The Mounties and Marshals kept Yacine in restraints as they escorted him to a small terminal where he was permitted to use the restroom, with the door open and one of the men watching him.

Afterward, they escorted Yacine to the plane and he was again secured to his seat. The others returned to the plane with ham and cheese sandwiches wrapped in plastic, chips, and canned drinks.

The pilots started the engines and the plane climbed from the Great Plains to ascend the Bitteroot Range of the Rocky Mountains for the final leg of the trip.

The snow-crowned peaks reached before them to the horizon.

Before departure, Banner, the pilot, and Leclair, the co-pilot, had checked the aviation forecast for any watches, warnings, or advisories for Idaho, eastern and western Washington. They knew that weather over the mountains can change without warning.

Conditions were good, until they were over eastern Washington, where the sky clouded and darkened.

Rain streaked the windshield.

It was not a concern until they received an updated advisory. A new disturbance was riding up and over the Yakima Ridge toward the Wenatchee Mountains with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. Severe wind gusts and possible lightning were predicted.

“What do you think?” Leclair asked Banner.

“Let’s take things a bit north over Lake Chelan. We can climb over it. Advise the centers that we’re adjusting our course to steer clear of the mess.”

Leclair made the call, the rain came down harder. As the plane banked, the pilots looked through the cloud breaks over the North Cascades, reaching up majestically nearly ten thousand feet.

They saw a colossal range of broiling storm clouds pierced by lightning over Sawtooth Ridge. Leclair looked back over the starboard side, not believing what he was seeing.

It was the same thing.

“What the hell’s happening? I’ve never seen anything move so fast.”

Leclair cursed under his breath as the plane began to bounce along pockets of rough air.

Banner scanned the port side, realizing that massive walls of churning black clouds were closing in on them from all points.

They were being swallowed.

-Chapter 38-

Jade Falls, Washington

Ren had finished making all of her deliveries but before she could drive home she had more business to tend to.

Important business.

Worry pushed down on her as she thought about her son. She searched the forests and mountains through the rain, failing to ease her troubled mind.

She needed to make a decision but she couldn’t make it alone.

I can’t do this without talking to someone.

Ren lowered the window a little, welcoming the raindrops, breathing in the sweet air, thinking how much she’d loved this place and what it meant to her and her life. She knew every inch of this region, where she had worked, where Lee had grown up, where she and Chet had built a life together.

Chet.