Page 34 of SEAL the Deal
They reached the bottom of the gully and Jenny unslung her backpack. “How about we have a short break? Coffee and a sandwich?”
“Sounds good.” Ali’s stomach had been grumbling for the last fifteen minutes.
Jenny poured coffee from a flask as Ali unwrapped the sandwiches. Axe licked his chops as he sat at her feet.
“So, was Axe a military dog?” asked Jenny as she sipped.
“Still is, he and Mike are teammates.”
Jenny reached over and ruffled his ears. “He’s a handsome boy.”
As they ate Ali heard a faint sound in the distance. The noise grew louder and she identified it as a helicopter.
Jenny unhooked her radio. “That’ll be the search chopper.” She checked the channel guide taped to the back and made an adjustment. “Fire Spotter, this is Jen.”
Ali looked up through the forest canopy for the helicopter as she listened.
“Jenny, this is Ed. You down there?”
“Yeah, we’re on our way to Granite Hut.”
“Roger, look we spotted what we think is a raft on Whistler’s Bend. No sign of any bodies though.”
Ali’s heart leaped as she locked eyes with Jenny.
“OK, Ed. Look, we’re not far away. We’ll go down and take a look.”
“Roger, I’ll do one more pass and then I’m heading back to base.”
“Thanks, bud.” Jenny reattached the radio to the shoulder strap of her backpack. “Ali, this is a good thing. If they got separated from their raft they’ll be trying to walk out. No mean feat in this terrain. We’ll head down to the bend and check it out. Any luck, we’ll meet up with them on the way.”
* * *
Rick skidded down a steep slope, snagged a branch on his wetsuit and lost his footing. Tumbling through the bushes he rolled off a ledge and hit the ground with an almighty thud. On his back he stared up through the forest canopy. “Fuck my life.”
As he lay motionless a chopper thundered overhead. He jumped to his feet ignoring the chafing between his legs and ran in the direction of the aircraft. A moment later, realizing how futile the gesture was, he sat on a boulder and gathered himself.
Things had gone wrong when he was forced to abandon the track and make his own way through the thick forest. ATVs racing along the trail had pushed him further and further off course until he was well and truly lost. He knew he was somewhere between the river and the ridgeline.
Taking his phone from his backpack he powered it up; still no reception. His stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since the night before.
He sipped water from the bladder in his pack and slung it over his shoulder. Then as he was about to set off there was a rustle in the bushes.
Turning slowly he spotted a large black shape among the foliage. A bear emerged from the undergrowth and sat on its haunches. It inspected him through small inquisitive eyes.
Rick’s pulse raced as his brain screamed orders to his legs to turn and run. “Jenny said you were more afraid of me than I am of you. In which case, you must be scared shitless,” he mumbled, fighting the urge to bolt.
The bear ambled forward and sat a few yards from him. Yawning it scratched its belly. Rick’s heart rate dropped as he studied the animal. Jenny was right it didn’t seem to be a threat. He spotted a tag in its ear and recalled that she’d said they were after easy food.
“Hey, I’m sorry. I haven’t got anything to eat. In fact, I’m starving. So if you could point me in the direction of a Jack in the Box that would be killer.”
The animal turned its head away from him, angling its ears up the hill.
“What can you hear?”
Suddenly the bear rose and dashed past Rick, disappearing into the bushes. A moment later the baying of a dog reached his ears. “Oh shit.” He turned and sprinted after the bear.
* * *
