Chapter 60 - The Endless Horizon
Twenty-four hours later, the snow-dusted peaks of Lake Tahoe were blissfully quiet once again.
Federal maritime and domestic security forces had swept the property at dawn, taking the remaining, disoriented mercenaries into custody without firing a single shot. General Viktor Krovos and his inner circle were locked away in a maximum-security federal black site, permanently removed from the chessboard.
I stood on the back deck of the safehouse, watching the morning sun break over the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, painting the peaks in the same brilliant gold and amber as before. The repairs to the automated security dome were already underway, but this time, the quiet blue pulse felt different. It wasn't a warning; it was a promise.
Ethan walked out onto the wooden deck, handing me a steaming mug of black coffee before leaning against the railing beside me.
"Federal authorities just confirmed the regional nodes in Vienna and Zurich have gone completely dark," Ethan said, taking a sip from his mug with a satisfied grin. "The Meridian Group is officially, permanently history. No remnants. No hydra heads."
I took a slow, appreciative sip of my coffee, feeling the warm, familiar heat spread through my chest as I looked out at the endless horizon where the blue water met the infinite morning sky.
"Good," I murmured softly. "Because I've got a road trip to make."
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"Where to?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Maple Grove, Indiana," I smiled, turning away from the rail and walking toward my waiting SUV. "My dad's waiting for me on the front porch, and I promised him we'd talk about the new park pavilion."
