Chapter 8

8

The tip of the soldering iron poised above the last wire on her new contraption, Paige paused, moving her head from side to side, trying to untense her screaming neck muscles. Four hours on the road and then an hour at the makeshift workbench was taking a toll on her body.

Still, she needed to work fast. Cody was still unconscious, but he'd be awake any minute. She couldn't wait to start her interrogation. Couldn't wait to give Cody back a small measure of the stress he'd caused her so many years ago.

The acrid smell of solder hung in the air as she carefully connected the last wire of the electrical signal jammer. Her fingers, usually so steady, trembled. This wasn't just any piece of tech—it was their lifeline, their invisibility cloak against the Consortium's prying eyes.

"Almost there," she muttered, more to herself than to Tai, who hovered nearby with a fire extinguisher. Better safe than sorry when dealing with experimental electronics.

She sat back, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "Moment of truth."

Tai nodded, his usual easy grin replaced by a look of intense concentration. "If this works, we'll have the whole building cloaked. No signal from Cody's tracker getting out. No way for them to find us."

Paige's hand hesitated over the power switch. So much rode on this jury-rigged contraption. She took a deep breath and flipped it.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, with a low hum that vibrated through the floor, the jammer sprang to life. Banks of lights flickered on, bathing the room in an eerie blue glow.

"We're officially off the grid," she announced, glancing at Tai. The relief in her voice was palpable.

He nodded, his eyes scanning the complex machinery. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Her gaze drifted to the thick granite walls surrounding them. Mason's renovations had transformed the old bank into a luxurious hideout, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being entombed. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Her second vault in less than twenty-four hours. Not fun.

Through the narrow windows, she caught glimpses of Cerro Flaco, the ghost town they now called their temporary sanctuary. Perched atop a mesa, the abandoned mining settlement commanded a sweeping view of the valley floor miles below. A treacherous dirt road snaked its way up the hillside—their only connection to civilization, and their first line of defense. Mason was right. Any vehicle approaching would be spotted long before it reached the town limits.

The town itself was a haunting tableau of the Old West frozen in time. Weather-beaten structures dotted the landscape, their wood silvered by decades of harsh desert sun. Some buildings listed precariously, while others stood defiantly against the elements. Tumbleweeds gathered in corners, and the wind whispered through empty doorways, carrying echoes of a long-gone era.

But appearances were deceiving. Behind the facade of decay, Mason had worked his technological magic. Solar panels were cleverly disguised as dilapidated roofing. State-of-the-art security systems lurked behind cracked windows. And beneath their feet, the old bank had been transformed into a bunker that would make most military installations envious.

They were safe, yes, but also cut off.

The watchers, and maybe also the watched.

She and Tai made their way to the central living space, where the others had gathered. The soft leather of the couch beckoned, but she remained standing, too wired to sit.

Tai let out a low whistle as he approached the gleaming espresso machine in the kitchen. "This thing probably cost more than my new truck."

"You're not wrong," Mason replied with a smirk.

Paige rolled her eyes. "Glad to see you've got your priorities straight, Mace."

She glanced down the hallway towards the bedroom where Cody lay, still unconscious.

"Any change?" she asked, hating the tremor in her voice.

Graham shook his head. "Still out cold. He'll come around any minute."

The room fell silent, the gravity of their situation settling over them like a heavy blanket. Paige could hear the faint whisper of the desert wind outside, a reminder of just how isolated they were.

"So," Fenn said, breaking the tension, "what's our next move?"

Paige paced the length of the room, her boots echoing on the polished concrete floor. Her mind raced, torn between conflicting emotions. Cody's presence in the next room was like a splinter in her thoughts, impossible to ignore.

"We can't just sit here twiddling our thumbs," Graham grumbled, breaking the tense silence.

Tai leaned against the kitchen counter, a wry smile on his face. "We could always toss Cody back to his wolves. Save us the headache."

"Very funny," Paige shot back, but her voice lacked conviction. Part of her couldn't help but consider the idea, however briefly. He couldn't be trusted. No one knew that better than she.

Bridger stepped forward, his steady gaze meeting hers. "We need to see this through. If there's even a chance Cody can help us get to Jason ..."

Fenn nodded in agreement. "He's our best lead right now."

Kate chimed in, "I'm with them. We've come too far to back out now."

A wave of gratitude washed over Paige. Their support steadied her, anchoring her amidst the storm of her own doubts. She'd made the wrong choice with Cody once before; the shame of that mistake still burned. Could she trust her judgment now?

Suddenly, a spark of inspiration cut through the fog of her uncertainty. "I've got it!"

"Care to share with the class?" Mason quipped.

Her fingers twitched, already itching to get to work. "I can create something that mimics the signal from Cody's chip."

"Create a decoy?" Bridger asked, catching on quickly.

"Exactly. We can't stay hidden forever, and we need to buy time to figure out Cody's angle. This way, we can make the Consortium chase shadows while we work."

The room buzzed with renewed energy as the team considered the plan. Paige felt the weight on her shoulders lighten slightly. It wasn't a solution to all their problems, but it was a start. And right now, that was enough.

"Well then," Fenn said, clapping his hands together, "let's get this party started."