Page 97 of Twilight Tactics

Sully dismounted and approached the horse, who nickered softly in recognition. Harley’s reins were loosely tied to a branch, giving him enough slack to graze. Sully ran a hand down the horse’s neck. “She expected to come back for you, didn’t she?” he murmured. “But knew we’d find you if she didn’t.” The fact that Harley was still here terrified him.

The rest dismounted, and Jim examined the ground around the horse. “Tracks lead that way.” He pointed toward a narrow game trail. “She was being cautious.”

They moved forward, weapons drawn. The forest grew quieter as dusk settled around them. No birds called. No squirrels rustled in the branches. Just the sound of their own breathing and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.

The trail opened into the clearing they’d been looking for. It looked exactly the same. The firepit in the center, the logs arranged in a rough circle, the trees providing cover on all sides. But it was empty.

“Spread out,” Sully said. “Look for any sign of her.”

The men dismounted, securing their horses along the trail, and moved in different directions, scanning the ground. Sully approached the firepit. Cold ashes lay undisturbed. No fire today.

“Over here.” Jim’s voice cut through the silence. He stood at the edge of the clearing, examining the ground. “Three sets of tracks right here. Only two leaving. These are the same tracks of persons one and two, but two’s are now deeper.”

Sully looked at him. “Like they were carrying someone?”

“Yeah, just like that.”

“Two people were waiting for her,” Jim continued. “One heavier—likely a man. The other smaller, probably a woman.”

“Her father and sister?” David asked.

Sully shook his head. “Or someone pretending to be them. Who knows?”

Jim traced the path of the footprints with his finger. “They stood here talking for a while. See how the dirt is disturbed in a small area? Then—” He moved a few feet away. “Something happened here. This area is more churned up.”

“Which direction did they go?” Sully asked, though he already knew the answer.

Jim pointed east. “Toward the prepper compound.”

Sully pulled out his radio. “Sheriff, we’ve found evidence Elena was taken. Tracks lead toward the prepper compound. We need that tactical team now.”

“They’re on their way to your position,” Donovan replied.

“Tell them to hurry.” Sully clipped the radio back to his belt. “Jim, can you follow these tracks?”

The tracker nodded. “It’ll be harder and slower in the dark, but yeah.”

“Then we do what we can.” Sully turned to David. “Do you mind having someone go back for Harley, leave him with the other horses? We might need him later.”

“On it.” David signaled to one of the ranch hands, and the man headed back toward where they’d left the horse.

Sully checked his weapon. The other agents and officers did the same. Then Sully nodded to Jim. “Lead the way.”

They followed the tracks through thickening forest, flashlights lighting the way. Jim moved with slow purpose, stopping to examine broken twigs or disturbed ground.

“They weren’t trying to hide their trail,” he said. “They were moving fast, probably confident no one would follow immediately.”

“Or they wanted us to follow,” Sully said. “To lead us into a trap. Probably aren’t expecting all of us, though.”

“Possible.” Jim knelt to examine something on the ground. “They’re on horses now. One of them was carrying a lot moreweight than the other if I’m reading the tracks right. My guess is, they knocked her out and had to carry her to the horses.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Sully’s jaw tightened. “Elena wouldn’t want to go back to the compound. She’d fight them every step of the way. Unconscious is the only way they’d get her back there.”

Jim nodded and stood. “Trail continues this way.”

They pressed on. The temperature dropped as night settled in fully.

The radio crackled again. “Sullivan, this is Agent Martinez. My team is at the clearing. What’s your position?”