Page 83 of When the Silence Breaks

This plane had crashed in the Cascades, and the world never knew. He wasn’t entirely sure they should know now, but it would be better for the truth to come out and the world to know than for rogue players like Maddox and Kepler to get their hands on this to do who knew what.

Cold seeped into the suit, and he suspected Sarah had to be feeling it too. They were on limited oxygen. He glanced at the monitor. Twenty minutes left. That was all?

Time was running out.

Holding the biohazard canister, Kepler approached the container.

He ran his gloved fingers over the recessed latches, searching for a release. Nothing.

“I don’t understand ... it won’t open.” He turned to Maddox, frustration edging his tone.

“Then force it.” Maddox was growing impatient.

“If I force it, I could rupture the vials,” Kepler snapped.

“Smith, get in here. We need to open this container,” Maddox shouted into a handheld radio, his voice sounding muted through the helmet.

Sarah made her way forward before Ryder could tug her back and suddenly stepped in front of Kepler and Maddox. “No,” she said.

Maddox’s brow lifted. “Excuse me?”

“You open that without knowing what condition it’s in, and you could expose all of us—kill us. Killeveryone. So what,we’re wearing hazmat suits. That doesn’t protect the rest of the world, the rest of your men. We needcontainmentprotocol. Full decon. A mobile lab. You think you’re prepared, but you’re not. Am I right, Dr. Kepler?”

“I admit,” Kepler said, “these aren’t the most robust preparedness protocols, and I’d prefer a fully equipped mobile lab just outside. In fact, I’d rather secure the container and transport it directly to a biosafety level-four facility—one designed for exactly this kind of threat.”

“You’re out of time and out of leverage.” Maddox tugged a Beretta 92FS from the utility tool holster, leaving only a knife strapped to his thigh.

“She’s right.” Dean stepped inside, also in a suit.

“Where’s Smith?”

“He isn’t coming,” Dean said. Why would Dean risk it? This had become a sad party.

“You open that container here,” Ryder said, “and none of us survives.” Maybe with pressure from enough of them, Maddox would change his mind. Regardless, Ryder pushed his way to join Sarah. He would step in front of that bullet if needed. He could not let her die.

Maddox turned, his expression livid. “You’re a glorified trail guide, Dean. Stay in your lane and get out.”

Dean didn’t flinch. “I came inside to warn you that there’s a shift happening up top.”

“An avalanche,” Sarah said. “That must be it. They landed, they crash-landed and might have survived, but an avalanche killed them all. Trapped them inside.”

Except for her grandfather. And Ryder couldn’t be sure others hadn’t escaped.

“We’re all going to die if we don’t get out of here now,”Ryder said. “Regardless of what’s inside that container. Come back another time, another day.”

Live to fight another day.

Dean stepped forward. “I’ll open the container.”

“No,” Sarah said. “Please, Dean, don’t do it.”

Dean glanced back at Ryder. Again, something unreadable in his eyes. And then ... Ryder realized too late—Dean was trying to be a hero. Holding a crowbar, Dean stepped between Maddox and Sarah on his way to the container.

“You’re not opening it with that,” Dr. Kepler said.

“We don’t have time for anything else. We need what’s inside, and we have to get out now or we’re going to be buried here with it.” Dean stepped forward and started working on the latches. “I for one want to see my family again. But ... maybe that was never the plan.”

Ryder motioned for Sarah to move closer to him as he urged her back and away. He appreciated that she decided to trust him rather than try to stop Dean. Or maybe she was reading the situation like he was. Maddox’s full attention remained on the payload he’d risked so much to get.