Page 70 of Dig Your Grave

Rage and fear warred inside me.“How do I know you’re not bluffing?”

“We have resources.Look at your phone in two minutes.”The line clicked dead.

My hand shook as I lowered the phone.Anubis leaned in, alarmed.“What is it?”

I told him, voice trembling.“They threatened my mom.They said to come to the old chapel by the Boathouse tomorrow at dawn, or else.They claim a new order is forming within the Skulls.”

He rubbed a hand down his face, jaw tight.“These bastards don’t stop.”

Just then, my phone dinged again.A text from the same unknown number:A photo attachment.I opened it with dread.My mother, Ambrosia, in a candid shot outside some concert venue, Rock by her side.The timestamp was from last night.

“They’re not bluffing,” I whispered, tears stinging.“They must’ve followed her.They could do anything.”

Anubis set down his fork, fury and concern etched on his face.“We can’t risk letting them hurt her.But going back to campus is insane.The watchers or the new faction might trap us.”

I nodded, pulse hammering.“But if we don’t, they’ll do who knows what.”

He squeezed my hand again, trying to steady me.“We need backup.The Undercurrent, Kate, maybe the police who are starting to investigate.If we can set up a sting… But that’s dangerous.They said no police.”

I grimaced.“We can’t blindly trust them, either.Even if it’s a new Skulls faction, they’re still the same people who brand novices, kill whistleblowers, and manipulate from the shadows.They’re using my mother as leverage.”

Quiet settled, disturbed only by the clatter of dishes in the diner kitchen.My stomach churned, appetite gone.I can’t let them hurt Mom.Even if she and I have had a rocky relationship, she’s still my family.

Anubis exhaled.“We’ll figure out a plan.We have until dawn tomorrow.Let’s finish here, pay, and head back to the motel.We’ll reach out to Kate, gather what intel we can, then decide.”

I nodded woodenly, shoving the plate aside.My world had turned upside down yet again.The Skulls had a thousand ways to coerce compliance, and threatening my mother was the most personal blow yet.

The walk back to the Redwood Inn felt endless under the midday sun.My phone occasionally showed one bar of signal, letting me refresh messages.Kate hadn’t sent anything new since her “Sophie missing” update, which left me tense.

Back in our motel room, the stale air greeted us.Anubis locked the door carefully, then paced across the worn carpet.“We can’t do anything,” he repeated, voice taut.“And we can’t just hand ourselves over.Could we contact Dr.Lansing?She seemed conflicted.Maybe she knows this ‘new order’ faction, or at least how they operate.”

I shook my head.“We don’t have her number.She’s off the grid as far as we know.”Still, the idea lingered: Lansing was pivotal to the biotech fiasco.If the new order had formed around controlling that research, she’d be in danger or a key participant.

Instead, I typed a quick message to Kate, telling her about the threat against my mother and the summons at dawn.My phone’s battery flashed low, but I tapped send.A moment later, my phone beeped:

Message Failed: No Service.

“Dammit.”Frustration ignited.“We’re offline here.We might have to leave the motel to find better reception.”

Anubis’ brow furrowed.“That’s risky, but we might not have a choice.We need help from the Undercurrent or someone.If the watchers find us alone, we can’t fight them off forever.”

I slumped on the edge of the bed.“What about the caretaker’s cottage?The Skulls have probably searched it by now, but maybe the phone lines or a campus kiosk are still open.Or do we try a public library or cafe with Wi-Fi in town?”

He considered.“Town might be safer.Lots of people around, less chance of watchers abducting us in broad daylight.”

I nodded, mind racing.“Let’s do that.We’ll find a library or coffee shop, get a stable connection, and try to call Kate or the police detective investigating Toccara’s murder.We won’t mention we’re going to the chapel, but maybe they can be on standby if things go bad.”

Anubis’ features softened.“That’s a plan.Then we decide how to handle the meet.Because if we don’t show up, your mom’s in danger.”

A swirl of dread, guilt, and resolve churned inside me.I’ll do anything to protect her.Even if it meant stepping back into the Skulls’ jaws.

A quick search on Anubis’ phone’s GPS (which flickered in and out of coverage) pointed us toward a public library in the city, about twenty minutes by bus.We checked out of the motel, leaving nothing behind.I felt naked and vulnerable walking to the bus stop, but the midday crowd offered a shield of anonymity.

We boarded an old city bus, found seats at the back, and tried to blend with the half-dozing midday commuters.My chest tightened each time the bus slowed, expecting watchers or black SUVs.But no sign of them emerged.

At last, we reached a modest public library in a tired part of town.The building was all concrete walls and tiny windows, a relic of 1970s architecture.Inside, I was hit with the faint smell of old books.A few patrons worked at computers or perused shelves.It was quiet, normal, an oasis of calm.

Anubis led us to a corner with a cluster of public-use computers.We had to sign in with a library card, so I quickly registered as “Sarah Divore,” a slight tweak from my real name, hoping not to raise suspicion.The librarian behind the counter hardly blinked.

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