Page 34 of Cole

Someone had to document what was happening and make sure the people responsible were held accountable.

Even if that someone was a wildlife veterinarian who'd never imagined herself in an action movie scenario, trudging through the Alaskan wilderness with a former Army pilot who looked like he'd stepped straight out of a romance novel.

"Come on," Cole said gently, touching her arm. "Let's get those samples. That's the best thing we can do for them now."

She nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat, and they continued upstream.

15

Cole stopped so abruptly ahead of her that she nearly crashed into his back. Before she could ask what was wrong, he raised one hand in a signal she understood instinctively even though they'd never discussed it. He wanted her still and quiet.

Janice froze, her heart suddenly pounding for entirely different reasons than before. Had he heard something or seen someone?

He stood motionless for a long moment, his head cocked slightly as though listening to something she couldn't hear. Every line of his body was alert, tense, ready to react. His hand had moved to his side, close to where she knew he'd holstered his gun.

The forest around them seemed to hold its breath.

Then, gradually, Cole relaxed. He gestured for her to come forward, and when she reached his side, he spoke quietly.

"Thought I heard something. But it was just a branch breaking under the weight of the snow." He pulled out his satellite phone. "Let me check in with Sadie before we go any farther. Make sure the area's clear."

Janice waited while he made the call, keeping his voice low as he spoke with his teammate back in Montana. She couldn't hear Sadie's responses, but she watched Cole's face, trying to read his expression for any sign of trouble.

After a few minutes, he ended the call and looked at Janice. "Sadie's been monitoring the satellite feeds. No movement in the area since before the storm hit. We should be clear, but we'll still approach carefully."

"The area is just over that rise," Janice said, pointing toward a slight elevation in the terrain ahead. "The clearing is on the other side."

"Okay." Cole checked their GPS coordinates one more time. "Let's move slowly. Stay behind me. And if I tell you to run, you run. Don't look back, don't wait for me. Just get back to the snowmobile and head for the cabin. Understood?"

"I'm not leaving you⁠—"

"Janice." His tone was gentle but absolutely firm. "If something goes wrong, the most important thing is keeping you and those samples safe. That's the mission. Promise me."

She wanted to argue and tell him that she wouldn't abandon him if things got dangerous. But the look in his eyes told her this wasn't negotiable. "I promise," she finally said.

They climbed the rise slowly, both of them moving as quietly as possible through the snow. At the top, Cole dropped into a crouch, and Janice did the same, peering down into the clearing below.

There it was. The illegal mining area she'd photographed yesterday from a distance on the far side of the creek, now covered with fresh snow but still clearly visible. The portable generator under its tarp. Fuel drums stacked in neat rows. Drilling equipment partially covered by snow.

But from this higher vantage point, Janice could see so much more. The true extent of the operation. The sheer amount of equipment they'd brought in. The way they'd carved this clearing out of protected wilderness with complete disregard for the law or the environment or the creatures who called this place home.

Her fury, which had been simmering since she'd first discovered the contamination, flared hot and bright. "That's it," she whispered. "The container pond is at the back of the clearing."

Cole was already taking photos with his phone, documenting everything from multiple angles. Janice pulled out her own phone and did the same, making sure to capture images showing the GPS coordinates embedded in the metadata. Evidence. Irrefutable proof of what Northern Summit was doing.

“There’s no signage,” Cole muttered.

She looked at him, not understanding what he meant. Tilting her head in a silent question, she waited.

“We can’t be sure it is a Northern Summit operation.”

She opened her mouth to speak but realized he was right. “Damn… how can we find out?”

“I’ll get the serial numbers from all the equipment I can. It can be tracked from there if we don’t see anything definitive.”

She nodded, glad he thought of that. They moved down from the rise and approached the clearing cautiously. Janice's heart hammered with each step, every sound amplified in the muffled quiet of the falling snow. Their boots crunching. Their breathing. The rustle of their heavy clothing with each movement.

The clearing felt exposed, dangerous. Anyone could be watching from the tree line. Anyone could appear at any moment. But the snow continued falling steadily, and nothing moved except the two of them.