We didn’t stop to catch our breath. There wasn’t a second for it.
Kane’s body hadn't even gone cold in the weeds before the vibrations started traveling through the shale again. More engines. Heavy, industrial diesels, by the sound of them, pushing hard up the northern ridge line. Echo hadn't been guessing—the old man always kept a second team on a parallel loop, and they were closing the distance fast. A man like that didn't leave his life to a single line of defense.
“Into the cab,” I said, my fingers locking around Elara’s wrist to pull her toward the idling truck. The fire in my shoulder was a steady, blinding ache now, but I shoved it down, refusing to let my knees buckle in front of the headlights. “Echo, can you wedge yourself behind the bench?”
She gave a single, tight nod from
