The email arrived at 7:02 AM.
Mandatory All-Intern Assembly. Conference Room A. 8:00 AM. Do not be late.
Raine read it on her phone, standing in her tiny kitchen. Her mother was humming over the stove. After she read the email she went into her room and packed a little bag without putting too much thought to it. The normalcy of the scene felt like a lie. Her stomach was already a hard knot. After yesterday—after Beckett's pointed comments and Declan's ghost-seer look from the car—any summons felt like a trap.
She walked into Conference Room A at 7:58. The air buzzed with nervous speculation. Beckett was already there, leaning against the far wall. He caught her eye and gave a slow, knowing smile that made her skin crawl. She looked away, finding a seat near the back.
At 8:00 exactly, the door opened. But it wasn't HR.
Marcus Wright, the COO, walked in, followed by Declan Montgomery.
Declan Montgomery walked in behind Marcus Wright.
"Oh shit," someone whispered behind Raine.
"Is that—"
"Montgomery himself. What the hell?"
"He never comes to intern meetings."
"This must be huge."
The whispers died as Declan moved to the front, his presence demanding silence without words.
A collective, almost silent gasp rippled through the room. As Declan moved to the front, his presence vacuuming all the sound from the space. He looked even more severe under the fluorescent lights, a man carved from a different, harder substance than everyone else.
"Good morning," Marcus began, his voice a warm attempt to soften the atmosphere. "Thank you for your promptness. We have a significant announcement regarding a pinnacle opportunity."
Declan's eyes scanned the room. They passed over Raine, a momentary flicker of that same unsettled focus she'd seen from the car, before moving on. He clasped his hands behind his back.
"Montgomery Industries is pursuing its most critical acquisition in a decade," Declan said, his voice cutting through Marcus's preamble. "Codenamed Mercury. It is complex, sensitive, and will define this company's future."
He paused, letting the weight of the words sink in. Raine could feel the ambition in the room spike, a tangible heat.
"Success requires a dedicated, isolated team. Focus without distraction. To that end, key personnel will be separated at the Skyfall Lodge in the Adirondacks for a four-day working session. This weekend."
A weekend. Isolated. The knot in Raine's stomach pulled tighter. She pressed her thumb into her palm, then forced her hand flat on the table.
"From your cohort," Declan continued, his tone utterly impersonal, "we are selecting two interns to embed with the senior team. This is not a reward. It is a trial by fire. You will work harder than you ever have. You will be assessed not on potential, but on performance under extreme pressure."
He picked up a tablet from the podium. "The selections are final. The first intern is Beckett Stone."
A murmur of approval and envy went up. Beckett, from his spot against the wall, gave a modest nod. His expression was perfectly calibrated—humble, honored. But when his eyes found Raine's, they held a glint of challenge.
"He has shown exceptional strategic acuity in competitor analysis," Marcus added.
Declan's gaze returned to the tablet. A heavy silence descended. The second name. Raine stared at the grain of the table, praying with every fiber of her being. "Not me. Pick anyone else. The loud guy from Stanford. The girl who always talks about blockchain. Anyone."
"The second intern," Declan said, "is Raine Sterling."
For a moment, there was stunned silence.
Then Ben started clapping from the front row. "Yes! Raine!"
Others joined in, though the applause felt forced, competitive.
"Of course it's her," someone muttered behind her.
"She's only been here a three days."
"Must be that scholarship kid hustle."
Jessica leaned over from the next table. "Congratulations," she whispered, though her smile looked strained. "That's incredible."
Raine couldn't respond. Her throat had closed completely.
The sound of her name was a physical blow. The air left her lungs. The room swam. A few polite claps sounded, mixed with whispers. She felt every eye turn to her. She couldn't move.
"For her exactness in financial deconstruction," Marcus said, filling the silence she couldn't.
Declan put the tablet down. "You will both report to the executive garage at 6 PM today. You will be offline and incommunicado until the session concludes Monday evening. Pack accordingly. Dismissed."
The moment Declan left, the room erupted.
"Can you believe that?"
"Two interns on a senior executive retreat? That's unprecedented."
"Beckett makes sense, but Sterling? She's brand new."
Ben appeared at Raine's side. "Holy shit, Raine. Congratulations! This is huge!"
"I..." She couldn't form words.
"Are you okay? You look like you're going to pass out."
"I'm fine. Just... surprised."
"Surprised? This is the opportunity of a lifetime!" He lowered his voice. "Though being stuck in the woods with Montgomery for four days sounds terrifying."
"Yeah," she managed. "Terrifying."
Jessica approached, her earlier strain replaced with genuine curiosity. "What do you think it'll be like? The retreat?"
"I have no idea."
"Well, good luck. Seriously. Show them what we're made of."
Marcus stayed behind to hand out folders..
Raine sat, paralyzed. The noise around her became a distant roar. Skyfall Lodge. Four days. Trapped. The words pounded in her head with the rhythm of a death chime. This wasn't an opportunity. It was a sentencing.
A shadow fell across her table. Beckett slid into the seat beside her, his folder in hand.
"Partners," he said, his voice cheerful. "Looks like we're going to the woods together. I knew they'd pick you. You have that 'nothing to lose' focus. It's compelling."
She finally turned her head to look at him. Her voice was a dry rasp. "Stop."
"Stop what?"
"Stop analyzing me. Stop pretending this is just fun."
His smile faded into something more genuine, and more unsettling. "Who's pretending? This is the most fun I've had in years. We're about to be locked in a luxury cabin with the most powerful, messed-up people in this city. The secrets that will be floating around… it's a goldmine." He leaned closer. "And you, Raine. You're the most interesting secret in the room. I'm just trying to figure out what chapter you're in."
He stood up, tapping his folder against her shoulder. "See you at the garage. Don't forget to bring your warm coat. And your poker face. Yours needs work."
He walked away, leaving her in the circle of chattering interns.
The rest of the day was foggy. The folder contained itineraries, NDAs thicker than her hand, and a packing list that included 'business formal' and 'cold-weather gear.' Each item was a box on a checklist leading to her own execution.
She avoided everyone, spending the final hours in her carrel, staring at data she couldn't process. At 5:30 PM, she mechanically shut down her computer. Her hands were cold. She rode the elevator down to the subterranean executive garage, a place of concrete and softly humming luxury vehicles.
The executive garage was a cave of polished concrete and expensive vehicles. Raine's footsteps echoed as she approached, pulling her small suitcase.
Beckett was already there, leaning against a black SUV, mid-conversation with Marcus Wright.
"—and my father said the same thing happened with the Meridian acquisition," Beckett was saying. "Total isolation for a week. Came back with the deal signed."
"Your father has good instincts," Marcus replied warmly. Then he spotted Raine. "Ah, Raine. Right on time."
"Hi," she managed, her voice tight.
"Excited?" Marcus asked.
"Nervous," she admitted.
"That's healthy. Shows you understand the stakes." He checked his watch. "We're just waiting on final security clearances. The drive is about four hours. You should try to rest in the car."
"I'll try."
"First time to the Adirondacks?" Beckett asked, his tone friendly but his eyes sharp.
"Yes."
"Beautiful area. Very remote." He smiled. "No cell service for miles. Really lets you disconnect."
"That's the point," Marcus said. "Total focus. No distractions."
A phone rang—Marcus's. He stepped away to answer it.
Beckett moved closer to Raine, lowering his voice. "You okay? You look like you're walking to your execution."
"I'm fine."
"Liar." His smile widened. "But I get it. Four days with Montgomery scrutinizing every move. It's a lot of pressure."
"We should both be prepared for that."
"Oh, I'm prepared." He tilted his head, studying her. "Question is are you?"
Before she could respond, a car door opened across the garage.
Declan emerged from a dark Land Cruiser, phone pressed to his ear. He was dressed differently than usual—an army green sweater, dark trousers, no suit jacket. More casual. More human. Somehow more risky for it.
"—have the revised projections on my desk by Monday morning," he was saying, his voice carrying across the space. "I don't care if your team has to work through the weekend. This is non-negotiable."
He ended the call, slid the phone into his pocket, and walked toward them.
Raine's heart hammered. Every step he took seemed to echo.
"Mr. Declan," Beckett said smoothly as he approached. "We're ready whenever you are."
Declan's eyes swept over them—first Beckett, then landing on Raine. That same unsettled focus from yesterday, like he was trying to solve an equation that kept changing variables.
"The rules of the office extend to the lodge," he said, his voice colder than the garage air. "The isolation is for work. Not for socializing. Not for forging inappropriate connections. Is that understood?"
"Perfectly, sir," Beckett said.
Declan's gaze shifted to Raine. Waiting.
"Yes, sir," she forced out.
"Good." He turned to Marcus, who'd finished his call. "Marcus, you'll ride with the interns. I need to make calls during the drive."
"Of course."
Declan walked to his Land Cruiser without another word, got in, and the door closed with a decisive click.
Marcus gestured to the SUV. "Shall we?"
Beckett opened the back door, mock-gallantly gesturing for Raine to enter first. "After you, partner."
She climbed in, and he slid in beside her. Too close. Consciously too close.
Marcus took the front passenger seat. "Comfortable back there?"
"Yes, sir," Raine said.
"Good. It's a long drive. We'll stop once about halfway for a break." The engine started. "Any questions before we head out?"
"What's the schedule like when we arrive?" Beckett asked.
"Tonight is just arrival and dinner. Real work starts tomorrow morning at seven. Days will be long—probably until ten or eleven each night."
"Sounds intense."
"It is. But it's also your chance to prove yourselves." Marcus settled back as they pulled out of the garage. "Try to get some rest. You'll need it."
For the first hour, Marcus tried to keep conversation going from the front seat.
"So, Raine, I hear you're from Brooklyn. Which neighborhood?"
"Sunset Park."
"My sister lived there for a few years. Loved it. Great food scene."
"Yeah, it's... diverse."
"And Beckett, your father mentioned you spent a semester in London?"
"Two semesters actually," Beckett said. "London School of Economics. Brilliant program, terrible weather."
Marcus chuckled. "I did a rotation there years ago. The rain is relentless."
They talked about London, about programs, about nothing important. Raine watched the city fade into suburbs, then into darkness.
Around the two-hour mark, they stopped at a rest area. Harsh fluorescent lights, vending machines, the smell of burnt coffee.
"Fifteen minutes," Marcus said, heading for the restroom.
Raine bought a bottle of water, avoiding Beckett, but he found her anyway at the vending machines.
"Nervous?" he asked quietly.
"Why would I be nervous?"
"Because we're about to spend four days in a pressure cooker with people who could make or break our careers." He selected a candy bar. "Or maybe you're nervous about something else."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. You tell me." He unwrapped the chocolate. "You've been jumpy since the announcement. And earlier, in the garage, when Montgomery looked at you? You looked like you'd been electrocuted."
"You're imagining things."
"Am I?" He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. "I don't think so. But we'll see. Four days is a long time. Secrets have a way of surfacing under pressure."
Marcus emerged from the restroom. "Ready?"
They climbed back into the SUV. Marcus dozed almost immediately, his head against the window.
The darkness outside was now complete. No streetlights, no houses. Just black forest pressing in on both sides of the highway.
Beckett pulled out his phone, the glow illuminating his face. He scrolled for a while, then showed her the screen.
A map. Their location—a tiny blue dot on the edge of a vast green wilderness. No towns nearby. No cell towers.
"Look," he whispered. "No service for twenty miles in any direction. Totally off the grid."
He put the phone away and leaned his head back, closing his eyes.
But Raine saw the smile on his face. Not sleeping. Waiting.
Raine stared out the window, seeing nothing. The weight of the coming days pressed down on her. She was heading into the woods with the man who haunted her, a rival who suspected her, and a rule that was her only lifeline.
Raine turned back to the window, but now she saw only her own pale reflection superimposed on the black, rushing forest. Beckett wasn't just looking for secrets anymore.
He was waiting for something to happen. And he was putting her on notice that he would be watching when it did.
The lodge wasn't just a retreat. It was a locked room. And she had just been handed the key to her own undoing.