Chapter 27
Lana
As we drive back to Jake’s farm, I can’t help replaying the morning’s discovery in my mind.
That subtle wolf etching in the stone—how long had it been there, waiting to be found?
Thomas Wolf had created something meant to last for generations, a message decipherable only at the precise moment when day and night achieve perfect balance.
“What are you thinking about?” Caleb asks, his voice pulling me from my thoughts. He’s driving, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the center console near mine.
“How Thomas Wolf planned all this,” I reply. “The patience it must have taken, knowing he might never see his plan come to fruition.”
“Men like that think beyond their own lifetimes,” Richard comments from the backseat. “They build legacies.”
Julia leans forward between our seats. “So what exactly do we expect to happen tomorrow? Will the sunlight, like, reveal a hidden door or something? Because that would be epic.”
I laugh despite myself. “I don’t think it’ll be quite that dramatic. But the light might illuminate something we can’t see otherwise—an opening, a direction, or some marker.”
“Or a map,” Richard adds excitedly. “Thomas was known for his elaborate maps.”
When we arrive back at Jake’s, the property is buzzing with activity. Declan’s men have established what appears to be a small military command post in the implement shed, complete with communications equipment, surveillance monitors, and a detailed topographical map of the entire area.
Declan himself is speaking with Rory when we enter, both looking up as our group files in.
“How did it go?” he asks, his sharp eyes assessing each of us.
“We found the marker,” Caleb reports. “But we had company. Two observers, likely NTM security.”
Declan’s expression darkens. “They’re getting bolder.”
“We’ve adjusted our plan,” Caleb continues, explaining our intention to camp overnight and be in position before dawn.
Declan nods approvingly. “Smart. We’ll create a diversion on the east side of the property around midnight—something noisy enough to draw attention but not alarming enough to bring in law enforcement.”
“I’ll handle that,” Rory offers. “A few ATVs with spotlights should do the trick. Make it look like we’re searching for something there.”
While they continue discussing approaches, I slip outside to call Kori. She answers on the second ring.
“Everything okay?” she asks immediately.
“Fine,” I assure her. “But I won’t be back tonight. We’re camping near the waterfall to be there for sunrise.”
“Camping? With Caleb?” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“And Julia, Richard, and two security guys,” I add quickly.
“Ah, a romantic group date then,” she teases. “Stay safe, okay? Kane says those NTM people aren’t playing around.”
“We’ll be careful,” I promise. “Any news on your end?”
“Just that Declan’s additional men arrived. The lodge is officially a testosterone factory. I’m thinking of charging admission.”
I laugh, grateful for her humor. “I’ll see you tomorrow, hopefully with good news.”
After ending the call, I find Julia organizing supplies with surprising efficiency. She’s created neat piles of equipment: thermal blankets, water purification tablets, first aid kits, and what appears to be enough granola bars to feed a small army.
“I’m taking preparation seriously,” she explains when she catches me watching. “No more bouncy, chaotic Julia. This is a Serious Mission, Julia.”
“I kind of liked bouncy Julia,” I admit, helping her sort through the gear.
She grins, briefly dropping her serious facade. “She’s still here. Just channeling my inner Jason Bourne right now.”
By late afternoon, our plan is set. Hawk and Nightingale will accompany Caleb, Richard, Julia, and me.
We’ll approach the waterfall from an unexpected direction after dark, using night vision equipment to navigate without flashlights.
Meanwhile, Rory will lead a noisy expedition on the opposite side of the property as a distraction.
As dusk approaches, I find myself growing increasingly nervous.
Not just about potential confrontation with NTM security, but about what we might—or might not—find tomorrow.
What if the equinox sunrise reveals nothing?
What if Thomas Wolf’s treasure remains hidden, his clues too obscure for us to decipher?
Caleb finds me on Jake’s porch, lost in these thoughts as I watch the sun begin its descent.
“Second thoughts?” he asks, leaning against the railing beside me.
“Just wondering if we’re chasing ghosts,” I admit. “What if there’s nothing there?”
“Then we tried,” he replies with a shrug. “But I don’t think Thomas Wolf went to all this trouble for nothing.”
I look up at him, studying his profile in the fading light. “How do you stay so calm?”
“Practice,” he responds with a slight smile. “And the knowledge that I’ve faced worse odds with less preparation.”
He turns to face me fully, his expression growing serious. “You don’t have to come tonight. You could stay here, where it’s safer.”
“Not a chance,” I say firmly. “I’ve been part of this from the beginning. I’m seeing it through.”
His smile broadens, and he leans down to kiss me briefly. “I knew you’d say that.”
“Am I interrupting?” Jake’s voice comes from the doorway.
“Not at all,” I reply, stepping back slightly from Caleb, feeling a blush warm my cheeks.
Jake pretends not to notice, handing each of us a small package. “Emergency rations from Ella. She said if you’re going to be creeping around in the woods all night, you might as well have decent food.”
I peek inside to find homemade energy bars, jerky, and what looks like chocolate chip cookies wrapped carefully in wax paper.
“Tell her thank you,” I say, genuinely touched.
Jake nods, then fixes Caleb with a stern look. “Be careful out there. All of you.”
“Always am,” Caleb responds, the easy familiarity between them evident in just those two words.
As night falls, we gather our equipment and prepare to move out.
Julia has transformed completely—her bright chatter replaced by focused concentration as she double-checks her pack.
Richard seems nervous but determined, clutching his notebook like a talisman.
Hawk and Nightingale move with the silent efficiency of men who’ve done this hundreds of times before.
Caleb gives us final instructions as we prepare to leave. “We move silently. Stay in formation. If you hear Hawk or me give the signal to drop, you hit the ground immediately, no questions asked. Understood?”
We all nod, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
“Good. Let’s move out.”
The night is clear and cold as we slip away from Jake’s farm in a matte black SUV.
No lights, just us driving in total darkness.
Hawk, who is at the wheel, is wearing night-vision goggles, and I can only hope he doesn’t hit something.
I breathe a sigh of relief when he parks the vehicle next to the edge of the forest. We file out and gather our stuff.
Hawk is in the lead, and I follow directly behind him, with Julia close on my heels.
Richard comes next, then Nightingale, with Caleb bringing up the rear, watching our backs.
The forest is alive with night sounds—the hoot of an owl, the rustle of small animals in the underbrush, the whisper of wind through the pines.
Under different circumstances, I might find it peaceful.
Tonight, every sound makes me tense, wondering if it’s natural or if someone else is moving through these woods.
We travel for over an hour, taking a circuitous route to avoid potential watchers. In the distance, I hear engines revving—Rory’s diversion beginning right on schedule.
“Almost there,” Hawk murmurs as we approach a ridge overlooking the waterfall. “We’ll set up just below the crest. Good visibility of the target area, minimal exposure.”
We ease into position, moving with exaggerated care now that we’re close to our destination. Through my borrowed night vision device, the waterfall appears as an eerie, glowing cascade against the darker rocks. The pool below reflects the starlight, creating a luminous mirror in the forest.
Hawk directs us to a natural depression beneath a rocky overhang—a perfect observation post with good cover and a clear view of the wolf marker. We settle in silently, arranging our gear for minimal noise and maximum comfort.
“Now we wait,” Caleb whispers, checking his watch. “Eight hours until sunrise.”
Julia sighs dramatically but keeps it quiet. “And I thought stakeouts looked exciting in movies.”
I smile in the darkness, grateful for her ability to lighten the mood even now.
As we settle in for the night, Caleb positions himself beside me, his shoulder touching mine, a solid presence in the darkness.
He passes me one of Ella’s cookies, and I accept it gratefully, realizing I’m actually hungry despite the tension.
“Try to get some sleep,” he whispers. “I’ll take first watch with Hawk.”
“I’m too wired,” I admit, though my body is exhausted from the day’s exertions.
“Then just rest,” he suggests, his hand finding mine in the darkness. “Tomorrow could be a long day.”
I lean against him, drawing comfort from his warmth. Richard is already snoring softly nearby, while Julia appears to be writing something in a small notebook by the faint red glow of a tactical penlight.
“What are you doing?” I whisper to her.
She looks up, her face eerily illuminated from below. “Journaling. If we find actual treasure, this could be worth something someday.” She winks. “Plus, I promised my followers a full account.”
“Your followers?”
“My blog,” she explains. “Don’t worry, I’ll change the names to protect the innocent. You can be ‘Magenta’ because of your hair.”
I stifle a laugh, not wanting to disturb the quiet. “And Caleb?”
She considers this seriously. “Definitely ‘Granite.’ Strong, reliable, occasionally sparkly in the right light.”
Caleb raises an eyebrow but says nothing, his lips twitching slightly.
She stops, hand poised. “What is it?” I ask, whispering into the darkness. “Did you hear something?”
She shakes her head. “I just noticed something. Our bodyguards all have bird names.”
Julia’s observation hangs in the air, an innocent comment that suddenly has me wanting to laugh like a hyena.
I stifle the bubble rising in my chest as we exchange glances, but before we can ponder the oddity further, a faint sound drifts up from the direction of the waterfall—a sound that shouldn’t be there, a soft scuffing that prickles the back of my neck.
The natural noises of the forest are one thing; this is an anomaly.
Caleb’s hand tightens around mine, a silent signal.
He nods to Hawk, who silently rises, peering through his night vision goggles down towards the water.
The tension builds as we wait for his assessment.
Moments later, he turns back to us with a terse gesture—one that sends a surge of adrenaline through my veins. Someone or something is down there.
We huddle closer, our eyes now all fixed on the waterfall as if willing it to reveal its secrets prematurely.
But it’s not the stone wolf marker that commands our attention—it’s the shadows moving at its base, too deliberate to be random wildlife.
We’ve been so careful, but had we been careful enough?
Then, without warning, a flare erupts into the night sky directly above us.
It bathes everything in harsh white light—the waterfall, our hidden ledge, and us.
Hawk swears under his breath; we’d been spotted.
Exposed and vulnerable, panic grips me as I realize this is no mere chance encounter.
They knew where to find us. As the flare’s glow begins its slow descent upon our would-be ambushers prepare to close in, one thought freezes my blood: The hunt for Thomas Wolf’s treasure was always a race against time—but now it’s become a trap with no clear escape.