Chapter 19
Tyler’s pulse quickened with every step deeper into the compound, anticipation curling through him.
From the outside, the LSIMT headquarters was little more than a low, concrete structure—nondescript, even underwhelming.
But as Logan led him through a secure corridor lined with reinforced walls and recessed cameras, Tyler’s instincts sharpened.
They stopped at a door that seemed ordinary until Logan keyed in a code, placed his thumb on a biometric pad, and let the retina scanner sweep over his eye.
A green light blinked. With a soft whoosh, the door slid open, revealing a state-of-the-art elevator, sleek and silent.
The kind of thing Tyler imagined in the depths of a CIA bunker.
They descended. What waited for him below was not just impressive… it was stunning.
The elevator opened onto a cavernous room humming with quiet energy.
Bright LED lights illuminated clean lines and smooth concrete floors.
Along the perimeter, high-tech workstations glowed with softly blinking lights, worked by a few focused Keepers.
Interactive whiteboards lined the walls, tracking operations in progress with live video feeds, real-time GPS overlays, and scrolling data.
In the center, a massive oval table made of steel and dark wood anchored the space like a command post.
It was organized chaos and already felt like home.
“Welcome to the heartbeat of LSIMT,” Logan said, the quiet pride in his voice unmistakable.
As they walked the floor, Tyler was greeted with nods and grins, claps on the shoulder, and quick “congrats” that carried a tone only those in the field could truly understand.
These weren’t just colleagues. The kind of camaraderie he hadn’t felt since his last team rotation overseas.
He hadn’t realized how much he missed it until now.
Logan let him drift, observing the rhythm of the place. Todd was hunched over a workstation with Frazier, gesturing at a digital blueprint. “We’ve got to find a weak point before they do,” Todd murmured, eyes intense. Frazier nodded, tapping in notes.
“They’re mapping security for a private escort job,” Logan explained. “The client’s a nuclear physicist under threat from a hostile faction in Europe. High-risk, high-reward.”
On the far side of the room, Dalton and Casper were deep into a video conference. On-screen was a couple discussing sensor arrays for a custom security system on a vineyard estate in Napa.
“That’s Frederick and Tricia Poole from LSI West Coast. Their specialties are access control and remote surveillance,” Logan said as Tyler watched the seamless coordination. “We tap into our other branches for certain tech jobs.”
Before Tyler could ask more, Bert waved him over and offered a quick tour of the other facilities.
The armory was as well-stocked with rows of meticulously maintained firearms, customized gear, night vision goggles, and tactical vests.
The adjoining gym was compact but hardcore, with a heavy-duty training rig, a sparring mat, and punching bags lined against the wall.
A shower area and locker room followed, then a surprisingly cozy employee kitchen and lounge space, complete with coffee machines, a microwave, an oven, and a stovetop. There was not only a large table but also two sofas in the corner.
When they stepped back into the central room, the elevator pinged again. The doors opened to reveal Mary, rolling out confidently with a tablet perched on her lap. Her eyes sparkled with shrewd amusement. “Hope you’re not too dazzled to handle some thrilling HR paperwork,” she said with a grin.
Tyler laughed as she approached. “I think I can manage.”
Beside him, Bert chuckled. “Mary keeps us honest. And organized.”
Mary turned her bright smile to Bert. “Mind if I borrow him?”
“For you? Anything,” he replied with a wink.
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly, but Tyler noticed her smile warmed at Bert before she gestured for Tyler to follow her back into the lounge.
There, they sat while she walked him through stacks of forms. There were mundane employment agreements, emergency contact information, and medical waivers. But somehow, even this part felt right.
It felt like a beginning.
Before Mary returned to her office, she dropped him back off at the main workroom.
Logan had stepped away to make a call, and Tyler wandered to the far wall where a detailed map hung under glass.
His gaze followed the marked boundaries, noticing the lines that stretched beyond the compound, winding into forested terrain.
Cory joined him, arms crossed over his chest. “Logan didn’t fence the whole place. Too rough, too much wildlife. But he’s got cameras on every ridge and trail, all linked to the control system.”
Todd called from across the room. “We take turns doing night monitoring shifts. Covers our own perimeter and any external clients.”
Tyler’s eyes narrowed. “Wait… this boundary here? That’s the line behind my grandfather’s place.”
Logan returned just then, catching Tyler’s discovery. “Your land backs directly to ours. Your grandfather’s property… well, your property is a beautiful piece of land. You’ve got a hell of a view, and no one will ever build behind you. That’s LSIMT.”
A laugh escaped Tyler as he shook his head. “The only thing I have to worry about is Anthony Milton trying to sweet-talk me into selling it.”
At the mention of the developer’s name, Logan’s expression shifted, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. Tyler clocked it. “You know something about him?”
Logan’s response was calm, but there was steel beneath it. “If you’re thinking about selling, he’ll give you a decent price. Let’s just say… he’s not a man who builds with integrity. And he’s not above using others to get what he wants.”
“Hell no,” Tyler snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. “There’s no damn way I’m letting him build anything on land that belonged to my grandparents.”
Beside him, Logan gave a slight nod, and the tension that had tightened his frame eased, as though he’d been waiting to hear those words.
“I’ll be straight with you,” Logan said.
“I’ve looked into Anthony Milton. Not just because he’s sniffing around the edges of our property here, but because I’ve had local business owners come to me with stories.
Pressure tactics. Intimidation. He makes offers they can’t refuse, and if they try to, he leans harder. ”
Tyler wasn’t surprised, considering it was what Justice had also said. And what he’d thought when he’d met him. Anthony Milton was more than just a pushy land developer, and this wouldn’t be the last time his name came up.
A voice piped up from the other side of the room. “He’s a snake in the grass,” Sadie said flatly.
Tyler turned to see her seated behind a curved array of monitors, a flash of emerald code reflecting off her glasses. Her long dark braid spilled over one shoulder, and her expression was no-nonsense.
Cory walked up, arms folded. “We caught him on our perimeter cams back near the wooded line that separates your property from LSIMT. He claimed he didn’t know where the boundary was. Acted really innocent. Said he was buying the land from your grandfather for a condo project.”
Tyler’s jaw clenched as he looked at Logan. “I guess you weren’t exactly thrilled.”
Logan’s laugh held no humor. “I don’t interfere with what people do on their own land.
But I knew Charlie was getting older. Last time I saw him at an American Legion meeting, he still had fire in his eyes, but his hands were shaking when he reached for his coffee.
I worried Milton might try to push him and play on a perceived weakness. ”
Tyler blew out a breath, a mix of grief and guilt tightening in his chest. “He never told me,” he murmured.
“Last time we spoke, a month ago, I told him I’d be heading this way after my retirement.
He didn’t say a word about being approached.
Just said how glad he’d be to have me back in Montana again. ”
Respectful and heavy silence settled over the group for a moment.
“Milton builds garbage,” Todd said finally, breaking the quiet. “Spends just enough to make the exterior look good, but everything behind the walls is crap. He’s got one inspector in his pocket. He doesn’t even hide the payoff.”
“Yeah,” added Frazier, stepping over with a scowl darkening his features.
“He put up a shopping center about forty-five minutes out. Made a killing. But within three months, two businesses had to shut down due to structural leaks. Another one lost everything when the sprinkler system malfunctioned. Flooded their whole inventory.”
“Because the inspector signed off,” Todd finished grimly, “Milton walked away clean. Left the business owners to file insurance claims while he raked in more money.”
“What about residential?” Tyler asked, eyes narrowing.
“Lakeview Road,” Frazier answered. “I looked at a few houses there. Thought maybe I’d buy.
But the minute I stepped inside, I knew.
Cheap drywall, electrical work that wouldn’t pass a real inspection, plumbing that’ll leak within a year.
He cuts corners everywhere. The lots are tiny, crammed together like sardines. No privacy, no pride.”
Tyler let out a low growl. “He’s already come out to talk to me once. I got rid of him, but I have no doubt he’ll be back.”
Sadie nodded, tapping her stylus against her tablet. “You can bet on it. You’ve got the largest piece of land left unclaimed in that area. Of course, he’s going to circle back.”
“Yeah, and I’ve already told him no.” Tyler crossed his arms, his voice steel. “And I’ll say it again. Loud and with force, if I have to.”
“Well,” Logan said, lifting a brow, “you’ve got solid folks next to you. The McClays aren’t selling either.”
Tyler turned toward him, surprised that Logan knew his neighbors. “McClays?”
Logan nodded, a small smile twitching at the edge of his mouth. “Good people.”
“I know the McClays,” Tyler said, his voice softening as his thoughts drifted back. “Met Justice not long after I arrived. Right around the time my grandfather passed away. We kind of ran into each other. Since her dad got home from the hospital, I’ve been over for dinner a few times.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Logan’s eyebrow lift slightly, a slow smile threatening to form, but the man didn’t comment on it. He simply nodded and said, “Why don’t we head outside? I’ll show you the rest of the property. Then you can meet back up with Mary to finish your paperwork.”
Tyler offered goodbyes to the others, feeling a sense of rootedness already forming in this land he loved.
Following Logan out of the main building, he stepped into the sunlight, the mountain air crisp and clean, with a faint scent of pine riding the breeze.
An open Jeep waited just ahead. Tyler slid into the passenger seat as Logan took the wheel.
The engine rumbled to life, and they rolled down a dirt lane framed by tall grass and distant ridgelines.
He was still turning over Logan’s words about Anthony Milton when he spied Logan’s house in the distance. “I understand that’s where you live.”
Logan's face eased, and his smile beamed, changing the hard-core boss’s face into one of pride. “Yes. My wife, Vivian, teaches microbiology at the university. She’s able to do most of her work from home, which is good since our son is still a baby.”
Tyler glanced over and offered a warm grin. “Congratulations. Sounds like you’ve built something solid here. A life, not just a job.”
Logan nodded, eyes forward on the road. “Takes someone special to live this kind of life alongside a Keeper. Landon’s fiancée, Noel, is a social worker here in the county.
Sisco’s married to Lenore, and they’ve got a little girl, Evie.
And Devlin’s wife, Mia, works as a nutritionist with the Blackfeet reservation.
So yeah… family is woven into our way of life. ”
Tyler took that in, letting the words settle. The idea of family, stability, and partnership hadn’t been something he’d allowed himself to hope for in a long time. But something about the way Logan spoke with quiet pride in his voice stirred something deeper within him.
The Jeep dipped slightly as they turned onto a gravel path that ran along the tree line. Ahead, the roof of a metal hangar appeared, nestled between a wide clearing and a backdrop of rocky outcrop. The glint of sunlight on glass gave away the helicopters inside.
“I see you’ve got a hangar,” Tyler said, leaning forward. “Cory mentioned you and Cole fly.”
Logan nodded, a gleam returning to his eye. “I used to fly tourists and led rescues over the mountains. I still have two birds we use for missions. We also have expanded into having an airplane, as well.”
The air grew louder with the mechanical whir of rotors.
Logan parked and nodded toward the helicopter that was now powering down.
“We still do the occasional mountain rescue, but most of the flying now supports our work. Recon. Infiltration. Sometimes extractions. One of the birds is in for a routine check today.”
He glanced at Tyler again, a knowing look flickering across his face, though his voice remained casual. “You’re welcome to take a look around. The person doing the maintenance today really knows what she’s doing.”
Tyler caught the subtle twitch at the corner of Logan’s mouth.
Not a full smile. Just the barest hint. Enough to raise the hairs on the back of Tyler’s neck.
They parked, and he climbed out of the Jeep, following Logan toward the hangar door.
And just beyond the door, the last thing Tyler expected was waiting for him.