Chapter 25
Caleb
“What is it?” Lana asks, her eyes searching mine in the dim light, a hint of concern in her voice.
I take a deep breath, knowing what I’m about to say might change everything between us. “Before I came here, I was in a dark place. The things I saw, the things I did in service... they haunted me. I couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t function normally.”
She remains silent, her hand warm against my chest, waiting for me to continue.
“Jake didn’t just invite me to stay here after we dealt with Petrova’s men and I got shot. He was worried. I was...” I pause, finding the right words, “I would start to self-destruct again. Drinking too much. Taking risks I shouldn’t have.”
Lana shifts closer, providing comfort as I force myself to keep going.
“There was a mission that went wrong. Horribly wrong. We lost three men—good men with families waiting for them back home. I was the team leader.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she whispers, but I shake my head.
“I made the call. I sent them into that building.” The memories flood back—the explosion, the radio silence, the knowledge that I’d failed them. “After that, I couldn’t do it anymore. Couldn’t be responsible for more lives. So I quit. A few months later, Mikhail hired me on.”
Her fingers trace patterns on my skin, grounding me in the present. “Is that why you stayed here? To hide?”
“To heal,” I correct her. “Or at least that was Jake’s plan. I just wanted somewhere quiet to fall apart.”
“And have you? Healed, I mean?”
I consider her question carefully. “I’m getting there. Being here has helped. The quiet, the routine.” I brush a strand of hair from her face. “And then there was you.”
“Me?” Her voice is soft with surprise.
“You make me want to be better. To be whole again.” I cup her face in my hand. “I don’t want just to survive anymore, Lana. I want to live.”
Her eyes shine in the dim light, and she leans forward to press her lips gently against mine. “Then live,” she whispers against my mouth. “With me.”
We make love again, slower this time, savoring each touch, each kiss, as if memorizing each other. When we finally fall asleep, tangled together beneath the blankets, I feel lighter somehow—as if sharing my burden has made it easier to carry.
I wake sometime in the night to find her trembling against me, her face contorted in the grip of another nightmare. Before I can wake her, she gasps and sits upright, disoriented and breathing hard.
“It’s okay,” I murmur, sitting up beside her. “You’re safe. I’m here.”
She turns to me, recognition dawning in her eyes. “Caleb?”
“Right here.” I open my arms, and she collapses against my chest.
“I dreamed that they found us,” she says, her voice muffled against my skin. “NTM. They had guns, and they were going to—” She breaks off, shuddering.
I stroke her hair, holding her close. “It was just a dream. We’re safe. Armed men are patrolling the entire perimeter.”
She nods but doesn’t seem entirely convinced. “It felt so real.”
“Dreams often do.” I press a kiss to the top of her head. “Want to talk about it?”
She shakes her head. “Just hold me for a while?”
I settle back against the pillows, keeping her cradled against me. “As long as you need.”
Eventually, her breathing evens out, and she falls back asleep. I lie awake, listening to the occasional sounds from below—horses shifting in their stalls, the mother cat purring somewhere nearby, the wind outside making the barn creak and settle.
My radio sits within reach, silent for now. The security teams are rotating shifts throughout the night, but so far, there have been no reports of suspicious activity. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that something is coming—that we’re in the calm before a storm.
888
We awake at dawn and begin preparing for the day ahead. I watch Lana dress, memorizing the graceful movements of her body, the way she tucks her hair behind her ear when concentrating.
“What?” she asks, catching me staring.
“Just appreciating the view,” I reply with a smile that makes her laugh.
We pack up our makeshift camp, folding blankets and collecting the remnants of our dinner. Before we climb down from the loft, she turns to me, her expression serious.
“Thank you,” she says.
“For what?”
“For last night. For trusting me with your story. For...” she gestures around the transformed hayloft, “all of this.”
I draw her into my arms for one more kiss. “Thank you for staying.”
When we emerge from the barn, the farm is already bustling with activity. Jake gives us a knowing look but says nothing as we approach the house for breakfast. Inside, Declan and Rory are reviewing maps of the waterfall area while Ella and Wren are preparing enough food to feed everyone.
“Morning,” Kane greets us, sliding mugs of coffee our way. “Sleep well?”
Lana’s cheeks color slightly, but she keeps her composure. “Well enough. Are we still on for the waterfall today?”
“First light,” Declan confirms, looking up from his maps. “I’ve selected four men to accompany you and Caleb. They’ll meet you here in thirty minutes.”
“I’m coming too,” Richard announces, entering the kitchen with Margret. “I’ve studied Thomas Wolf’s journals more thoroughly than anyone. If there are clues at the site, I’ll spot them.”
Declan considers this, then nods. “Fine, but you follow orders. If things go sideways, you do exactly what Caleb tells you.”
Richard agrees readily, his excitement unmistakable. Margret looks less enthusiastic but does not object.
After a quick breakfast, we gather our gear. The four men Declan assigned to us are already waiting outside—all former special forces by the look of them, with the quiet competence that comes from years of high-risk operations.
“This is Hawk, Drake, Nightingale, and Roadrunner,” Declan introduces them.
“Just call me Night,” came Nightingale’s reply.
Declan looks at him and nods before continuing. “They’ll provide security while you search the site.”
I shake hands with each man, quickly assessing their capabilities.
Hawk is clearly the sniper—lean, observant, with the stillness of someone used to waiting for the perfect shot.
Drake is built like a tank, probably the heavy weapons specialist. Night has the alert eyes of a mediator, while Roadrunner moves with the fluid grace of someone trained in close-quarters combat.
“Good to have you with us,” I tell them.
“You will be driving to within half a mile of the waterfall,” Jake explains, spreading out a map on the hood of his truck. “Then hike in on foot. The land gets too rough for vehicles beyond that point.”
Lana joins us, dressed for hiking in sturdy boots and layers that will keep her warm while allowing freedom of movement. She’s pulled her hair back in a practical ponytail, but a few strands have already escaped to frame her face.
“Ready?” I ask her quietly.
She nods, determination in her eyes. “Let’s find that gold.”
“Wait!!”
We all turn to see Julia come running in a long black puffer-style winter coat, with the hood pulled up and wispy black fur framing her face. “Can I come too?”
I stare at Julia for a moment, taking in her slightly manic expression and the way she’s practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. The black fur around her hood makes her look like an overeager arctic fox.
“Julia,” I say carefully, “this could be dangerous. We’re not exactly going on a picnic.”
She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Oh, please, I’ve survived a blizzard with you two, remember? Plus, I’ve watched every season of ‘Gold Rush’ and ‘Treasure Hunters.’ I’m basically an expert.”
Jake snorts beside me. “An expert, huh?”
“Absolutely!” Julia nods enthusiastically.
“I also bring essential skills to the team.” She starts counting on her fingers.
“I can identify poisonous plants, I know CPR for both humans AND animals, and most importantly—” she reaches into her oversized bag and pulls out a massive Tupperware container, “—I made my famous triple chocolate brownies.”
The four security men exchange amused glances as Drake’s eyes lock onto the brownies like a heat-seeking missile.
“Those do look good,” he admits, eyeing the container.
I sigh, already knowing I’m fighting a losing battle. “Julia, we’re looking for hidden gold that corporate mercenaries might guard.”
“Perfect!” She beams. “I’ve always wanted to be in a heist movie! Do I get a cool code name? Can I be ‘Green Panther’? Or maybe ‘Smooth Move’?”
Richard, who has been quietly watching this exchange, clears his throat. “Actually, having a medical professional might not be the worst idea.”
“See?” Julia points at Richard triumphantly. “The treasure expert agrees!”
“I never said I was a treasure expert—” Richard begins, but Julia is already climbing into the back of Jake’s truck, settling in like she’s preparing for a road trip.
“All aboard!” she calls out cheerfully. “The gold won’t find itself, people!”
Lana catches my eye, clearly trying not to laugh. “She did help us at the mill,” she reminds me quietly.
“Fine,” I concede, knowing when I’m outnumbered. “But you stay with the group at all times,” I tell Julia sternly. “No wandering off.”
“Scout’s honor!” Julia salutes me with the wrong hand, then immediately turns to Hawk.
“So, what’s your real name? Or is it actually Hawk?
Because that would be so cool. Were you named after a bird, or is it because you have amazing eyesight?
Can you see that squirrel over there? What about that tiny bird in the tree?
How many fingers am I holding up from here? ”
Hawk, possibly the most stoic person I’ve ever met, blinks slowly at her rapid-fire questions. “Three fingers,” he answers flatly.
“Amazing!” Julia gasps. “It’s like you have superpowers!”
I catch Drake stifling a laugh as we load the rest of our gear into the vehicles. This expedition just got a lot more... colorful.
The drive to our starting point takes about twenty minutes, with Julia chattering the entire way. She somehow manages to extract life stories from both Nightingale and Roadrunner, who, until now, I wasn’t sure could actually speak in complete sentences.
“So you have four children?” Julia exclaims to Roadrunner. “That’s wonderful! Do you have pictures? Of course you do, what parent doesn’t? Let me see!”
By the time we park and begin unloading our equipment, Julia has seen photos of everyone’s families, pets, and, in Drake’s case, his prized collection of vintage fishing lures.
“Alright, everyone,” I call out, trying to regain some semblance of control over this operation. “The waterfall is about half a mile through those trees. We move together, stay alert. Nightingale, take point. Hawk, I want you watching our six. Drake, Roadrunner, flanking positions.”
“What about me?” Julia asks brightly. “What’s my tactical position?”
“Your tactical position is directly in front of me, where I can keep an eye on you,” I tell her.
“Ooh, bodyguard detail! Fancy!” She does a little shimmy that makes Lana burst out laughing. I pull Lana aside. “Is Julia on something? Because she wasn’t like that before.”
She smacks my arm playfully and says, “I think she’s the type of person that once she gets to know you, she just lets loose.”
We set off through the trees, moving at a steady pace despite the lingering patches of snow.
Julia manages to maintain a constant stream of commentary about everything from the local flora “Did you know that moss always grows on the north side of trees? Except when it doesn’t!
” to her theories on where the gold might be hidden “Maybe it’s IN the waterfall, like in National Treasure, and we have to go BEHIND it! OMG that would be so cool!”.
Despite myself, I find her enthusiasm infectious. It lightens the mood of what could otherwise be a tense mission, and even the security team seems more relaxed—while remaining vigilant, I note with approval.
About fifteen minutes into our hike, Julia suddenly stops dead in her tracks, causing me to sidestep to miss running into her.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, instantly on alert, my hand moving toward my gun.
“Shh!” she hisses, pointing dramatically to our right. “Look!”
We all freeze, hands moving to weapons, scanning for threats—only to see a small red fox watching us curiously from behind a fallen log.
“Isn’t it adorable?” Julia whispers loudly. “I’m going to call him Rusty!”
“Julia,” I say through gritted teeth, “we’re not here for wildlife watching.”
“Spoilsport,” she mutters, but continues walking. “Bye, Rusty! Live your best fox life!”
Lana falls into step beside me, bumping my shoulder gently. “Admit it,” she says quietly, “she’s making this whole treasure hunt more fun.”
I’m about to deny it when Julia lets out a delighted squeal. “I hear water! We must be getting close!”
She’s right—the sound of rushing water grows louder as we continue forward. A few minutes later, we emerge from the trees to find ourselves facing the waterfall Jake mentioned.
It’s impressive—about thirty feet high, cascading down a rocky cliff face into a clear pool below. The morning sun catches in the spray, creating a shimmering rainbow effect that makes Julia gasp with wonder.
“It’s like something out of a fairy tale,” she breathes, then immediately ruins the poetic moment by adding, “Do you think there are any fish in there? I forgot to pack lunch.”
Richard steps forward, consulting his notes. “According to Wolf’s journal, we’re looking for ‘where water meets stone, where the light of the equinox touches the mark of the wolf’.”
“The equinox is tomorrow,” Lana reminds us. “So we need to find the ‘mark of the wolf’ today to know where to look when the sun hits it tomorrow.”
We spread out around the pool, keeping within sight of each other as we search the rocks for anything resembling a wolf mark. The security team establishes a perimeter, with Hawk finding a high vantage point overlooking the area.
I’m examining a series of rocks near the edge of the pool when I hear Julia’s voice again.
“Hey guys,” she calls, her tone suddenly different—less bouncy, more focused. “I think I found something.”