If he was forced to get away in the Cadillac, he’d steal a four-wheel drive as soon as possible. He’d need the extra power to get up the mountain. The community had relocated to one of their previous hideaways, necessary since they’d left in such a hurry. And in freaking November. Snow had already been deep in the mountains and digging out new earth homes simply hadn’t been possible in the short time they’d had to evacuate after Miriam’s escape.

At first he’d been angry that Mercy and Sokolov had found the previous Eden, but it really was perfect. He could drag the bodies of the three he didn’t care about into one of the earth homes and leave them there to rot. Or be eaten. This time of year, with winter still hanging on and food in short supply, their bodies would be scavenged by hungry animals in no time.

And Mercy and I will be free.

MODOC COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

MONDAY, APRIL 17, 3:05 P.M.

Rafe and Erin approached the clearing cautiously, but it became quickly apparent that it was abandoned. There was a central courtyard, circular in shape, about the size of an ice rink. Structures were arranged on the perimeter. “Twenty-six,” Rafe whispered after counting them. They were vaguely domelike, with what looked like stairways leading down to open doorways.

“Earth shelters,” Erin said quietly.

Rafe brushed snow from the sloping side of the structure nearest to where they stood. “Covered in vegetation.” Vines, mostly, but also some shrubs. “This area would have looked green from above. Which explains why Eden was never visible from the air.” He’d pored over the satellite maps of the area around Mt. Shasta, but he’d never checked maps this far east. He didn’t know if the FBI had, either. It didn’t really matter, because the settlement was very efficiently camouflaged.

Erin turned in a slow circle, studying the layout. “The fence poles are twelve feet tall, around the outside perimeter, but there’s no fencing to connect them.”

“They may have taken the fencing with them. Like the doors.” Rafe’s instincts were screaming that something was very wrong here, but that was understandable given the horrors that must have occurred within the compound’s walls. “We need to radio for backup.”

“But who?” Erin pushed back. “Do we really want locals on the scene? They might be great, but at the same time, this is too big not to handle appropriately. We can’t take the chance that they’ll be sloppy with . . . all this.”

“The FBI is leading the search for Burton and Eden, so Gideon can call Molina. And we’ll stay here until the FBI can secure the area.”

Erin nodded. “Agreed. I want to check out one of these earth shelters. Cover me?”

Rafe wasn’t so sure that was wise, but he followed her, drawing his gun from his holster. “Don’t go too far in. If they’re not stable, they could collapse on your head.”