Читать книгу Untraceable - Elizabeth Goddard - Страница 11

TWO

Heidi unpacked the tents and synthetic insulated blankets, tossing them to the wary climbers by the fire. Jason, Liam and then Rhea. The woman, face pale, lips a little blue, wore a dazed expression and shivered. It appeared she might be getting hypothermic. None of that came as a surprise considering the climbers had been waiting for hours for the SAR team to arrive.

Heidi must have let her gaze linger on Rhea too long because the woman blinked and looked up from the fire, regarding Heidi with an odd expression. Heidi hated that Rhea gave her the creeps. She was here to assist Rhea and her climbing buddies, so Heidi didn’t like thinking that way about anyone. Yet she almost wished the moon wasn’t shining on the woman’s face. Soon enough, she’d have her wish as the light in the sky shifted behind the mountains or the storm clouds hid it from view. Unfortunately, she didn’t relish working in the dark, either.

Heidi focused her attention back on removing the needed equipment from the various packs. The snow flukes to help secure the tents against the heavy and wet snow, along with the high winds that would come with the expected storm. The small camping stove and fuel they’d mostly use to melt snow for water. Sleeping bags. Now all she needed was some help to get the tents set up.

A blast of icy wind swept over her. It was definitely picking up. She shivered at the thought. Heidi hated to weather a storm like this, but the good thing was they’d gotten here beforehand and these people would have ample protection now. Cade had been right to insist she help. The swell of satisfaction she received when helping others was returning.

“You should wait,” Rhea said.

Heidi looked up from the pack—stuff now strewn around. “Wait? Why would I do that? The faster I can get you warmed up the better.”

“Because we’re hiking out tonight.”

The woman wasn’t making any sense, didn’t know what she was talking about. Yep, her core body temperature was too low. The quicker Heidi got Rhea inside a tent, the better. Heidi glanced at the two men who only stared into the fire. Obviously, they had experience in dealing with Rhea. Heidi would follow their example. She kept her thoughts to herself and focused on setting up camp. No need to further antagonize Rhea.

Cade had gone off to grab the rest of the supplies the helicopter dropped a few hundred yards from them to keep it safe, and Isaiah went to check on the deceased climber. Not so far away, but they couldn’t get back fast enough for her.

“Did you hear me?” Rhea’s tone grew belligerent.

What was this all about?

“That was never the plan.” Heidi stood tall, facing her. “The plan was that a helicopter would hoist anyone who was injured out in the morning. It’s too dangerous tonight.”

Cade came from the shadows and tossed more packs and sleeping bags toward Heidi, where they plopped in the snow. Heidi shot him a look.

“What’s the problem?” Cade caught his breath, then focused on Rhea. Jason and Liam stood up as if they were answering a challenge.

“No problem,” Rhea said. “I told her not to unpack. We’re hiking out.”

Cade frowned.

Isaiah came into the circle of light, Zach right behind him. Zach shoved Isaiah forward.

What was going on?

Zach held two guns and pointed one at Isaiah and one at Cade. “I’ll need your weapons and all communication devices.” He glanced over at Heidi. “You, too, sweetheart.”

Heidi gulped for air. This couldn’t be happening. What would Cade do? She watched him, willing him to hear her pleading.

Don’t try to be a hero now, Cade. Please don’t.

“I don’t have anything on me,” Heidi said.

“You’re going to have to prove it.” Zach waved the gun. “Take off your coats.”

“What?” Cade said. “It’s too cold out here! We have to stay the night on this mountain.”

Zach pressed the gun into Isaiah’s temple. “I don’t need all three of you.”

“Yes, you need us all.” Heidi didn’t hide the desperation in her plea. “Whatever you’re planning, to hike out tonight like Rhea said, you definitely need all three of us. You’ll never make it without our help. We are the bare minimum required.”

Angling his head, Zach studied her, considering her words.

The way Isaiah slightly shook his head, as though he was ready to die for them right here and now was too much for Heidi. She couldn’t allow that. Cade could not get his weapon out in time to do anything for them. Isaiah had to know that.

“Do as he says, Cade.” Heidi took off her own coat and arctic cold swirled around her. She shivered.

Wind rippled over the small fire and almost snuffed it out, but Heidi knew the darkness wouldn’t help them.

“You should listen to her,” Zach said.

Cade quickly stripped from his jacket, revealing his shoulder holster and the weapon inside. He handed it over to Jason.

“Radios and SAT phones, cell phones, everything.”

Cade’s expression turned dark and menacing as he handed over everything that would connect him to their brother David, who was monitoring this rescue mission from the command center at the base of the mountain. Adam, Cade and Heidi’s other brother, had been called out on a separate search and rescue. The Warren siblings were spread out tonight.

“Is that everything?”

“We came here to help you,” Isaiah said. “A storm is approaching, so we don’t have time for this. Why are you threatening us, pointing those guns at us?”

“If you don’t want our help, we’ll just be on our way,” Cade said.

“I like to hear that, because that’s exactly what’s going to happen. We’re going to be on our way. All of us. You’re going to lead, and we’re going to follow you out.”

Isaiah looked at the cliff face they’d just scaled. “We’re not equipped to help you back up that cliff, not in the dark. Not with a storm closing in. There’s a reason we brought supplies to make it through the night and longer, depending on the weather.”

“Why did you call us? Why do you need us?” Heidi asked the question, but she thought she already knew the answer.

“The supplies you brought, and we need you to guide us out,” Jason said.

Finally, someone besides Zach spoke up. Maybe if they could somehow take him out, the rest of them could be overcome.

“Our small plane crash-landed up there.” Jason pointed behind them. “Two people didn’t survive, the pilot died. Another guy, too. The rest of us...we made it this far, but knew we needed to call for help or die in the mountains.”

But why the guns? Obviously, there was much more to this than they were being told. They were desperate to get out tonight, which was also a risk. So desperate that they would hold a search and rescue team at gunpoint. Why were they in such a hurry? What were they running from?

Fear gripped Heidi at her next thought.

Were they fugitives?

She didn’t watch the news enough to know anything.

Heidi wanted to ask, but her brother gave a slight shake of his head. Knowing too much about this group in need of help could be deadly. But sooner or later the SAR team would learn the truth, and Heidi feared that truth, when it came, would cost their lives.

* * *

“Look, I don’t know why you think you need to hold us at gunpoint. This whole thing is some sort of crazy.” Isaiah regretted the words as soon as he said them. “You asked for help and you got it. That’s what we’re here to do, but you have to trust us. And believe me when I say we can’t guide you out of this saddle tonight.”

Isaiah’s heart battered his insides. He thought he’d already seen enough trouble to last him a lifetime. But he needed to try to talk their way out of this.

Zach didn’t appear to like to be challenged, especially in front of his friends. He stepped toward Isaiah, waving his weapons around, his thick gloves raising the threat of him accidentally putting too much pressure on a trigger guard. Isaiah didn’t think Zach had the safety locked on either weapon.

An image of a woman covered in blood suffused his mind. He shook the memory. A vise gripped Isaiah’s chest. He wanted to grab the guns and stop this insanity.

“Didn’t I already warn you that if you slow me down, I’ll get rid of you?” Zach aimed both guns at Isaiah, point-blank.

“No!” Heidi screamed.

Zach made a mistake, standing too close. Isaiah could grab him, disarm him, but with Cade and Heidi so near and Jason holding the other weapon, that would gain Isaiah nothing. He couldn’t risk someone else’s life, but then again, if he didn’t take the chance now he was risking all their lives.

To Isaiah’s regret, Heidi put herself in the line of fire and pulled on Zach’s arm. “Please, don’t.”

“Get back, Heidi.” Isaiah skewered her with his gaze. He didn’t need her risking her life for him.

“To get out of these mountains, you need all three of us,” she said again.

Zach’s gaze slid to Heidi. It was all Isaiah could do to keep from wiping that leer off his face. But he didn’t have to worry about it for long. Zach slammed his weapon into the side of Isaiah’s head, just under his helmet. He fell back into the snow, dizziness engulfing him.

“Isaiah!” Heidi’s scream sounded as if it was coming from the other end of a tunnel.

She appeared by his side. “Isaiah,” she whispered. “Talk to me.”

He tugged off the helmet and grabbed his head. “These things don’t protect against raving lunatics.”

What had he expected from Zach, anyway?

“Heidi’s right,” Cade said to Zach. “We can help you climb out tonight, but it’s going to take all three of us.”

Ignoring his pounding head, Isaiah focused his vision. He had to stay with it. Heidi scrambled over to the medical kit a few feet away.

“I’m not convinced,” Rhea said. She looked at Heidi.

What? That woman expected Zach to do away with Heidi?

Cade’s tension was palpable. “In addition to our equipment and expertise, you’ll need us to physically assist you down. There are four of you. You need all of us.”

Something ran down Isaiah’s neck. He pressed his gloved hand against the side of his head where he felt a knot and drew it back. Blood. Zach had given him a gash.

This was an absolute nightmare.

“That settles it, then,” Zach said. “Now that we’re all in agreement, let’s get this stuff put away and get geared up.”

Heidi dropped next to Isaiah. She examined his head and swabbed it, then looked him in the eyes. He wished she wouldn’t do that. Give him that look that showed him how much she cared, and yet how much she couldn’t care. How much he’d hurt her, on top of everything else that had happened.

“You shouldn’t challenge him like that,” she whispered. “Just do as they ask. We’ll make it out of this. We have to.”

She moved to stand, but he grabbed her wrist. “Don’t put yourself between me and anyone like that again.”

Shaking her head, she tried to stand, but he kept his grip on her. “Do you hear me?”

“You’d do the same for me,” she said.

Yes. Yes he would, and more. But he couldn’t have her risking her life for the likes of him. He didn’t deserve the sacrifice.

Heidi stood and offered her hand. Of course, Isaiah could stand without her help, but he took her hand anyway. Felt the strong, sturdy grip beneath her gloves. Maybe Cade had been right. Heidi needed to get back into climbing and helping people. Search and rescue. Only Isaiah was certain she didn’t need it to come at her like this, with crazy people waving guns around.

The moon finally dipped behind the north summit, and the silhouette of thick clouds edged into the sky from the west. Isaiah put his helmet back on.

“Hey!” Zach directed his attention to Isaiah and Heidi. “What are you doing? Let’s get the gear packed up and ready to go.”

Isaiah growled under his breath. This guy had no idea what he was getting them all into. He bent down to help Heidi pack the tents and stuff the equipment back in the pack. The helicopter had dropped more gear. How were they going to carry all of it down? He watched Cade studying all their supplies, probably wondering the same thing. If they were really going to do this, hike out tonight, at least until the storm prevented them from going farther, there were few items they could do without. Added to that, they had no idea how long Zach and his crew were going to need their assistance.

David monitored their activity from the command center and would want an update soon. Isaiah had no idea what they would tell the man. Did Zach even have a clue about that? And did he have a clue that it might be mid-April but up in these mountains it might as well be the dead of winter? Well, except there was more daylight. The thing was, if they went tromping off into this mountain wilderness and survived, at some point, another team would be sent to search for them when they went missing.

Oh, yeah, someone would look for them.

But the storm could very well prevent that search from happening anytime soon, and with Zach pressing them they could be far from here by then. They might never be found.

How far was Zach planning to push them?

Isaiah finished zipping the last pack, itching to ask Zach exactly that. Just how far were they intending to hike? How long would they need the SAR team’s assistance?

How long before Zach killed them?