Chapter 7 - The Signal
The silver flash drive felt heavy in Elias’s palm.
It was a small object, but it held the power to destroy a billionaire.
Mia watched him carefully as he tucked it safely back into his jacket pocket.
"How do we contact your friend at the news agency?" she asked.
"We cannot use the internet or phones here," Elias replied.
"The cabin is a dead zone for all cellular networks."
"That is exactly why it is a perfect hiding spot."
"But it means we have to move if we want to send a message."
He walked over to a small, dusty map pinned to the wooden wall.
He traced a faded line with his index finger.
"There is an old fire watchtower at the top of the next ridge," Elias explained.
"It is about a two-mile hike through the dense woods."
"If we climb to the top, my encrypted satellite phone should catch a signal."
Mia looked down at Lily, who was busy playing with a small wooden block.
"A two-mile hike is a long way for her little legs," Mia noted with concern.
"I will carry her when she gets tired," Elias promised.
"We need to go now, while the sun is still high."
"The forest gets far too dangerous to navigate after dark."
Mia nodded, quickly gathering their few meager supplies into a small backpack.
Elias carefully unbarred the heavy wooden front door.
He stepped out onto the porch first, scanning the quiet clearing.
The woods were still, filled only with the gentle sounds of chirping birds.
He motioned for Mia and Lily to follow him outside.
They moved quietly into the thick cover of the pine trees.
The hike was grueling and incredibly steep.
Pine needles slipped beneath their shoes on the rough terrain.
After the first mile, Lily stopped walking and raised her arms silently toward Elias.
He scooped her up without a single word of complaint.
He settled the little girl securely onto his broad shoulders.
They climbed higher and higher, the air growing noticeably thinner and cooler.
Finally, the rusted metal structure of the watchtower pierced through the canopy.
It looked incredibly old and abandoned against the bright blue sky.
Elias set Lily down near the sturdy base of the steel stairs.
"Stay right behind me," Elias ordered gently.
The metal steps groaned loudly under their weight as they climbed.
They reached the small, glass-enclosed observation deck at the very top.
The view of the sprawling green valley below was breathtaking.
Elias pulled the bulky satellite phone from his backpack.
He extended the thick black antenna toward the sky.
He typed in a long sequence of numbers and waited with a tense jaw.
The screen suddenly lit up with a single, solid green bar of service.
"We have a connection," Elias announced softly.
He dialed the secure number of his trusted federal contact.
The phone rang twice before a gruff voice answered on the other end.
May you like
"This is Elias," he spoke clearly into the receiver.
"I have the Whitmore files, and I need an immediate extraction."
