Chapter 11

11

Kate sat at her laptop in her tiny room, quietly disgruntled. The chair beneath her felt hard and unyielding, and the stale air in the room hung heavy with the scent of cheap cleaning products. She shifted uncomfortably, her muscles stiff from hours of inactivity. Two hours had passed since Fenn left. The storm had subsided completely, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

She'd hit a dead end in her online research, her eyes straining from the glare of the laptop screen in the dimly lit room. Talking with Jimbo at the front desk had yielded nothing on the three Canadian military guys or the nine scientists and support staff who had headed back to the military base. The clerk, with his overly friendly demeanor and penchant for gossip, had been all too eager to chat about the guests at the hotel the night she found the note. But despite his willingness to share, nothing struck her as a solid lead.

On paper, the scientists and support staff were a mix of weather scientists, cooks, a physician assistant, and maintenance folks. The three military guys were supposedly enlisted personnel, one radar communications specialist and two military police. But Kate had no way to verify their identities or dig deeper into their backgrounds. The lack of information frustrated her, and she could feel the tension building in her shoulders.

If she brought the team in, Paige would conduct a search ten times more thorough than hers, leveraging her extensive network of contacts and cutting-edge technology. But Kate still couldn't bring herself to endanger them, not unless she ran completely out of ideas. The mere thought of coming clean about her past made her face bloom with heat, and she could feel the shame and guilt churning in her gut.

For now, she held onto the possibility that she could solve this herself, even as the walls of the tiny room seemed to close in around her. She stood up abruptly, wincing as her stiff muscles protested the sudden movement. She needed to get out, to do something, anything, to shake off the energy that buzzed beneath her skin.

Restless and antsy, she decided to track Fenn down. The settlement was tiny, and he was on foot. She bundled up, layering her clothing to ward off the bone-chilling cold. She pocketed her M18, the weight of the gun a familiar and comforting presence against her hip. With a deep breath, she stepped out into the endless cold, the icy air stinging her cheeks and making her eyes water.

As she walked the streets, which were still dark but surprisingly busy, she noticed big snowcats pulling sleds towering high with shrink-wrapped deliverables. The roar of their engines filled the air, mingling with the shouts of the workers as they loaded and unloaded their cargo. People walked and rode every sort of snow contraption, from smaller snowcats to snowmobiles to pick-up trucks and vans outfitted with ski tracks. The vehicles kicked up clouds of powdery snow, and Kate could feel the icy particles melting against her skin.

Walking hurt her hip, the old injury throbbing with every step. But she gritted her teeth and pushed through the pain, knowing that the movement would help loosen her stiff muscles. The cold air burned her lungs, but she welcomed the sensation, using it to focus her mind and push away the doubts and fears that plagued her.

She started on the streets to the east, making her way through each one with determined strides. As she turned onto the last street, she heard the unmistakable sounds of a scuffle. Her heart raced as she quickened her pace, following the noise to a dimly lit alley. Adrenaline surged through her veins, and she could feel her senses sharpening, her body preparing for a fight.

As she approached the dimly lit alley, she heard the grunts and thuds of a fight echoing off the narrow walls, and the sound of heavy breathing cut through the cold air. In the darkness, she could make out two figures locked in a struggle, their movements fast and furious.

The taller of the two men moved with a fluid grace that was all too familiar.

Fenn.

Even in the low light, she recognized the way he held himself, the way he waited for his opening, then struck out with precision and power.

But the other man was a mystery, his features obscured by the shadows. He fought with a desperate ferocity, his blows wild and uncontrolled. Kate couldn't make out his face, but she could see the glint of something metallic in his hand, and her heart raced at the thought of Fenn facing off against an armed opponent.

Without hesitation, she closed the distance between herself and the struggling men in a matter of seconds, her boots pounding against the icy ground. As she drew near, she leapt into the air, her leg extending in a powerful kick that caught the unknown man in the ribs.

The impact was jarring, and Kate felt the shockwave reverberate up her leg and into her hip. But she pushed through the pain, landing lightly on her feet as the man stumbled back, gasping for air.

Fenn seized the opportunity, his fist connecting with the man's jaw in a sickening crunch. The sound of bone against bone echoed in the alley, and the man's head snapped back, his body going limp as he crumpled to the ground.

Kate stood over the fallen man, her chest heaving with exertion. She could smell the coppery tang of blood in the air, mingling with the stench of sweat and fear. Fenn stood beside her, his knuckles raw and bloody, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

But the fight wasn't over yet. The man on the ground stirred, his hand scrambling for the weapon he had dropped. Kate saw the glint of metal and reacted on instinct, her hand flying to the M18 inside her parka.

"Freeze!" she barked, her voice ringing out in the confined space of the alley. "Hands up."

The man froze, his hand inches from the knife that lay on the ground beside him. He looked up at Kate, his eyes wide with fear and anger.

She kicked the knife away. "Who are you?"

The man spat a mouthful of blood onto the ground, his lips curling into a sneer. "I don't answer to you."

Fenn clenched his fists. "Watch your mouth. You're in no position to be making threats."

She stepped closer. "I won't ask again. Who are you, and why did you attack Fenn?"

The man's eyes darted between Kate and Fenn. She could see the calculation in his gaze. He was weighing his options, trying to decide whether to fight or flee.

But before he could make a move, Fenn was on him, his knee pressed into the man's back as he wrenched his arms behind him. The man let out a yelp of pain, his face contorting in agony.

"Talk," Fenn growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Or I'll make sure you never walk again."

The man's resistance crumbled, and he sagged against the ground, his voice coming out in a whimper. "Okay, okay. Ease up. Just don't hurt me anymore."

Kate's eyes never left the man's face. "Start talking. And don't leave anything out."