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Brooklyn Sloane

June 2025

Wednesday — 3:32 pm

D arkness.

Complete and absolute.

It pressed against her skin like a living thing.

The explosion still reverberated through Brook’s body, though the actual sound had long since died away. She remained perfectly still, her muscles locked in place. As the seconds ticked by, she began to pick up the others' ragged breathing.

She took stock of her own body. Her right palm throbbed. Probably a cut, but not too deep. Same with her cheek. Her left shoulder ached from when she had hit the ground.

Otherwise, intact.

Functional.

She began cataloging the details of their current situation. Victor, Jacob, and Russell were trapped inside the ice cave with her. The temperature had already dropped sharply in the short time since the silence had taken over. She had a good idea of what would happen to them if they couldn’t find another way out.

It was doubtful the team of agents in the surrounding area had been able to seek cover in time.

Her memory of the moments before the explosion flashed before her. Jacob's expression hadn't registered surprise or fear. If anything, the corner of his mouth had twitched upward in that familiar, terrible way.

He had known.

Of course, he had known.

This had been his contingency plan all along. His way of ensuring they couldn't hike back down the mountain. They were exactly where Jacob wanted them to be—trapped, dependent, and vulnerable.

“That was fun, wasn't it?” Jacob's voice sliced through the darkness. It was his light laugh that finally had her shifting into a sitting position.

“Jesus Christ.” Russell’s strained voice came from somewhere to her right. “Brook? Victor? You two alright?”

“Fine.” Victor’s tone was edged with fury. There was some slight movement to her left. “You move another fucking inch, and I swear to God that I’ll shoot you right here, right now.”

Jacob chuckled loud enough that the irritating sound bounced off the cave’s walls.

“Fine here, too.” Brook deliberately ignored Jacob's taunt. “Give me a minute.”

With her uninjured hand, she managed to grab the thick nylon material of the bag. She located the zipper by touch. Once the bag was open, she identified the objects and items by shape and texture. She eventually found the headlamp.

Brook carefully removed it and turned it on. Light slashed through the darkness, momentarily blinding her. Brook squinted as she raised it to adjust the strap around her head.

As her vision adapted, the first thing she noticed was that the explosion had sealed their entry point. Jagged stalactites of ice hung from the ceiling like frozen daggers. The cave extended back farther than her light could reach. Unfortunately, she and Victor had already examined the tunnels. There wasn’t a way out close by.

Brook swept the beam across their small group.

Victor was sitting rigidly beside Jacob, one hand clutched in the fabric of the bright orange jumpsuit that marked her brother as federal property. The agent's face was streaked with blood on the left side from several cuts across his left cheek, likely from his desperate scramble into the cave.

Somehow, Jacob had managed to get through the thin entrance with only a single scratch. It was as if the universe itself conspired to preserve him. His wavy brown hair fell across his forehead, while his expression was one of mild amusement.

Russell was closest to the collapsed entrance.

In the stark beam of the headlamp, Brook can see a deep gash across his temple. Blood had seeped down the right side of his face. His breath formed in small clouds that dissipated into the air while he took time to catch his breath.

He had pushed her through first, even though he had practically been in front of her. After Victor had shoved Jacob ahead, Russell had intentionally put himself in harm’s way to make sure she had been able to seek safety.

Russell had been prepared to sacrifice himself for her.

The thought caused her throat to tighten in a way that had nothing to do with the dust or cold.

“I lost the second bag.” Russell held up his left hand, which didn’t appear to be in good shape. “Couldn't pull it through in time.”

“It's fine, Russell. We'll make do with what we have.”

“Always the pragmatist,” Jacob murmured wryly.

“Shut up,” Victor muttered as he used his sleeve to wipe away the blood from his cheek.

“Or what, Agent Brall? I think we're a bit beyond standard protocol now, don't you?”

“Which is why you should be very careful about what you say and do right now,” Brook warned, admonishing herself for not getting them off this mountain sooner. She shifted until she could drag her bag closer to Russell. “I don’t have the first aid kit. Let me see if it’s in this one.”

Brook ignored Jacob as she searched the contents of the second duffel bag. Fortunately, a first aid kit was front and center. It didn’t take her long to pull it out and open the lid. There were a couple of ace bandages, and she chose the smaller one to wrap some gauze around the cut in her hand. Once she had stemmed the blood flow, she concentrated on Russell’s hand.

“I’m not a doctor, but I’d guess it’s broken in at least two places,” Brook said gently before taking the time to toss Victor a headlamp. He leaned down to retrieve it. “Victor, don’t put that on just yet. We need to clean those cuts on your face.”

“It’s fine. Hand me a piece of gauze.”

Brook fished out a second piece of gauze and held it out to him. She then grabbed one for Russell’s head. He motioned for a headlamp of his own, and together, they secured the strap over the injury. The pressure would stem any remaining blood flow.

“Once we outfit ourselves with those warmer jackets, we’ll figure out a plan on how to get us out of here.” Brook motioned for Russell to rotate his hand a little more for a better angle so as not to cause him additional pain. “Let me know if I’m wrapping this too tight.”

Brook gently and carefully swaddled Russell’s hand with an ace bandage to keep the broken bones in place. The cold seeped deeper into them with every passing minute. By the time she had pressed the velcro end to its partner, the cut on her palm had begun to throb in time with her heartbeat, not that she would ever complain to a man who was clearly in a lot of pain.

“That should hold until we can get you some medical attention.”

Russell reached out with his good hand, holding onto hers. She nodded slightly, guessing as to what he was trying to get across to her. She made no move to stand, conserving energy while she thought over their current problem.

Jacob wouldn’t have planned all this if he didn’t have an exit strategy.

She reached for the satellite radio clipped to her belt, its plastic casing as cold as the walls around them. She pressed the transmit button.

“Bit, do you copy?” Brook waited three beats, then tried again. "Bit, we have a situation. Please respond.”

“The radios won't work in here,” Russell said, his breath clouding in front of his face. He gestured vaguely upward. “Signal can't penetrate.”

“I know, but it was still worth a shot.” Brook clipped the radio to her belt. “Alright. Let’s take stock.”

Her headlamp cast shadows across Jacob's face as he observed her. He was enjoying himself. He had succeeded in getting them into the tunnels that almost certainly led to the other side of the mountain. He had studied the interior maze for years, which meant that he had the advantage.

She needed to take that from him.

“I might as well lay all my cards on the table, Jacob.” Brook began to remove items from the bag. She handed Russell a thicker jacket. “Mekhi gave us coordinates to the cabin you stayed at while you were here.”

Brook quickly realized that only three heavy-duty Arctic survival jackets were rated for temperatures far below freezing. More had been in the other bag, which was currently crushed under a mountain of rock.

There were a few thermal emergency blankets folded into packets the size of her palm. She set one aside while taking stock of a few thermal water bottles, a package of high-calorie emergency rations, a spool of paracord, a multi-tool, chemical heat packs, and a spare flashlight with extra batteries.

There weren’t enough supplies for four people for an extended period, but she hoped like hell they would be out of this cave sooner rather than later.

Jacob hadn’t responded to her claim about Mekhi. She figured her brother was waiting for more confirmation. He wouldn’t play his own hand until he was certain of hers.

“Your sketchbook was discovered underneath some wooden planks.” Brook paused to meet Jacob’s intense gaze. “We also found Sally. She’s already on her way back home.”

It was obvious that Russell and Victor would have appreciated more details, but she wouldn’t give Jacob the satisfaction of hearing them from her. She also wouldn’t inform him that what was left of Sally would fly back with them on their private plane.

Jacob’s expression didn’t change, but there was a shift in his demeanor.

“There’s nothing waiting for you. There’s nothing to show me.” Brook slipped her arms into the sleeves of the insulated jacket. She zipped the front shut before adjusting the collar. “This elaborate scheme to get me here for some imaginary anniversary has resulted in absolutely nothing.”

“An anniversary is an anniversary, dear sister. There is nothing imaginary about the day you and I stood over Sally Pearson’s body as she bled out in old man Herring’s cornfield.” Jacob shifted on the ground, causing Victor to stiffen in response. Brook realized that her brother was attempting to stand. The cold was getting to him. “Do you remember what I told you that day?”

“You mean how I don’t get to be the normal one?” There hadn’t been a day that had gone by that his words hadn’t reverberated through her mind. “And there it is. The difference between us, Jacob. One that you haven’t accepted yet, so I’ll clue you in. I learned throughout my career and life that no one is normal. Everything you’ve done for my sake has been a waste of time.”

Brook forced her lips to curve upward, though the effort to smile made it feel as if it were cracking her face. Could her brother witness what was underneath? She imagined fault lines spreading across her skin, years of carefully maintained composure finally giving way.

Jacob was like battery acid, eating away at her core, slowly dissolving her into nothing. Every interaction had come at a cost, but she was now in control.

“Sally is going home today, where she belongs. Your so-called shrine is currently being processed by a forensics team. You’re done.”

“Am I? I got you here, didn’t I?”

Victor stepped forward, placing himself between her and Jacob.

“As Victor already pointed out, he won’t hesitate to fire his weapon should he believe you’re attempting to flee.” Brook handed Victor one of the thermal blankets. “Tie this around his neck, but make sure the opening is in the back.”

Whatever Jacob imagined could occur over the next few hours, or possibly even longer if they couldn’t locate an exit from the ice cave, Brook was determined not to let him escape their custody. She was intent on keeping his hands covered for the duration.

“We need to make a decision,” Brook stated as she started repacking the bags. She was certain that Jacob had knowledge of another exit, possibly nearby. It was also highly likely that he had planned to navigate the passageways to reach the other side. After all, he had wanted her to witness his so-called shrine. “The explosion was heard by those at the base of the mountain. I figure we have two choices—stay here and hope a rescue team can clear the rock debris outside, or search for another exit close by.”

“We should stay here,” Russell advised, gesturing toward one of the bags. “Those heat packs are usually good for eight hours. We break some open, remain in place, and give the rescue team a chance to get us out of here.”

“There is another option.” Victor turned so that the light on his headlamp was aimed down the main passageway. “I leave you three here and do some exploring. If I can locate a?—”

“We stick together.” Brook’s response was adamant, and Victor eventually nodded his understanding. There were too many drawbacks to separating. “The problem with waiting in place is that we have no idea how bad it is out there. If they can’t reach us, we could be wasting hours. Jacob, you planned for me to be in here at some point. You intended to lead me to the other side of the mountain. You must know of other exits.”

“Was that a statement or a question?” Jacob inquired with a wide smile. The thermal blanket was now bunched around his neck, but he didn’t seem to mind. “Go ahead, sis. Ask me to lead you out of this mountain.”