Chapter 35 #3
Logan’s response was immediate. “Outstanding work. See you soon.”
Agent Morrison walked over. "Where are the civilians?"
Cole gestured to the outcropping, where Janice and Cheryl were standing. "Up there. Dr. Lynch is the witness who documented the illegal mining operation. She was kidnapped from her hotel room this morning. We came to extract her."
"And the other woman?"
"Says her name is Cheryl Whitten. She works for Northern Summit but claims she has been gathering evidence against them for months." Cole's voice was neutral. "She helped Janice escape, but we don't know much beyond that."
Morrison's expression sharpened. "We'll need to verify her story. If she's been working for Penson, she could be complicit even if she's turning now."
"Understood." Cole looked back toward Janice, who was watching the agents swarm the area with wide eyes. "Dr. Lynch is the priority witness here. She's the one who discovered the contamination and documented everything."
More agents moved past them, securing the perimeter, rounding up the miners who'd been involved in the shooting. Medical personnel followed, treating the miners Cole's team had shot and the few who'd been injured in the chaos.
Janice stood on shaking legs, Cheryl beside her. Cole hastened over as the women carefully climbed down, both exhausted and frightened.
Morrison stepped forward. "Dr. Lynch? I'm Agent Morrison, DEA. Are you injured?"
"No." Janice's voice was stronger than Cole expected. "Cold and scared, but not hurt."
"Good. We're going to need a full statement from you, but first let's get you somewhere warm." Morrison turned to Cheryl, his expression hardening slightly. "Ms. Whitten, I understand you claim to have evidence against Northern Summit Resources?"
"I do." Cheryl's chin came up despite her obvious exhaustion. "Photos, recordings, financial documents. I've been documenting their illegal activities for several months."
"Then you've been aware of criminal activity and didn't report it," Morrison said flatly.
"I was gathering evidence," Cheryl said, her voice steady.
"I'm nobody… just an employee. If I'd gone to authorities without proof, Penson would have buried me in legal challenges and made sure nothing stuck. I needed documentation that couldn't be dismissed or explained away. And I needed to protect myself. He’s a man who doesn’t like losing. "
Morrison studied her for a long moment. "We'll verify your story. In the meantime, you're being detained as a material witness. You'll be separated from Dr. Lynch until we can confirm your account."
Cheryl nodded, seeming to expect this. "I understand. Just... please protect her. She's the one who can prove what they've been doing to the watershed. She's the scientist with credentials they can't dismiss."
Two agents moved forward, firmly taking Cheryl by the arms to lead her away. She looked back at Janice once, something sad and resigned in her expression.
Janice stepped forward. "Wait! She saved my life. She helped me escape. If she hadn't—"
"We'll sort it out, Dr. Lynch," Morrison said, not unkindly. "But until we verify her story and her level of involvement, she needs to be treated as a potential co-conspirator. Standard procedure."
Janice looked like she wanted to argue, but Cole's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Let them do their job," he said quietly. "If Cheryl's telling the truth, the evidence will prove it."
More agents flooded the area as the Keepers and Janice returned to the camp. Some headed toward the mining camp, others secured the perimeter, and still others documented the scene and collected evidence. The organized chaos of a major federal operation took control.
An EMT approached Janice with a thermal blanket. "Ma'am, let's get you checked out."
Cole stayed close as they examined Janice, checking her vitals, looking for injuries beyond the obvious scrapes and bruises. She was dehydrated, borderline hypothermic from her time in inadequate clothing, and showing signs of shock, but otherwise uninjured.
"She needs warmth, fluids, and rest," the EMT reported to Morrison. "But she's stable."
Morrison nodded, then looked at Cole. "Your team did good work here. Could've been a lot worse if you hadn't gotten to her when you did."
Cole didn't feel like he'd done good work. He felt like he'd barely held it together as Janice had come within inches of being killed, and his split-second decisions could have gone wrong in a dozen different ways.
But she was alive. That was what mattered. "It's over," he confirmed, reaching for her. "You're safe."
Timothy, Frazier, and Dalton gathered near Cole, watching the organized chaos of the federal operation.
"Not bad for a rescue mission," Frazier said with a grin.
"Could've done without all the shooting," Timothy pointed out. "But yeah, not bad."
Cole looked down at Janice, at her exhausted, dirt-streaked, beautiful face. They'd survived. Against armed men and wilderness and pure bad luck, they'd survived.
And now came the hard part… figuring out what happened next.