Page 67 of Silent Road

"Star found old blueprints of the facility," Finn explained, wrapping an emergency blanket around her shoulders."Showed all the access points.When Diana radioed you were down in the tunnels, Star figured out mapped out the closest exits.This was the most promising one."

Star hugged her from the other side."I was so worried about you."

"Tommy?"Sheila asked, but Finn shook his head.

"No sign of him.He's gone."

Sheila nodded, too exhausted to feel anything but relief at being alive.They helped her toward a waiting ambulance, the storm erasing their footprints almost as quickly as they made them.

Somewhere out there, Tommy was running.But right now, surrounded by the two people she loved most, Sheila could only feel grateful to be home.

"Don't—" Sheila said, but that was all she got out before the door slammed shut with a decisive clang.

Alone in the darkness, Sheila slumped against the frozen wall.The flare sputtered out in a patch of ice, plunging her into complete blackness.Her flashlight was dead, her body trembling from cold and exhaustion.

After everything—the chase through the resort, finding Mark bleeding, Tommy's betrayal—this was how it would end?Freezing to death in a maintenance tunnel while Wells escaped?

Think.As long as she kept her wits about her—

Boots thundered overhead.Voices carried through the metal: "Sheriff's Department!Stop right there!"

More running.The sounds of a struggle, the distinctive thud of bodies hitting snow.Someone cried out in pain.

Then Deputy Neville's voice: "Got him!Wells is down!"

Sheila shouted as loud as she could, but the walls just threw the sound back at her.How would they ever hear her way down here, trapped beneath earth and snow?

But if they didn't, if they walked away now…

Metal scraped above her—the hatch opening.Light spilled down along with swirling snow.

"I found her!"Star's voice cracked with emotion."Finn!She's here!"

Finn's face appeared in the opening, relief warring with fear."Sheila?Are you able to climb up?"

She nodded, though in truth, she wasn't sure—her limbs felt about as flexible as rusted hinges.But she forced herself to start climbing one rung at a time.Near the top, Finn took hold of her arm and helped her the rest of the way.

She emerged into swirling snow, emergency lights pulsing red and blue through the storm.She collapsed into Finn's arms, and he wrapped her in emergency blankets, rubbing her arms to restore circulation.

"Tommy," she managed through chattering teeth.The betrayal still felt raw, impossible."He's working for someone.Said I was getting too close.Left me to die down there."

Finn's arms tightened around her.She felt his whole body tense at the news."Son of a bitch.I knew something was off about him."

"Do you know where he went?"

Finn shook his head grimly."No sign of him.He's gone."

Sheila nodded, too exhausted to feel anything but relief at being alive.They helped her toward a waiting ambulance, the storm erasing their footprints almost as quickly as they made them.

"You mentioned your mom's case," Star began, sounding uneasy."You mean the people who killed her—Tommy's working for them?"

Sheila was about to explain, but just then something else struck her."Mark!"she exclaimed.Horror cut through her exhaustion as she remembered."He was hurt bad.I left him up there with Tommy—"

"He's safe," Finn assured her quickly."That was the first place we checked when we realized you were missing.Found him barely conscious but alive.Medevac got him out twenty minutes ago.The hospital called—he's in surgery, but they think he'll pull through."

Sheila sagged with relief.Star pressed closer, and Sheila could see tears freezing on the girl's cheeks.

"We were so scared," Star whispered."When Tommy radioed that he'd lost you in the tunnels...But then we found these old maintenance blueprints in the resort office.I kept studying them, knowing you had to be down there somewhere.Finn organized search teams for every access point..."

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