the blame. “I should have been there for you, but I wasn’t. I let my job take precedence over you, and that was wrong.” He brushed his thumb across her cheek. Regretted all the tears she’d cried. “I’ll never let that happen again. No matter what. I’ll never let you down again.”

“Hey, Ben, you need to see this.” The tension in Peter’s tone was the first thing to alert him. He rose and went over to Peter. In front of them, a caravan of vehicles was heading their way.

“What do you think’s going on?” Ben asked, but he had a feeling he knew already. The border into Montana had been officially closed. No one was getting through without their vehicle being searched. They wouldn’t survive if that happened.

“Not sure, but I’d say we won’t be getting across the state line this way.” Peter looked up at Ben. “We need to find a place to pull over and regroup.”

Ben nodded to Will. “Do it.”

“There’s a car over on the side of the road up ahead near that overlook. Maybe we can get some answers from the driver.” Will pointed to an area carved from the shoulder of the road that allowed tourists to take in the view below.

Peter carefully maneuvered the beast of an RV off the road just past the disabled car. “What do you want to do? None of us can afford to be seen by anyone. Our photos are all over the news.”

Peter was right. They couldn’t afford to take a chance. He looked to where Everett and his wife sat at the kitchen table watching the road ahead with worried looks on their faces.

“Everett, we need your help.” Ben approached the couple while hating that he had to put their lives at risk even more. “Do you mind speaking with the car’s driver and see if they know anything about what’s going on up in front of us? There’s way too much traffic for it to be part of an evacuation.”

Everett didn’t hesitate. “I’m happy to help and I know a thing or two about auto repair. I’ll see if I can be of some assistance while I’m at it.”

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