Chapter 7
Cole stood in the compound, watching the weather system build over east of where he was flying to. The satellite imagery on his tablet showed a massive storm front moving in from the Gulf of Alaska, promising heavy snow and zero visibility for at least forty-eight hours.
"You sure about this timing?" Logan appeared at his elbow, arms crossed as he studied the same weather pattern.
"I'll be ahead of it. Client's place is west of the storm track." Cole zoomed in on the map, tracing the route with his finger. "I'll be wheels down in Fairbanks two hours before it hits the interior."
"Charles Penson." Logan's tone held no particular inflection, but Cole had worked with him long enough to hear the reservation underneath. "Northern Summit Resources. New money, big operation."
"Wants a security system for his new house. Massive place, from the photos Sadie pulled." Cole closed the tablet and tucked it into his flight bag. "Probably overkill for what he's asking, but it's his money to spend."
Sadie emerged from the equipment room, carrying a hard-shell case containing the camera gear and measuring equipment he'd need.
"I pulled the property specs. Twelve thousand square feet.
Sits on forty acres backing up to protected wilderness.
He wants full perimeter coverage, interior monitoring, panic rooms, the works. "
"Panic rooms?" Cole raised an eyebrow. "What's he afraid of?"
"Bears?" Sadie's grin was quick. "Or maybe just paranoid rich guy syndrome. Either way, he's paying premium rates for LSIMT's expertise."
Logan handed Cole a folder. "Contract's inside. Standard assessment terms. You do the walkthrough, take photos, document what they want and what's feasible. Bring it back here, and we'll design the system."
"Then we contract the installation to a local company?" Cole flipped through the paperwork, scanning the details.
"Already vetted them. Apex Security out of Fairbanks. They do good work, and they're discreet." Logan’s lips tightened. “Penson wanted us for the whole installation. He’s been informed that’s not what we do.”
"Right." Cole had heard this speech before.
LSIMT designed security systems for high-end clients who wanted the best, but they didn't handle the physical installation.
Too time-consuming, too much liability, and it pulled the Keepers away from their primary mission.
"Assess, design, supervise installation. That's the deal."
"Exactly. Penson tried to push for more, but Mary held the line on contract terms." Logan's lips twitched in what might have been amusement. "She's very good at that."
Cole grinned. If Mary negotiated the contract, it would be airtight. "Weather window's closing. I need to get moving."
Cole grabbed his gear and headed for the Cessna.
The preflight check went smoothly, and twenty minutes later he was airborne, banking northwest toward Alaska.
Below him, Montana's mountains gave way to forests, then to the vast Canadian wilderness.
The storm system stayed visible to his right, a dark mass rolling across the interior, but his flight path kept him well ahead of it.
Hours later, he touched down in Fairbanks under clear skies. The temperature had dropped twenty degrees from Montana.
He picked up his rental SUV at the airport and plugged the address into his GPS.
Charles Penson's property sat thirty miles outside town, accessible by a private road that branched off the main highway.
The drive took him through country that reminded him of home, all rolling hills and dense forest, except bigger somehow. More vast. More empty.
The house appeared suddenly around a curve, and Cole had to give Penson credit for one thing…
the man had taste. The structure sprawled across a cleared hilltop, all natural wood and stone, and glass that reflected the surrounding wilderness.
Modern architecture blending with traditional Alaskan building techniques.
It was impressive, even to someone who'd seen his share of expensive properties.
A man in his fifties waited on the front steps as Cole pulled up. Tall, fit, tan. His handshake was firm, his smile in place.
"Mr. Iverson. I’m Charles Penson. Thank you for coming all this way."
"Not a problem." Cole hefted his equipment case. "Beautiful property."
"We think so. My wife fell in love with Alaska on a cruise five years ago.
When the mining operation took off, building here seemed like the natural choice.
" Penson led him inside, through a soaring entryway with timber beams and a chandelier made from antlers.
"I want this place to be a sanctuary. Completely secure. No threats, no worries."
Cole set down his case and pulled out his tablet. "I understand you're looking for full perimeter coverage, interior monitoring, and panic rooms?"
"That's right. Money's no object. I want the best system available." Penson gestured expansively. "Motion sensors, cameras, the works. Maybe even drones for aerial surveillance."
"Drones are tricky in this terrain." Cole made notes on his tablet. "Weather conditions, wildlife, trees… these are all factors that limit their effectiveness. We can discuss options, but I'd recommend focusing on proven technology first."
"That's why I called you people. Lighthouse Security Investigations came highly recommended." Penson poured himself a drink from a bar cart, but didn't offer Cole one. "Though I'll be honest, I don't understand why you won't handle the installation yourselves."
Cole had given this speech before. "We're specialists in system design and security analysis.
Our team has backgrounds in military special operations and intelligence work.
We know how to assess threats and design comprehensive protection.
But the actual installation work of running cables, mounting hardware, and programming systems is a different skill set.
We contract with vetted local companies who specialize in that work. "
"Then why are you so highly recommended if you're just going to farm out the actual work?"
The question had an edge to it, a challenge.
Cole kept his expression neutral. "Because we're the best at what we do.
System design isn't just about putting cameras in corners.
It's about understanding how threats develop, how intruders think, and where vulnerabilities exist that most people never consider.
Our designs have protected embassies, government facilities, and high-value targets in hostile environments.
We bring that expertise to civilian security design. "
Cole let that sink in for a moment, then added. "You either want that level of expertise, or you don't. Your choice."
Penson studied him over the rim of his glass, then smiled. "Of course I want you. That's why I'm paying your premium rates."
"Good. Then let's get started."
They spent the next two hours walking the property.
Cole documented everything, including sight lines, approach routes, blind spots, and existing security measures.
He took hundreds of photos, made detailed notes about the terrain and vegetation, and measured distances and angles.
Penson trailed along, occasionally pointing out features he wanted covered or asking questions about capabilities.
The house itself presented interesting challenges.
All the glass made for spectacular views but also created vulnerabilities.
The panic rooms Penson wanted would need to be retrofitted into existing spaces, which would require structural work beyond a typical security installation.
The perimeter stretched across forty acres of wilderness, much of it heavily forested, a terrain that would require careful sensor placement to avoid constant false alarms from wildlife.
"This is quite an operation you've got," Cole said as they completed the exterior circuit. "The mining company must be doing well."
"Very well. We're extracting rare earth minerals essential to modern technology.
Phones, computers, electric vehicles—they all need what we're pulling out of the ground.
" Penson's chest puffed slightly with pride.
"It's lucrative work, and we're positioned to be major suppliers for the next decade. "
They were heading back toward the house when Penson's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and his expression shifted, becoming harder.
"Excuse me. I need to take this." He moved a few paces away, but his voice carried clearly in the cold air. "What is it?"
Cole had no desire to listen to Charles’s phone call, but with the man’s booming voice, it was hard to ignore, even as he studied his camera settings while listening.
"I don't care who's around looking at goddamn moose," Penson snapped into the phone. "Keep going where we said to go. If they're a problem, take care of them. Money talks, so make it talk. And if that doesn’t work, make it go away however you have to.”
A pause while the person on the other end responded.
"People will protest, but they need us and our minerals. We're protected by the ones who pay us big. Somebody snoops… just handle it." Penson ended the call and turned back to Cole with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Sorry about that. Business never stops."
"No problem." Cole kept his expression neutral, but his mind was working. That conversation sounded like more than just business. It sounded like threats. Like someone trying to intimidate or buy off whoever was "looking at moose" in areas where Northern Summit wanted to work.
They finished the initial walkthrough another hour later. Cole had almost everything he needed, including comprehensive documentation of the property, detailed notes on Penson's requirements, measurements and specifications for the design team back at LSI-Montana.