Page 60 of Todd
“Copy that,” Casper replied. “Give me two minutes to access geological surveys and cross-reference with current imagery.”
While they waited, Todd retrieved the night vision equipment they’d taken off to climb the fence. He fitted Sadie’s carefully, adjusting the straps to accommodate her smaller frame while trying not to think about how pale her skin looked in the starlight.
“Got it,” Casper announced. “I’m showing a cluster of abandoned mine shafts northeast of your position. The structures include what appears to be a processing facility that’s been modified with recent construction. A dirt road leads there from the north side of the resort. I’m sending coordinates to your GPS now.”
Todd’s device vibrated softly as the waypoints loaded, displaying a route that would take them through increasingly rough terrain toward whatever Dr. Selinski had established in the desert’s heart. He murmured, studying the topographical data. “It’ll take us about thirty minutes to walk.”
Sadie nodded, her jaw set with stubborn determination. “Then we'd better get started.”
They moved into the night desert, walking toward the unknown with the vast landscape stretching endlessly around them. Through the night vision goggles, the landscape took on an otherworldly quality as silver sand dunes and twisted Joshua trees created an alien panorama that felt both beautiful and threatening. He had been in similar environments when on missions but had a feeling this was a first for Sadie.
Todd set a pace that took into consideration her current abilities. He constantly monitored her condition while scanning for threats. The sounds of the desert surrounded them with the distant cry of a coyote, the wind through sagebrush, and the soft crunch of their footsteps on ground that hadn’t felt rain in months.
“How are you holding up?” he asked as they paused beside a cluster of weathered rocks that provided momentary concealment.
“Better than I expected,” she replied, though he could hear the breathlessness that spoke to significant physical strain. “The medication you gave me is helping.”
He was glad he’d eased her suffering, but the situation also highlighted how close they’d come to not getting to her in time. He was awed by how much courage she showed by insisting on this final mission when every instinct in her body told her to rest.
They continued without speaking until the mining structures finally began to materialize from the darkness. What had once served legitimate mining operations had been perverted into Dr.Selinski’s remote location for disposing of problems without fear of discovery.
“There,” Sadie whispered, pointing toward two buildings that squatted against the desert floor. “That has to be it.”
Todd studied the structures through his night vision, cataloging potential entry points and escape routes while his mind raced through dozens of scenarios that could get them both killed. But beside him, Sadie stood with quiet determination that reminded him why she was worth any risk.
“Together,” he said, the word carrying weight beyond their immediate mission. “We do this together, and then we go home.”
Home.But first, they had to survive whatever waited in those abandoned mines and hope that their courage would be enough to save whoever might still be trapped in Dr. Selinski’s vision of medical progress.
29
Sadie’s night vision goggles transformed the main building’s corrugated wooden siding into an eerie green tableau. Windows had been boarded over with plywood that bore no recent maintenance, creating the perfect illusion of total abandonment.
Somehow, she had imagined that they would find something more refined. She snorted.What the fuck was I thinking? Just because they called it rebalancing, it’s still a place to get rid of a guest who threatened their lucrative business.
As they drew closer, details emerged that spoke to recent use. Fresh tire tracks dug into the packed dirt around the front.
“Motion sensors along the perimeter,” Todd whispered, his voice barely audible through their comms as he studied the building’s approaches. “But they’re focused on vehicle access, not foot traffic. Whoever designed this security assumed threats would come by road.”
Sadie blew out a breath. Someone had taken great care to make this place appear derelict while maintaining the infrastructure necessary for their purposes.
She nodded, finding that speaking required more effort than she would have liked. She was desperate to have her body purge the experimental drugs that were still wreaking havoc onher coordination, making each step a conscious decision rather than an automatic movement. But adrenaline and righteous fury were potent antidotes to pharmaceutical manipulation, and the thought of finding survivors drove her forward despite her body’s protests.
They approached from the structure’s blind side, using shadows cast by the three-quarter moon to mask their movement. The building’s rear entrance was secured with a padlock that looked new, its gleaming chrome surface contrasting with the rust-stained doorframe.
Todd’s lock picks made quick work of the mechanism, the soft click of success barely audible above the desert wind. The door swung open on hinges that had been recently oiled.
The interior was a study in contrasts that made her stomach clench with horror. While the exterior maintained its facade of abandonment, someone had invested resources in making the inside functional. LED lighting strips provided harsh illumination. Todd began relaying the information to LSIMT as well as recording what they were staring at.
Sadie forced herself to move forward, her body acting on sheer will and determination alone. There was only one other door, and as she turned toward Todd, she waited until he could open the padlock on the handle. The final lock yielded to Todd’s expertise with a clang that seemed to echo through the corridor like a gunshot.
When it swung open, Sadie’s heart nearly stopped as a sharp intake of breath clenched her lungs. She could see a figure huddled on the cot, auburn hair catching the harsh lighting in a way that sent recognition crashing through her chest like a physical blow. The woman inside looked like a shadow of the frightened but determined reporter who’d sought her help just a day ago. Her face was pale, her clothes dirty, and her eyes wide with fear.
“Melinda,” Sadie whispered, her voice breaking with a mixture of relief and horror. “You’re alive.”
As the door swung open, Melinda’s head jerked up with the terrified alertness of someone who’d learned to expect only horror from approaching footsteps.
“Melinda, it’s me,” Sadie said softly, pulling off her night vision goggles so the other woman could see her face clearly. “It’s Sadie. We’re here to get you out.”
