Authors: Kimberley Woodhouse
Water slid down her throat as she took another sip. Exhaustion set in again. Her limbs ached, her lungs burned.
Cole scooted out of the last tunnel with a big grin on his face. "All done. Andie can finish packing it out." He patted her arm. "You look done in, Jenna. Let me haul out the rest of the snow. There's not much left."
It took all her energy to nod. She really should help finish getting things set up, they all needed food, water, and rest. Plenty of rest.
Andie finished smoothing out the last tunnel as Cole hauled out the snow.
Jenna grabbed the sleeping bags and laid one out in each tunnel. He'd made the middle one longer. Probably to accommodate his tall frame.
"Hey, Mom, I'm hungry. Can we eat something?" Andie bounced up and down on her knees.
"You bet." Jenna pulled her pack toward her. "As soon as Cole is back in—"
Cole's head appeared in the opening at that moment. "Who's hungry? 'Cause I'm starved."
Andie smiled at him, and helped him stow some of their gear back into the hole, blocking out all the nasty weather outside. She brushed the snow off his head and shoulders as he rubbed his gloved hands together.
Jenna brought out beef jerky, trail mix, and a few protein bars. They were all so close together, it was a tad bit awkward. As they sat crisscross-applesauce, their knees touched. She wasn't used to sharing space like this with anyone other than her daughter since Marc died. The closeness of Cole made her flush. No, maybe it was just the heat from her leg. With her leg bent, the throbbing and heat became more prominent.
"I'll pray," Andie announced as Jenna redirected her focus on passing out the food.
Cole's eyes widened but he didn't say anything.
"Go for it." Jenna smiled at her daughter.
"Dear God, thank You for this food and for Mom and Cole and this really cool snow cave. Please keep us from any more crashes . . ." she took a deep breath, "explosions, avalanches, bad guys, and injuries. And we could really use some help getting home. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Jenna watched Andie tear into the food, and Cole stare at her daughter with his mouth half open. He obviously wasn't used to the bubbly, unashamed-of-her-faith, tell-it-like-it-is Andie. Or, he wasn't used to prayer. Either way the man was in for an adventure.
Their food quickly consumed, Jenna passed out water bottles, and collected the trash. She really needed some sleep. Certainly she could feel 100 percent tomorrow if she could just get some sleep.
"Hey, Mom?"
"Hmm?"
"I need to use the little girl's room."
They both looked to Cole for direction.
"There's a container in my bag for that." His words were nonchalant.
"Ewww!"
"No. I don't think so." Jenna spoke at the same time as her daughter. "And please remember, we are
not
of the male species." She crossed her arms for effect.
Cole looked up this time and laughed. "Yeah, thought you'd say that." He raked his hand through his hair and nailed Jenna with his firm stare. "You do realize there's a blizzard going on outside?"
"Yes."
"And you realize how cold it is? And how fast things . . . um . . . freeze at these temperatures?"
Andie threw a glove at him. "That's just gross." But she giggled as she said it.
Jenna felt the heat creep up her neck, flooding her cheeks. "I think we are very aware. We
are
native Alaskans, Mr. Maddox. Ahtna-Athabaskan, to be precise. Our ancestors have been on this land for generations." She forced herself to look him in the eye, even though she had to admit she was embarrassed by the situation and her little tirade. "But you must understand that there is
no
way we could possibly . . . well, you know . . . in front of a . . . a
man!
"
Cole opened and then closed his mouth. Then opened it again. "I do understand. That's why I staked out the entrance and roped it to another stake several yards away. There's a tiny snow cave at the end of that stake. And I do mean tiny. So, one of you will have to stand guard outside. I dug a hole for, well . . . you know, but at least you'll be protected from the elements."
"Okay, okay!" Jenna held up her hands to cut him off. "We don't need to discuss it in detail. Andie and I understand survival in the bush."
He chuckled again. "Just stay together. You wouldn't want me to have to come get you."
"Oh, you are so bad." Andie retrieved her glove. "Better watch it, she might do something to you in your sleep."
Jenna enjoyed the banter, even if it was about bathroom usage. She and Andie geared up and crawled out.
When they returned, Cole helped them brush off all the snow, and they prepared to go to sleep.
All the remaining water bottles and food were tucked into their sleeping bags to prevent freezing, and Cole waited to turn off the lamp until she nodded at him.
In the dark, she could hear the wind's howl, Andie's shuffling in her bag—that one always was a wiggle worm—and Cole's deep breaths as he settled in.
"Will you pray for us, Cole?" Her daughter's voice seemed more childlike in the chilly darkness.
"Why don't you handle it for me this time?" His husky voice sounded strangely uneasy.
"Okay." Andie wiggled again in her sleeping bag. "God, it's us again. You know what's going on. You know how scary all this is. And You know where we are and how long the storm will last. Thank You for the food we have, and for a safe place out of the blizzard. Thanks for sending Cole. Show him how to help us. And keep him from driving Mom nuts—"
Jenna couldn't help it, she laughed.
Cole grunted.
"I'm not finished." Andie directed at them.
"By all means, continue," Cole grumped out.
She shuffled and her sweet voice changed directions again. "And God, help us all to sleep and not be scared. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Quiet hovered over them for several moments.
"Good night, Mom. 'Night, Cole."
"Sleep well, Squirt."
"Good night." Jenna pulled the sleeping bag closer to her chin and rolled to her side. She needed sleep. Tomorrow, they could tackle everything else.
Tomorrow they'd get out of this.
She hoped.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LEAPER
April 7
Fairbank Memorial Hospital
Fairbanks, Alaska
9:34 p.m.
"They're dead."
Leaper's best operative, Shadow, stood at-ease, his hands clasped behind his back, and looked toward their boss. "Blew up the plane. Avalanche covered the site, and now there's a storm on the mountains."
The black suit stretched taut across Viper's shoulders. The man was massive. News of the deaths didn't even make him flinch. "Are we positive?"
"Leaper said they were taken care of. I'm sure the explosion and avalanche took care of any bodies. They'll be buried for years."
Leaper nodded as he watched the exchange. "As long as there is no evidence of the crash. It's in a national park."
Viper glanced at him and then walked to the window. "Leaper is correct. So we'll send out one more search team. After the storm. Make sure there's no evidence, and no chance they survived." He pulled out a small black box and rubbed it between his fingers. "Now there's the rest of the mission. I gave them plenty of time to cooperate and hand it over. It's a shame it had to end this way but we're behind on deadline, and North Korea will not wait forever. I want Gray's research, files, programs, prototypes—everything."
"Yes, sir."
"I want to know what else Gray was working on. And why things fell apart. Maddox had something to do with it. But he's been eliminated." He leveled those dark eyes on him for a heartbeat and then turned back to Shadow. "Make sure no one else was involved."
"Yes, sir." Shadow stood straighter.
Viper looked back at him. "You've been awfully quiet, Leaper. Is there a problem?"
"No, sir."
"Good. I'll give you two weeks. No one should even know they're dead for quite a while. I want you to find AMI."
"Yes, sir."
Shadow glanced at him and nodded as Viper left the room. The air around him crushed his lungs. What had he done?
ANDIE
April 8
Sultana, Denali National Park
2:02 a.m.
Flop!
Ouch.
The impact of my stomach hitting the ground forced a groan from my lips. Even though the sleeping bag offered slight cushioning, the ice floor was still extremely uncomfortable.
I rolled onto my side. Why couldn't I just lie there and make myself fall asleep like everybody else?
Another sigh escaped.
Well, counting sheep isn't going to work.
I rolled onto my other side, hip bone bruising at the thunk of landing.
You've got to be kidding.
Hadn't I hurt myself enough?
Daddy always called me a wiggle worm, but I wiggled for good reasons. Besides, Daddy had snored, so why couldn't I move a little?
Okay, more than a little.
I rolled onto my back, remembering all the times we camped out in the living room with the Princess tent and Barbie sleeping bags.
I really missed him.
Cole snored in his tunnel across from me.
I wrinkled my nose. Why was he so loud?
Daddy snored loud too.
Why do I keep comparing Cole with Daddy?
I frowned. How many times had I exaggerated the likeness? Why couldn't I love Cole for who he was?
Because he's not Daddy . . .
My frown deepened.
He's not supposed to be like Daddy.
I glanced at Cole's sleeping form, then rolled back onto my stomach.
What about the guys chasing us? What was happening that they wanted us dead?
I looked over at Mom. Sleeping peacefully. Would she get hurt?
Not with Cole around.
I smiled. W
hether they want to admit it or not, they like each other.
Again my gaze drifted to Snoring Beauty. Could I let him replace my dad? Could I allow him to take his place? I shook my head. Cole was there to protect us. End of story.
But then again, I couldn't imagine life without him. What would I do if he got hurt? Or worse . . . died?
I let out a shaky breath.
Okay, God. Let's talk . . .
JENNA
April 8
Sultana, Denali National Park
2:13 a.m.
A wiggling, warm body next to hers forced her eyes open.
"Hi, Mom," Andie whispered.
"Hey, sweetheart. What brings you over here in the middle of the night?"
"I missed you, and I can't sleep very well when I'm not in my waterbed." Andie licked her lips. "That's not all of it. I guess I just wanted to talk."
Jenna reached her arms out of the sleeping bag to pull her baby close. She kissed the top of Andie's head. "I love that. What do you want to talk about?"
"Well, things are a little crazy. It's scary." She sighed dramatically. "But I'm glad Cole's here."
"Me too, kiddo." Jenna stole a glance at Cole's sleeping form. "I wasn't sure about him at first, I mean, we hardly know him. But he has helped us a lot."
"Mom?" Andie fiddled with the zipper on Jenna's sleeping bag. "Why are people trying to kill us?"
Wow. That was a loaded question. "I'm not sure, honey. But I'm afraid it has something to do with your dad. Maybe all his years in the military. You know he worked on some amazing things."
"I thought this kinda stuff only happened in the movies."
Jenna chuckled. "I wish that were true. But how about we concentrate on happier things, okay?"
"Are you avoiding the issue, Mom?"
"Yes. Most definitely."
Andie smiled up at her. "I figured as much. You're a mom and you have to protect me."
Jenna touched noses with her daughter. "Yes, I do. And as scary and weird and crazy as all this is, we need sleep. So that tomorrow, we can face another day."
"I know." Andie gripped her tighter.
"Andie? Look at me."
Those beautiful blue eyes met hers. Eyes so much like her father's.
"I love you. And I will do everything in my power to make sure we get out of this. I know it's scary, but we've got to think positive. And we've got to have faith."
"Okey dokey. I will. Love you, Mom." Andie yawned. "I think I'll go back to my sleeping bag."
"Good idea. Let's get some sleep. And I love you more . . ."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do."
"I love you more . . ."
"No, I love
you
more . . ." Jenna drifted off, content that the love of her twelve-year-old was enough to get her through another day.
COLE
April 8
Sultana, Denali National Park
7:38 a.m.
Cole rolled over and found himself face to face with a snow wall. Plopping back onto his back, he groaned. He wanted his ComforPedic bed. The crash had done a number on his back and every muscle in his body was tied in knots. The cold just tightened him up more.
Turning over to his stomach, he stretched and began the crawl to escape his sleeping quarters. He glanced over at Jenna. She lay on her side, her ski mask in one hand, cheek cradled in the other. The chill in the air chapped her cheeks and lips. Dark hair escaped the hood of the cocoon-shaped sleeping bag, and cascaded onto the white snow beneath her. She was beautiful.
That's enough, Maddox.
Forcing himself to look away, he stretched his arms behind him. He should check on the weather. Yeah, check the weather.
He glanced over to Andie's sleeping bag. It lay limp and flat. He checked Jenna's tunnel again.
No Andie.
His gaze flew back to his tunnel. And then to Andie's again.
She wasn't there.
Alarm seized his gut.
He crammed his feet into his boots and grabbed his coat. Packs and gear went flying as he worked his way out the entrance. Punching through fresh snow, he enlarged the hole so his large frame could fit.
Just a few more feet.
A blast of snow greeted him as he escaped their shelter. The blizzard had intensified during the night and was worse than anything he'd ever seen. The wind knocked him off his feet. He hadn't taken time to cover his head, face, or eyes, so he used his arm as a shield. He had to find Andie.