His strength was almost unbelievable. His voice cracked. His hands shook. But his resolve didn’t.
“I promised them I’d send help,” he whispered. “If I don’t, he’ll burn everything. Including them.”
Sometimes police departments underestimate what hope can do to a room full of seasoned officers. They mobilized like a pulse. SWAT. EMS. Drones offline to prevent radio signals from triggering traps. Dark approach. No sirens. Every second mattered.
Thor never looked away from Evan.
If dogs could swear oaths, that dog swore one.
A House That Was More Monster Than Structure
Fog swallowed flashlights. Rain blurred vision. The woods shifted, every tree feeling like it watched. They finally saw it—a compound disguised as a rotting farmhouse, windows painted black, grounds surrounded by towering fencing, and yes… large, brutal dogs patrolling like shadows stitched with muscle.
The suspect was ex-military.
He wasn’t insane.
He was methodical.
