Chapter 12 #2
"That's our contamination source," Ethan says with certainty. "Has to be."
"We need to get closer," Ava says. "I need samples, photos of the labels, anything that can definitively tie this to the watershed contamination."
"The fence is twelve feet high," Caleb points out. "Topped with barbed wire. And that's assuming we can avoid the cameras."
"There," I say, spotting a section where the fence line runs close to a large oak tree. "If we approach from that angle, the tree blocks the camera's view. And the fence looks damaged there. See how it's leaning inward?"
"That's still a lot of open ground to cross," Caleb says doubtfully.
"We wait," I decide. "We'll come back late tonight, approach from this angle, document what we can, and get out. Fast and quiet."
"I still think I should—" Ava starts, but I cut her off.
"You're coming. I know. But we do this smart, Ava. We don't take unnecessary risks."
She nods, though I can see the frustration in her eyes. She wants to charge in right now, start collecting evidence, prove what EnvironTech is doing. But that's not how this works.
We spend another hour scouting, then head back to the truck as the sun fully sets.
"I don't like this," Caleb says once we're on the road back to Willow Creek. "That facility is too well-guarded for what it's supposed to be. Either they're doing something illegal, or they're protecting something valuable. Either way, they're not going to take kindly to us snooping around."
"Which is why we're being careful," I reply. "In and out, document what we can, leave no trace we were there."
Ethan, sitting in the back seat with Ava, speaks up. "I've done this before. Scouted facilities, gathered evidence of environmental violations. The key is speed. Get in, get what you need, get out before anyone knows you were there."
"And if someone does spot us?" Ava asks.
"Then we run," I say simply. "We regroup, and we come up with a new plan."
We stop at my place so Ava can grab her collection kit and for me to change into darker clothes. Rachel has dinner waiting, which we eat quickly and mostly in silence. The tension is building as night falls and our planned infiltration gets closer.
"Be careful," Rachel says as we prepare to leave. She pulls Caleb into a tight hug, then does the same to me. "All of you. This information isn't worth anyone getting hurt."
"We'll be," I promise.
The drive back to the service road feels longer in the dark. I park even further away this time, and we hike in using minimal light, relying on the moon and our enhanced vision.
The facility is lit up now, floodlights illuminating the main areas, but creating deep shadows in between. We can use those shadows.
"Stay low, stay quiet," I murmur as we approach the fence line. "Ava, you're between Ethan and me. Caleb, you watch our backs."
We move through the forest like ghosts. Even Ava has gotten quieter, understanding the stakes now that we're actually here.
The oak tree provides perfect cover, just as I'd hoped. From this angle, the nearest camera is blocked, and the barrel storage area is only about thirty yards away.
"The fence is damaged enough that I can peel it back," I say, examining the chain-link. "But it's going to make noise."
"Do it during the guard's patrol," Ethan suggests. "He's on a circuit—I've been timing him. Every twelve minutes, he walks the perimeter. When he's on the far side, we make our move."
We wait, counting the minutes. When the guard disappears around the far corner of the main building, I grip the damaged section of fence and pull. The metal groans softly but gives way, creating a gap just large enough for a person to slip through.
"Go," I whisper to Ava. "Fast but careful."
She doesn't hesitate, sliding through the gap with her collection kit. Ethan follows, then me. Caleb stays on the outside, keeping watch.
The barrel storage area is worse up close. Dozens of containers in various states of decay, many showing obvious signs of leakage. The chemical smell is overwhelming, making my eyes water.
Ava immediately starts working, photographing labels, taking samples of the leaked material, documenting everything with practiced efficiency. Ethan assists, pointing out the worst contamination, helping her collect samples.
I keep watch, my enhanced hearing tracking every sound. The guard's footsteps are on the far side still. A door opens inside the main building. Someone coughs. A radio crackles.
"Ava," I murmur. "We need to move."
"Two more minutes. I'm almost done."
Those two minutes feel like an eternity. Every shadow seems to move. Every sound seems amplified.
Finally, she nods. "Got it. Let's go."
We slip back through the fence, and I carefully bend the chain-link back into position. It won't pass close inspection, but from a distance, it might not be noticed.
We're twenty yards into the trees when I hear it. The guard's radio is crackling to life.
"Johnson, you see anything on the east side? Camera three just flickered."
My blood runs cold. The camera. We must have blocked it just long enough when passing through the fence.
"Negative," a voice responds. "Probably just a bird or something. Want me to check it out?"
"Yeah, do a sweep. I'll review the footage."
"Move," I hiss.
We don't pause until we're back at the truck, breathing hard, adrenaline pumping. I can hear my heart pounding, can smell the fear-sweat on all of us.
"Everyone okay?" I ask once we're inside with the doors locked.
Nods all around.
"Did they see us?" Ava asks.
"I don't think so. But they know something triggered the camera." I start the engine, keeping the lights off until we're well away from the service road. "We need to assume they'll be on higher alert now."
"We got what we needed," Ava says, clutching her collection kit like it's precious cargo. Which, in a way, it is. "These samples will prove the contamination is coming from EnvironTech. The photos show clear violations of environmental regulations. We have evidence."
"Evidence that we obtained through trespassing," Ethan points out. "That's going to complicate things if we try to use it officially."
"Not if we can get an official investigation started," Ava counters. "Once the EPA or state environmental agency is involved, they can obtain legal samples. Our evidence just points them in the right direction."
We drive in silence for a few minutes, the weight of what we've discovered settling over us.
"This is bigger than we thought," Caleb finally says. "EnvironTech isn't just dumping waste carelessly. They're actively operating that facility while claiming it's abandoned. That's deliberate deception."
"Which means they have something to hide," I add. "Something worth the risk of getting caught."
"And something worth paying for security, cameras, regular patrols," Ethan says. "That costs money. Whatever they're doing there, it's profitable enough to justify the expense."
Ava is quiet in the passenger seat, staring out the window.
When she finally speaks, her voice is troubled.
"We need to be really careful how we handle this.
Companies that are willing to lie about their operations, that are actively poisoning the environment while pretending to be green, don't react well to being exposed. "
"Are you having second thoughts?" I ask gently.
"No. But I'm worried about what happens next.
About what they might do if they realize someone's onto them.
" She turns to look at me. "We're not just dealing with environmental violations anymore, Hunter.
This is corporate fraud, potentially conspiracy.
People have gotten hurt trying to expose things like this. "