Page 14 of Gage

As we walked deeper into the lodge, I couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship. “Wow, this place is incredible! How high is the ceiling?”

“High enough for the biggest Christmas tree we can find,” Luke replied with a laugh. “And decorating it is a whole event. Everyone comes here to celebrate—Killian and Arrow bring their families, too. It’s a blast.”

“Are they here now?”

“Yes, they’ll be back soon. We’re all having dinner together. I’m so glad you got here when you did—we’re having tacos,” Missy said with a knowing smile.

“Tacos?” I laughed. “You remembered—they’re my favorite! I’m starving.”

“Good timing, then,” Luke said. “How about we do your interview after dinner?”

“That works perfectly,” I replied.

That evening,after dinner, I found myself sitting outside under a canopy of stars, the crisp mountain air wrapping around me. The night was breathtaking, the lodge glowing softly behind me, but my thoughts drifted to Gage. I couldn’t stop wondering about him. Why hadn’t we gotten together yet? Part of me felt like it was only a matter of time, but another part doubted how much he really cared. Could we last? Or was I building castles in the air?

Four days later,my notebook was full of material for my story on the Band of Navy SEALs. My next stop was the Oregon coast to interview SEAL Security. On a whim, I decided to swing by home first and pick up my refurbished Volkswagen van. I’d always dreamed of driving it up the coast, camping on beaches, and soaking in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Reality hit hard. The van broke down in the middle of nowhere, its engine sputtering one final protest before dying completely. I stared at my phone, frustrated to find no signal. With the sun slipping below the horizon, I resigned myself to spending the night in the van.

Dad had warned me not to take the van on a long trip, and now his words echoed mockingly in my head. I should’ve listened.

After locking the doors, I crawled under the blankets in the back, my gun within easy reach. It wasn’t the peaceful adventure I’d imagined, but at least I was safe—for now.

A noise jolted me awake,sending adrenaline coursing through my veins. I strained to listen, my breath held. There it was again—a faint rustling outside. My heart pounded as I peeked out the window.

Two men were standing by the van, one fiddling with the driver’s side door handle.

“Back away from the van, or I’ll blow a hole in your head!” I shouted, my voice firm as I gripped the gun tightly.

One of the men froze, his hands raised defensively. “Whoa, whoa, easy!” he said. “We’re here to tow you to town. Someone said they saw this old van broken down. Do you want us to tow it for you?”

I glanced at the clock—1:30 a.m. The middle of nowhere wasn’t exactly bustling at this hour. Who the hell worked this late? My gut twisted with unease as I peered through the window at the two men lingering outside my van.

“No, I don’t need a tow,” I said loudly, trying to keep my voice steady. “I parked here for the night. I’ll be on my way in the morning. Thanks anyway.”

I could hear them whispering, their hushed voices carrying just enough menace to send a chill up my spine. A sudden crash shattered the passenger-side window, spraying glass everywhere. My pulse spiked as I scrambled to put on my shoes. My fingers fumbled as I cocked my gun, adrenaline surging through my veins.

The first man tried climbing through the broken window. I didn’t hesitate—I fired. His scream cut through the night, raw and pained.

“The next shot will kill you,” I shouted, my voice trembling with both fear and fury. “Get the fuck away from my vehicle right now!”

Before I could react, the window behind me shattered. Glass rained down as a rough hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked. I screamed, twisting violently, my free arm swinging instinctively. I fired again, the deafening crack of the gunshot reverberating inside the van. Somewhere behind me, I heard cruel, mocking laughter.

“Why do I let you two handle what one man could do?” a gruff voice growled, thick with menace. “Get her out of there right now, or I’ll finish what she started.”

Before I could fire again, something hard struck the side of my head. Pain exploded behind my eyes as stars danced in my vision. My grip on the gun faltered as two men clambered into the van, wrestling me for control. Blood slicked their hands—I’d hit them, I realized—but it wasn’t enough.

Another blow to my head sent me spiraling into darkness.

When I came to,the throbbing in my skull was unbearable, each pulse like a hammer against my temples. I stayed still, my breaths shallow, straining to sense my surroundings. Someone was close—I could feel their presence.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. A man loomed over me, his grin sending a shiver down my spine.

“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said, his voice disturbingly calm, like we were old friends catching up.

“Why are you doing this?” I croaked, my throat dry and raw.

“I needed a woman,” he said simply, as though that explained everything. “I saw you at the grocery store. That red hair of yourscaught my eye. Reminded me of my ex-wife. She had beautiful red hair, too. Of course, I pulled it all out before I killed her.”

---