I got back in my truck and turned toward the mountains. The sun was setting again. The sky was red. I reached the base of the mountain road that led to Victor’s cabin around midnight. I parked the truck and covered it with branches. I would walk the last 5 miles uphill. The air was thin and cold. Snow was starting to fall.
I moved through the trees, silent as the snowfall. I was wearing white camouflage now. The snowsuit I kept in my survival kit. I was invisible. I reached the clearing where the cabin stood. It was dark. No lights. They were practicing light discipline. Smart. But they forgot one thing. Heat. I put on my thermal goggles.
The cabin lit up like a Christmas tree in the infrared spectrum. I could see the heat bloom from the chimney. I could see four distinct heat signatures moving inside the main room and one signature sitting still in a chair. Victor. Five men left. Felix, Grant, Ian, Kyle, Victor. They were armed. They were scared. And they were waiting for me.
