The drive took nearly two and a half hours through the storm.

The headlights cut through the dark, rainy Carolina night.

I watched the side mirrors, looking for the headlights of the black SUV.

No one followed us.

We entered the main gate of Fort Liberty under the bright floodlights.

The guard checked my credentials, saluted, and waved us through.

We drove to a small, unmarked brick safe house on the southern edge of the post.

It was a quiet area, surrounded by tall pines.

The air smelled of wet earth and pine needles.

I helped Emily inside and settled her onto a small cot in the back room.

The room was warm, heated by a single radiator that clanked every few minutes.

I locked the heavy steel door and pulled the thick curtains shut.

My laptop sat on the kitchen table.

I took the silver flash drive Dr. Reeves had given me out of my pocket.

The metal was cold against my skin.

I sat down at the table and booted up the laptop.

I inserted the drive into the USB port.