Chapter 27
The explosion was catastrophic. The C4 charges detonated simultaneously, obliterating the primary load-bearing struts of the massive parabolic antenna.
The entire false peak of the mountain groaned with the deafening sound of tearing metal and shattering rock. The massive steel dish collapsed inward, crashing through the roof of the mechanical bay with the force of a meteor.
The impact crushed the elevator shaft, permanently sealing the subterranean Lazarus bunker beneath thousands of tons of steel and alpine rock.
Hayes screamed as the ceiling gave way, buried instantly beneath the collapsing infrastructure.
Cole didn't wait to watch the destruction. He sprinted toward the blown access hatch, diving out into the howling blizzard just as the mechanical bay imploded behind him.
He hit the deep snow rolling, scrambling away from the collapsing peak. The mountain shook violently, triggering a localized avalanche that swept over the false peak, burying the entire Lazarus facility under a permanent, freezing tomb of white snow.
Cole lay on his back in the freezing storm, staring up at the dark, turbulent sky, his chest heaving with exhaustion.
"Sarah," Cole gasped into his comms, the adrenaline finally crashing. "Status."
"We are secure, Cole," Sarah’s voice crackled back, thick with profound, overwhelming relief. "Donovan neutralized the hit squad. The local authorities are responding to the gunfire, but we are already moving to the secondary extraction point. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Cole coughed, pushing himself up from the snow. "The uplink is destroyed. Lazarus is buried."
"You did it, Cole," Ava’s voice echoed over the line, weeping with genuine joy. "You actually finished it."
"I did," Cole murmured, looking back at the smooth, undisturbed snow covering the ruined peak.
The extraction from Switzerland was a slow, deliberate process. Cole utilized his ghost network to secure anonymous passage back to the United States, disappearing into the shadows of the global transit system.
He arrived back in Wyoming two weeks later.
The off-base house was empty, the damage from the brief firefight repaired. Sarah, Ava, and Nora had been relocated to a highly secure, off-the-grid ranch in Montana, funded by the decentralized cryptocurrency Sarah had secured.
Cole drove the stolen Ford truck up the winding, dusty driveway of the ranch as the sun began to set, painting the vast Big Sky country in brilliant hues of gold and purple.
Sarah was waiting on the large wooden porch. When she saw Cole step out of the truck, she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, holding him with a fierce, unbreakable devotion.
"You're late," Sarah teased, tears shining in her brown eyes.
"Traffic," Cole smirked, hugging his sister tightly.
He walked up the steps onto the porch. Ava stood near the door, holding Nora.
The little girl looked at Cole, her bright blue eyes widening in delight. She squirmed out of her mother's arms, running toward him, clutching her white stuffed bunny.
"Mister Grumpy!" Nora cheered.
Cole dropped to one knee, catching the little girl and lifting her effortlessly into the air. He laughed—a deep, genuine, rich sound that seemed to chase away the lingering shadows of the past four years.
"Hey, little boss," Cole smiled, kissing her cheek.
May you like
Ava walked over, her eyes filled with an immense, unshakeable gratitude. "Welcome home, Jake."
"It's good to be home," Cole whispered, his heart finally, truly at peace.
