The call came at 2:17 AM.
Ethan was already awake. He'd been restless all night, unable to shake the feeling that something was coming. Something bad. Something they weren't ready for.
His phone buzzed on the nightstand. Unknown number. He answered.
"Mr. Cole. This is Agent Cross. We have a situation."
"What kind of situation?"
"One of your people. A young woman named Maria. She's been taken."
Ethan's blood went cold. Maria. The first graduate. The one who had spoken at the ceremony. The one who had thanked him for believing in her.
"Taken by who?"
"We don't know. But she was last seen at her apartment in Billings. Witnesses reported a black van. No plates. No markings."
"Where is she now?"
"We're tracking the van. But we need your help. Her Frequency signal is fluctuating. She's
