Chapter 12 - The Auction House
The old cattle auction house stood empty beneath a darkening sky.
Broken signs moved in the wind.
Harrison entered carrying the waterproof cylinder.
Mercer waited in an unmarked truck with Naomi, Lucy, Tommy, and the federal team.
Daniel remained at the white house with bomb specialists.
The device signal was linked to the auction house.
If Evelyn lost control, she could detonate it.
Inside, dozens of valley landowners sat with their hands tied.
Mara stood on the auction platform.
Her wound had reopened.
Gordon Price held a pistol against her back.
Evelyn sat at the auctioneer’s desk.
She wore the silver horse pin.
“You always arrive late, Harrison.”
“Release them.”
“After they sign.”
Documents covered the tables.
Each family was being forced to surrender mineral rights to Silver Crown.
Harrison raised the cylinder.
“The deed says you cannot own the deposits.”
“The deed says whatever the person holding it claims.”
“It has already been copied.”
Evelyn’s confidence shifted.
“By whom?”
“Federal investigators.”
That was a lie.
The agents had not yet scanned the fragile documents.
But Evelyn did not know that.
She pressed a remote.
Daniel’s timer dropped to thirty minutes.
“Do not test me.”
Mara looked at Harrison.
Her face was pale, but her voice remained steady.
“She cannot detonate it from here.”
Evelyn struck her.
“She is lying.”
Mara continued.
“The signal goes through the ranch communication tower.”
“Destroy the relay.”
Price pressed the gun harder against her.
Harrison placed the cylinder on the floor.
“You want the deed.”
“Come get it.”
Evelyn ordered Price to retrieve it.
As he stepped down, Harrison kicked the cylinder beneath the auction seats.
Several landowners moved their feet, passing it backward.
Price fired.
The bullet struck the platform railing.
Mara drove her elbow into his stomach.
Chaos erupted.
Harrison rushed toward her.
Evelyn escaped through a trapdoor beneath the auction desk.
Price grabbed Mara by the hair.
Harrison struck him once across the jaw.
Price fell.
Federal agents stormed the building.
The captive families were freed.
But Evelyn had taken the remote into the mining tunnels.
Daniel’s timer showed twelve minutes.
Mara picked up Price’s pistol.
“She will go to the relay chamber.”
“I know the way.”
Harrison caught her arm.
“You can barely stand.”
“She stole nine years from me.”
May you like
“She does not get twelve more minutes.”
Together, they entered the darkness.
