Page 4 of Zero Visibility

Big Man stared her down for a long minute before motioning his men to the door.

He stepped even closer; his breath hot on her face. He held out a business card. “If he contacts you, call me immediately, you hear?” The warning in his tone sent goosebumps up her arms. “I’ll be back. If I find out you disobeyed me, I’ll have you arrested for aiding a known terrorist. You won’t see the light of day again.” Jen couldn’t hide her fear any longer. He slowly grinned. Satisfied he’d planted the necessary urgency in her, he headed out the door without closing it.

Jen rushed to shut it before sliding the locks into place. From the peephole, she saw the big man get into the passenger side. The vehicle pulled away from the curb and out of her limited sight. Her knees grew weak and she dropped to the floor.

Whatever was really going on, Ben was in danger and so was she. She had to find a way to reach him.

Jen pulled out the cell phone and checked. The service wasn’t good enough to make a call. Her mind struggled to come up with another way. Her neighbors didn’t know her all that well, and with what was happening to the world, she doubted they’d trust her. Even if she were able to reach Ben by phone, what if they were tracking her calls? She could lead them straight to him. If she hadn’t already.

The box! She mistakenly grabbed a box of Ben’s things when she’d left their home. What she’d found in it was disturbing. A couple of prepaid phones. Several new IDs—one for her. Money, and what appeared to be a portable cell booster. Everything they’d need to disappear. The thought was unsettling until now.

Jen hurried to the bedroom and dug through the stacks of clothes until she unearthed the box hidden in the closet. Jen ripped open one of the prepaid phones and turned it on. It had the same lack of signal as her phone. She turned on the cell booster and waited. While she watched, the signal steadily increased. Relief washed over her as she typed a quick message to Ben and prayed, he was still using the phone from which he’d sent the email. Because if not, her only means of reaching her husband was gone. Jen would be alone to face those men again. And she wasn’t so sure she’d survive another round of interrogation.

Chapter Two

His phone beeped with an incoming message. Ben yanked it from his pocket. He didn’t recognize the number and hesitated before opening the message.

Ben, it’s me, Jen. I’m in trouble. Men came to my home today looking for you. They said they’ll be back. I need you.

He almost dropped the phone. The urgency in her typed message confirmed his instincts had been right. Jen was in trouble.

Beside him, Tegan set aside the phone he’d been typing on when he picked up that something was wrong. “Is it from her?”

Ben swung his phone toward his friend and nodded. “There were men at her house today looking for me. They’ll be back. I’ve got to get her out of there.”

“I’ll see if I can find a safe place where we can meet her. Going to her house isn’t an option any longer. They’ll be watching it.” Tegan grabbed his phone once more.

Ben’s mind whirled as he dialed the phone number from the message with fingers that shook. She answered first ring.

“Ben?” Jen’s frantic tone made him wish he hadn’t gotten her involved in his troubles.

“Yes, it’s me.” It was so good to hear her voice. “Are they gone?”

“I think so. Hang on.” A lengthy silence followed while Ben struggled to remain calm. This was Jen. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“There’s an abandoned ski village a little way outside of Denver.” Tegan’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Silver Hills,” Ben supplied. He knew the place well. He and Jen had honeymooned there. Gone back a few years before the place closed and stayed in their honeymoon cabin.

Tegan appeared surprised. “You know it?”

Before Ben could respond, Jen came back on the line.

“They’re parked at the end of the road. I was careful. I don’t think they saw me. I accidently took a box of your things when I left. There were several disposable phones inside. I’m using one now because I was afraid they’d trace my phone to you. What am I going to do?”

He struggled to hold it together amidst his worry for her but was grateful that she’d mistakenly taken the box of phones and other survival gear. She might need it all.

“Get out of the house right away. You’ll have to go out the back door to keep from being seen, which means you’ll be on foot for a while. Can you borrow another vehicle?” He’d looked up the location she’d given him to receive her mail. The ski village was a good ten miles from her place, and it was dark. She’d never survive in the elements, much less make the trip on foot.

“I think so. I can use the truck at the animal hospital. I’ll leave a note for the vet letting him know I borrowed it.”

“Do you trust him?” Ben had no doubt the men staking out her house would go to her employer when she disappeared.

“Yes, he’s a good man.”

“Still, don’t tell him anything that’s happening and be sure not to mention where you’re going. Leave the note someplace where only he would look.”

“I will.” She hesitated. “Ben, I’m so scared. They’re claiming you were responsible for some terrible things.”

---