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As light slowly bled into the day, the landscape slowly revealed itself to Griff. It was brutally beautiful. How had he never climbed in this area before? They hiked through several passes over which sheer rock towered over pristine snow drifts. Their passage disturbed flocks of birds, the creatures taking flight with a cacophony of squawks that shattered the breath-taking tranquility. Despite the difficult circumstances, Griff felt the familiar ease of his heart rate in nature.
The surrounding wilderness remained eerily quiet, devoid of any visible danger. There had been no sign of their pursuers. For now, they were on their own.
They stopped to rest after several hours of walking, the scent of damp earth and moss tangible in the air. They passed around a flask of coffee and nibbled on Sophie’s home-made granola bars. Griff was relieved to see Jo eating a decent amount. Being out in the open, the rhythm of the walk appeared to have soothed her nerves somewhat.
Then they were back on the move again, the tramp of the snow under their boots hypnotic and hushed until it was broken by the thump thump of a powerful rotor.
Griff halted, his breath coming in opaque puffs as he scanned the landscape for the source of the noise. A smudge materialized on the horizon.
Helicopter.
Wyatt met Griff’s gaze, his expression serious. “Could be hunters. Birds make it easier to get to more challenging hunts.”
“Or not.”
“Yeah. My thoughts too. We should get under cover.” Wyatt pointed to a stand of trees a hundred feet away. A quick dash if they were walking on grass and rock, but they were wading through thigh-high snow.
“Mom. C’mon.” Wyatt grabbed his mother’s free arm and urged her on. Sophie’s cheeks were flushed, but her jaw was a firm line of determination. Wyatt clearly got his grit from both his parents.
The noise of the helicopter grew louder. They were sitting ducks out in the open like this.
Jo huffed at his side. Her backpack swayed from side to side as she plowed through the snow. She stumbled, but Griff caught her before she face-planted. “My boot’s caught on something.” She pulled at her leg, panting.
“Hang on.” Griff scraped snow from around her leg, pushed her boot out from the gnarly tree root trapping it. “Up.” He boosted her to standing and shrugged her backpack onto his shoulder, then secured his arm around her waist. He plunged forward, his breath sawing in and out of him in sour bursts, his thighs burning from the effort.
Wyatt had reached the trees with Sophie and Ty. He cupped his gloved hands around his mouth and shouted. “Hurry!”
Fucking am.
He risked a glance at Jo, not wanting to speak because that would use up too much energy. Her gaze was laser focussed straight ahead, her legs punching like pistons, giving it her all.
They crashed into the cover of the trees in a flurry of powdery snow. Not a moment too soon. Griff crashed to the ground, Jo falling on top of him. The thump of the approaching helicopter from the other side shook the thinner tree branches in a powerful downdraft. It passed over and through gaps in the trees, Griff observed a masked spotter leaning out the open door.
Snow clumps melted against his skin where they had found their way under his collar. He pulled Jo against him, eyes closed, his heart racing, not knowing if they’d got out of sight fast enough or if their tracks would be a giveaway. Jo puffed heaving pants as he muttered a small prayer. We are due a fucking break.
The helicopter kept going.
Griff exhaled, feeling the tension bleed from his body as he helped Jo to her feet and brushed snow from her jacket and pant legs.
Wyatt picked up Griff’s backpack and handed it to him, admiration in his eyes. “Good job. I didn’t think you’d make it.”
“You need to have more faith in people, Wyatt.” His mother bustled between the two men. She narrowed her gaze at the sky where sooty clouds gathered. “There could still be people on the ground looking for us.” She took her husband’s hand. “If the past taught us anything, it’s these people don’t stop till they reach their goal.” She pointed uphill to a firebreak in the forest. “Let’s go.”
35
“Are you sure we need to cross this? There’s no other way?” Jo stared at the rope bridge spanning the deep canyon. Her voice bounced back at her, reflected off gleaming wet rock. The rope was thick as her arm but green with algae in places, frayed in others. The breeze caught it and it shifted sideways, creaking.
Jesus.
She inched as close as she dared to the edge. Sheer rock plummeted fathoms beneath her to a sliver of river below.
Oh my God. Jo closed her eyes and stumbled backward, unease skittering through her stomach.
“You okay?” Sophie was at her side.
“I’m not great with heights.”
“I understand, but it’s a detour of at least a day otherwise.” Sophie’s lips compressed as she gazed across the chasm. “I don’t think we have that kind of time.”
