The shaky jeep came to a stop, creating a dusty cloud that gradually blanketed the rundown wooden lodge surrounded by thick pine trees.

Sarah, with sore muscles from the lengthy trip, emerged from the vehicle, observing the worn exterior with her eyes. This was it – their new safe house, a far cry from the luxurious city life they once knew.


Tiger, ever the practical one, shouldered his backpack and strode towards the cabin. "This is it," he announced, his voice gruff but laced with relief. "Martha's Hunting Lodge. Home sweet…well, let's just say home for now."

"This is it?" Derrick asked, his voice laced with skepticism as he surveyed the dilapidated exterior. "Mr. Black's top-secret safe house?"

With a soothing laugh, Tiger, who had led them through the difficult wild trip, laughed. "My friend, appearances can be deceiving. This place is stronger than it appears, I assure you."


Sarah's hand trembled with nervousness as she hovered it over a dirty light switch. A far departure from the busy city life they'd left behind, the remoteness of the resort was unnerving. But much more terrible was the alternative: having to face Bobby's anger.

The light flickered on and off, revealing a rather large main room with a click. The furniture was dusty and the corners were covered with cobwebs, but the aged leather couches and robust oak tables suggested a more comfortable time in the past.


"It's… rustic," Olivia remarked, her voice a touch hesitant as she stepped inside, clutching Sarah's hand tightly.

Before they could knock, the door cracked open at that same moment, showing a woman with a lifetime of stories in her eyes and an iron-gray mane of hair.

From a doorway at the rear of the room appeared a heavyset woman with a shock of iron-gray hair and a no-nonsense air. She gave them a suspicious and inquisitive look.

"You must be Sarah and Derrick," she said, her voice gruff but oddly welcoming. "Tiger gave me a heads-up you'd be arriving."

"This is Martha?" Sarah asked, stepping forward.

Martha gave a curt nod. "At your service. Mr. Black doesn't usually send guests my way, but these are unusual circumstances, wouldn't you say?"

"You could say that," Sarah replied, a wry smile playing on her lips. "We appreciate you taking us in."

Martha gestured towards a doorway on the opposite side of the room. "There are rooms upstairs for you and the young one. There isn't a lot of luxury, but at least it provides shelter.

The air was filled with a lingering sense of unease as they made themselves comfortable in their simple living quarters. This improvised shelter seemed like a brief fix, a break in the chaos rather than a real destination.

Martha gave a curt nod. "Come in, come in. You all look like you could use some rest and a hot meal."

The cabin's inside was surprisingly warm and inviting. A pot happily boiled on the cast-iron stove, and a warm, crackling fire lit the room.

A ragged rug adorned the wood floors, while mismatched furniture provided a feeling of cozy familiarity.

Exhaustion finally hit Sarah like a wave. She sank gratefully onto a worn armchair, Olivia curling up beside her. Derrick, ever the meticulous one, took a moment to inspect their surroundings before joining them by the fire.

"Man, that was a close one," Sarah sighed, letting her head fall back against the worn upholstery.

Olivia, ever the optimist, nudged her with a paw. "At least we're alive," she purred. "And look, they even have a proper fireplace!"

Warmth danced in Sarah's eyes. "True. Maybe this Martha isn't so bad after all."

Brushing a little of dust from his coat, Derrick stepped out from the shadows. His voice still rough after the event, he declared, "Seems structurally sound. Though I wouldn't recommend testing the weight capacity of those chairs."

Sarah chuckled, a tired sound. "Noted, Mr. Meticulous."

During a filling dinner of roasted venison and veggies, Sarah discovered more about Martha. She had made a life for herself in the woods, away from the prying eyes of the city, as a former tracker. Her relationship to Mr. Black was still a mystery, but beyond her tough appearance was an unexpected warmth.

"So, Martha," Sarah began, hesitantly spearing a piece of carrot, "how exactly did you end up knowing Mr. Black?"

Martha grunted, a low rumble that seemed to come from somewhere deep within her chest. "Tracked him here a few years back. Figured he was another city slicker lost in the woods. Turns out, he wasn't so slick after all."

A flicker of something akin to amusement crossed Martha's weathered face. "Needed some help navigating the wilds. Saved his scrawny hide more than once, I can tell you that."

Derrick, chimed in. "And why exactly did you help him? Seems a strange pairing - a seasoned tracker and a city dweller on the run."

Martha's gaze hardened for a moment, then softened as she met Sarah's curious eyes. "He had something worth protecting," she said finally, her voice a low murmur. "Something precious he was trying to keep safe."

As the night wore on, Sarah felt a newfound sense of security settling over her. Despite their uncertain circumstances, being here, with Olivia safe and Derrick by her side, brought a flicker of peace.

Derrick's phone buzzed abruptly, breaking the calm of the night. As he glanced at the caller ID, he seemed surprised and raised an eyebrow.

"It's Sam," he responded, sounding both intrigued and a little worried.

Their only contact with the outside world had been Derrick's private investigator, Sam Barclays. With a glimmer of optimism in her chest, Sarah watched as Derrick picked up the phone. Perhaps, just possibly, there was some good news in store for them.

"Sam?" Derrick said into the phone, his voice cautious. "What's going on?"

A low murmur filled the room as Sam spoke on the other end. Sarah and Olivia exchanged a silent glance, their eyes filled with anticipation. Finally, Derrick hung up, his face a mask of conflicting emotions.

"Well?" Sarah asked, unable to hold back any longer. "What did he say?"

Derrick cleared his throat, his gaze darting nervously between Sarah and Tiger, who sat engrossed in cleaning his hunting knife.

"He… he found out something about Bobby's next move."

Tiger paused in his task, his eyes snapping towards Derrick with a sharp alertness.

"What is it?" Sarah pressed, leaning forward in anticipation.

"Apparently," Derrick began, his voice low, "Bobby's process of transferring ownership of T&T to Marshal Briggs is taking place in the next two weeks."

"Transferring ownership?" Sarah echoed, confusion clouding her features. "Why would he do that?"

A collective gasp filled the room. A terrible reminder of their past, the name hung heavily in the air. Bobby's biological father, Marshal Briggs, was a legendary felon and a resurrected ghost from Derrick's youth who was haunting them once more.

"Marshal Briggs?" Tiger muttered, a deep scowl etching lines on his face. "That old snake."

"Sam says they're planning to dismantle T&T from the inside out," Derrick added, his voice grim. "Essentially run it into the ground before anyone can stop them."

Sarah felt nausea wash over her. T&T company, despite its flaws, had been a lifeline for so many people. To see it crumble under Marshal Briggs's control was a terrifying prospect.

"So what do we do now?" Olivia asked, her voice barely a whisper.

With no response, the question lingered in the air. Sarah surveyed the room, taking in everyone's determined and worried expressions.

"We can't just sit here," Sarah finally declared, her voice firm despite the tremor of fear in her heart. "We have to do something."

Tiger met her gaze, a spark of agreement flickering in his eyes. "She's right. We can't let him win. Not now, not ever."

Tiger threw his knife down hard into the table, creating a loud thud that echoed across the large room. "We need a plan," he growled.

"A plan for what?" Derrick asked, raising an eyebrow. "We're hundreds of miles away from the city, hiding in a dusty old lodge. What exactly can we do?"

Sarah, however, seemed to be mulling over Derrick's words. "T&T being dismantled… from the inside out," she murmured, her voice thoughtful.

"That's what Sam said," Derrick confirmed. "Apparently, Briggs plans to bleed the company dry, strip it of its assets, and leave it a hollow shell."

"But why?" Olivia piped up, her voice laced with confusion. "Why destroy something that Bobby worked so hard to build?"

Tiger snorted. "Because Bobby's just a pawn in Briggs's game, little one. He's always been the muscle, the muscle that Briggs couldn't control. Now, with Bobby out of the picture, Briggs can finally get his hands on T&T and dismantle it his way."

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "There has to be something we can do. Some way to finally put a stop to them, Bobby especially."