Lost Contact (The Bridge Sequence Book One), Nathan Hystad [primary phonics books .TXT] 📗

a Believer, not in your heart. You were more interested in the theory of aliens than in our Unknowns. Tell me I’m wrong.”

Hunter obliged and shook his head.

“That’s your downfall. If you really understood what was about to happen, you’d have spent your life devoted to attuning and preparing for their return. The seas will boil, the people chosen for servitude. The skies will rain fire, and you, Hunter, will miss out on all of it.”

Francois lifted his gun and fired at Hunter. The old billionaire was killed instantly.

My breath caught, and Veronica screamed, a curt noise to match the ferocity of the freezing wind. “Sorry. I couldn’t let him live. Orders from the top.” Francois actually smiled, and my stomach twisted at the sight.

The Believer behind Veronica shoved her forward, and she almost stumbled on Hunter’s dead body. Tripp took the opportunity as the enemy soldier lowered his guard to catch her. Tripp shot him between the eyes.

Veronica fell to the ground, and Francois roared.

The servant angled his rifle up, aiming at Tripp as a report sounded from beside me. Francois was calm, peaceful even, before toppling over face-first into the snow. Marcus let the gun fall from his hand, his eyes barely visible through his frozen lashes.

“Hunter!” Veronica was at the old man’s side, rolling him onto his back. I ran to them while Tripp ensured the others were indeed dead. Marcus didn’t move.

“Veronica, he’s gone.” I tried to pull her away, but she reached into his jacket. Her gloves wrapped around a chain, and she tore it free.

“He told me to take this if anything happened to him. I can’t believe he’s gone.” She cried, tears instantly freezing under her eyes.

“Come on. We have to reach the plane!” I helped her up and took one last look at Hunter Madison. He’d been so excited for this adventure. He’d spent decades searching for the Bridge, and my father had abandoned him all that time ago. He’d beaten cancer once, but the illness had a way of returning with a vengeance. He didn’t deserve to go out like this. No one did.

“Rex, give me a hand with them.” Tripp had started dragging the dead cult members toward the fire of the burning vehicle.

“Why?”

“Burn the evidence. We don’t want anyone to know we were here,” he said as he dragged Francois through the snow, leaving a streak of pale pink behind him.

“Veronica, help Marcus onboard. We’ll be right there.” She stood holding a small thumb drive on the golden chain and stared at it. I put my hand on her shoulder and pointed to the waiting airplane.

She nodded, and they took off, stumbling for the warmth of the idle plane. Tripp and I did our best to haul the bodies into the fire, and at last we hovered over Hunter.

“What about him?” I asked.

Tripp rubbed at his nose with his parka sleeve. “I don’t know. I hate to be insensitive, but we can’t take him home with us. We’re going to have enough questions as it is.”

I couldn’t bring myself to burn him, so we lifted him away from the bloodshed and covered him as best we could. Tripp started away, muttering under his breath as he clutched his weapon to his chest, and I knelt next to Hunter.

He was just a mound of flakes, but I spoke out loud. “I’m sorry this was your fate, Hunter. I know what this means to you. I will find the Bridge. Mark my word. I’ll finish what you started, I promise you. Your life work won’t be wasted by these bastards.”

My toes ached, a dull throbbing in the bones of my feet, and every extremity burned with cold. It was time to leave the South Pole behind. I slowly rose and moved as quickly as I could for the waiting airplane.

We had the Case and five Tokens, but it felt like we were missing far too much to continue.

Part III

The Bridge

 

1

December 28th, 2025

The last three days were a blur, but my toes were finally starting to feel normal again. Beverly’s car pulled into the grocery store parking lot, and I stretched my hood over my head, stalking toward her as she exited the vehicle.

She let out a yelp as I arrived, her hands protectively moving onto her handbag as if I was a purse snatcher.

“It’s me, Bev,” I whispered.

“Rex? What the hell are you doing? I haven’t heard from you for days, and…”

I grabbed her wrist and squeezed harder than I’d intended. “Your life is in danger. You have to call Fred. Tell him to meet us with the kids at the truck stop twenty minutes east of town. You know the one, with the cartoon fried egg sign?”

“I know it… what’s going on?” Bev acted petrified, and I didn’t blame her one bit.

“I’ll tell you when we’re gone.” I looked around, wondering if we were being watched. “Have you noticed anyone following you? Parked outside your house?”

“No, Rex. Please, you’re scaring me. Fred can’t just leave—”

“Bev, listen to me,” I said, holding her hands. “Trust me on this. I’m into some dangerous business, and they know who you are. These guys… they killed Hunter.”

“Hunter?” Her eyes jumped open. “Madison? The rich guy Dad used to work for?”

“Shhhhh. Sis, bring the family and meet me at the truck stop. If you have to go home to convince Fred, do so physically, in case they’re listening to your phone too. On that note, ditch the phone and tell Fred the same thing.”

“What’s this all about?” she asked.

“The Bridge. It’s where they went.”

“Not that again. Dad’s gone, Rex.”

I forced a smile. “Dad is gone, but the Bridge is real. You’ve seen the Objects, right?”

“The asteroids?” she asked.

“Right. It’s all connected.” I didn’t have time for this, but I realized how insane it sounded as the words escaped my lips. “I know what you’re thinking, Beverly, but it’s real. Just pack them up and be there in an hour.”

To her credit,