by Katie Knight
“We’ll need our winter coats and lots of layers if we have to wait on a rescue team, but there are so many blankets here. You could stay inside and wait with us.” Megan gathered her hair and dropped it to one side of her shoulder. Maybe she was a wimp, but she didn’t like the idea of Ben busting through an emergency exit and into the unknown. Surely it would be better if they stayed together.
“I’ve been in worse predicaments than this.” His eyes dropped to her lips, and the oxygen whooshed right out of her lungs. “As long as you and Logan are with me, you have nothing to fear.” He squared his shoulders, turned toward the emergency exit, and with one quick shove of the door, he disappeared from view. He’d made a bold promise to keep them safe, and she crossed her fingers that he’d be able to keep those words. Ben had never been short of confidence, and right now she was grateful for it. It helped her shove down some of the shock that was numbing her mind. A gust of frigid wind rushed through the gap of the exit door, and she shivered.
“Let’s get you warm,” she said and brought a blanket to where Logan was sitting. His chin quivered when she wrapped the fleece throw over his shoulders and hugged him tightly.
“Meggy, I want Mama.” He sniffled and looked up at her with watery eyes.
"I know, Bud. You're being so brave. Mama and Daddy are going to be so proud of you." There was a bitter, alkaline taste in her mouth as she rubbed Logan's shoulder. How long would it take to be rescued—minutes, hours? Days? Logan had already faced more trauma than most would in their entire lives. If only he could talk to his parents and be reassured that they’d find him, then maybe a little light would return to his usually cheerful eyes.
But his parents weren’t here, and Megan wasn’t able to reach them. Until they could get to safety—or at least get access to a radio or satellite phone—she was the only link to home and comfort that Logan had. And that meant she had to be strong, for this precious little boy and for herself. No more getting caught up in thoughts of if-onlys or might-have-beens. Her focus needed to be on the here and now. She didn’t know what new obstacles she would face with Logan and Ben in the next few hours, but she had a sinking feeling their ordeal wasn’t over yet.
She only hoped she’d be tough enough to handle whatever new disaster came their way.
Chapter Five
Ben dropped silently to the ground and trekked through a thin layer of virgin snow. Bitter wind crept down his sweater and iced his skin but he ignored the burn and focused on the task at hand. He needed to sort through the wreckage and assess the condition of the plane and the surrounding area. And no, that absolutely was not an excuse to avoid being around a crying kid or a beautiful woman who was barely holding it together.
Okay, fine—maybe he’d jumped a little too quickly at the opportunity to put some space between him and them. But who could blame him? Dealing with other’s emotions was outside his wheelhouse. He was trying to be strong to help Megan and Logan with the trauma of the crash, but he’d blocked out his own feelings long ago when he learned as a kid to take care of himself. At a young age, he’d hardened his heart as he was bounced through an endless stream of foster families, never finding a place to call home. He’d found that feeling of belonging in Megan’s embrace—another reason he couldn’t stay. Ben wasn’t going to wait around for someone to dash his dreams of a stable home and family. If you never had anything worth keeping, you had nothing to lose.
Ben tread over the rough terrain, cautiously moving forward through the rubble. He spotted the hard-black case that he’d checked earlier at the airport, walked briskly toward it, and pulled out the unloaded weapon. He wasn’t necessarily expecting trouble, but he’d been trained to always be ready for it. After opening a new box of ammunition and loading the handgun, he continued rounding the plane. The tail was completely severed from the body of the aircraft, which would make the plane a cold place to sleep tonight, and not very secure, either. Megan and Logan would need to be sheltered from the elements and wildlife. They’d been a little over an hour into the flight, which meant they’d most likely crashed somewhere in Denali National Park and Preserve. Six million acres of wilderness was not something you tackled without proper gear and a game plan. They had no communication devices capable of getting a signal, and it was unlikely they’d run into hikers during the dead of winter with such limited hours of daylight. No one would be out snowmobiling in weather like this. That meant they were on their own until help came. Even if they were lucky enough to have crashed down at the entrance of Denali forest, the closest hospital was several hours away.
His gut tangled. What if Megan or Logan had been injured? He liked to think he would’ve kept his composure, that his SEAL training would kick in, and he would have found a way to get them to help in time. A blur of purple caught the corner of his vision. Megan’s suitcase was strewn a few feet from the wreckage. He crunched through the snow to retrieve it, then paused when sunlight filtering through the trees reflected off something in the snow. His muscles froze, and he glanced around to make sure he was alone. Maybe to most, the small scrap of metal wouldn't seem out of place in such an intense crash, but to him, it was a red flag against the stark ground. The broken piece of a nail wasn’t something used in the construction of a plane, but it would be a key ingredient in a pipe bomb—along with screws and black powder. An uneasy wave swelled inside him as he located more shrapnel. Someone had packed a heck of a lot of sharp objects into an explosive with the intent of bringing down the plane. This was no accident.
Had someone targeted him? A chill flared up his back, one that had nothing to do with the frigid climate. Many terrorist organizations would delight in killing a SEAL. Hell, there were a lot of sick individuals that would consider it a great feat. He and his team certainly weren't out to make friends in the field, but their work was highly classified. Other soldiers at their base didn’t even know the scope of their training or their missions. The few men in their unit who had spouses couldn’t tell them where they were going or what they were doing when they reached their destination, mostly for their own safety. The odds of someone successfully identifying him from some mission he’d performed…it felt like a chance in a million. And even if someone did recognize him and chose to strike out against him, how would they know to target the plane? Airport security was no joke. Getting a bomb on a plane would take careful preparation, time, and effort. He’d bought this ticket on a whim, and hadn’t shared his plans with anyone but the buddy he was coming to visit. Even if someone had wanted to target him this way, how could they?
Logic and reason couldn’t hold up against the heavy wave of horror he felt at the idea that this was all his fault. If someone had discovered his identity and placed a pipe bomb in the engine, Megan and Logan were in this predicament because of him. He ground his teeth and clenched his jaw so tightly pain radiated down his neck. Whatever the reason for the bombing, this was clearly deliberate, performed with malicious intent. Someone had purposely taken the plane down with innocent civilians on board. The pilot and the flight attendant had lost their lives. Blood rushed to his head. Maybe if he wasn’t on the flight, the crew and its passengers might be in Fairbanks right now instead of at the base of the mountains. As a SEAL, he was always outwardly in control, but right now he was fighting to keep his shit together inside. He’d like nothing more than to ram his fist into the big evergreen beside him, but he was a professional, and he needed to determine the immediate threat to their safety. Someone sick enough to plant a bomb on a plane was capable of anything—and could easily decide to strike again. If anyone hurt a hair on Megan or the boy’s head, he’d lay waste to the entire forest.
He crept forward to get a better look at the plane’s engine, balling his fists when he located the remnants of a detonated bomb. There was no doubt that someone had sabotaged the plane. But who had been the target? The most likely options seemed to be either that the bomber was after Ben or the pilot, or that the bomber was a terrorist practicing a random act of
violence. He continued his search, not quite ready to share the bad news with Megan. She'd just gotten the kid calmed down, and he was going to hold off on upsetting that balance as long as possible.
Ben shimmied inside the storage compartment and spent the next ten minutes searching for anything that might be useful while they waited for help to arrive—specifically water, food, and blankets. He found their suitcases, checking them for any signs of tampering, then extracting them. He'd give the area inside the compartment a thorough scan before he took their belongings back inside the plane. Using the flashlight on his cellphone, Ben gave the whole chamber a detailed once over. It wasn't long before he found a second bomb. His stomach clenched. This one was much bigger than the first. Most likely, it had been meant to detonate on impact once the engine blew. They’d gotten lucky, but for how long? It was a miracle the thing hadn’t been set off in the crash—even walking around like he was could make the plane shift or tilt at the wrong angle.
Sure, he had experience with explosives, but there was no way he could disarm a homemade pipe bomb under these circumstances. He was no expert, he had no schematics or proper tools, and he didn’t even have one of his more experienced buddies on the line to talk him through it. If he tried, he’d be putting Megan and Logan at risk. Adrenaline surged through his veins, and his gut rolled at the reality of the situation. He had to get to Megan, tell her the predicament, and get her and Logan off the plane. He pivoted on his heels, then stopped when a folded piece of paper caught his eye. It could be nothing, but maybe it would give them some kind of clue. There wasn’t time to look it over now, so he shoved it into his back pocket and exited the storage compartment.
Leaving their luggage outside, he raced to the emergency exit and gingerly entered the plane. Megan was singing with the crazy looking spider dangling off her hand, and the little boy, despite all he’d just been through, was looking up at her with wide, smiling eyes. Ben was torn between pulling Megan aside and telling her about the imminent danger, or begging for her trust—something he definitely didn’t deserve or expect—with a promise that he’d explain everything later. They didn’t have time for a detailed explanation though—they really should put as much distance between them and the plane as they could before nightfall. Whoever coordinated the attack could be anywhere, waiting and watching. Ben also had to consider that word of survivors had gotten back to whoever had placed the bombs, and that someone could be waiting to pick them off as they exited the aircraft. It was unlikely, as he’d just been outside, but he wasn’t taking any chances with two innocents in his care. He’d ensure they were kept safe at all costs.
Megan had stopped singing and was shooting him an uneasy gaze. He schooled his features, remembering she could read him more easily than others. She had known him intimately, but it had been more than just an awareness of his movements and actions. Megan could read emotions like a goddamn picture book. For someone who was so used to being guarded, it had shocked him that Megan was so perceptive to all the feelings churning around inside him. It wasn’t just him though—if someone was sad, happy, jealous, bitter, Megan knew about it first.
“Hey,” he said sidling up to her seat. “We need to go. Now.” Her eyes widened, and her face lost some of its color.
“What do you mean?” Her eyes narrowed as her brows pulled together “Shouldn’t we wait here for help?” She picked up her hair and dropped it to the side. Her nervous habit hadn’t changed, and it made him want to soothe her fears.
“Megan, you need to trust me.” A tendril of distress bloomed in his chest, getting larger the longer they stayed. They had to get out. Now. “It’s time to go. Please.” His tone was pleading, and there was no doubt in his mind that his eyes conveyed urgency. Everything paused for a moment, and it seemed like centuries before Megan gave him a brisk nod and turned to Logan.
“Bud, let’s get your things together. We’re going on an adventure while we wait for our new plane. It’s not every day we land in…” She looked to Ben for help and bit her bottom lip.
“Denali National Park.” He leaned down and swept the toys off the seats and into the open duffle bag. “Suitcases are outside.” Her trust was humbling, especially given their history, and he was determined to do whatever it took to keep her and Logan safe. The Colt holstered against his hip was their insurance policy if they encountered any trouble from wildlife or the individuals responsible for the crash.
Megan nodded and drew the sleeve of Logan’s cobalt blue coat over one arm, then the next before sliding up the zipper. She pulled her own coat on, then found gloves for both herself and Logan while Ben rummaged through his gear for extra scarves and hats.
She gathered the boy to her chest and cast Ben a worried look over Logan's shoulder.
“Okay, we’re ready.” Her eyes broadcast her fear, but her tone was as composed as if they were about to embark on an afternoon picnic, not run for their lives. The Megan he’d known would’ve shrieked at a spider, but in the face of a true crisis, she always rose to the challenge and was as strong as the people around her needed her to be. It seemed that hadn’t changed. The woman who was staring ahead now might’ve looked scared, but there was a determination in her eyes and steel in her spine. He put both hands on her shoulders as they closed the distance to the emergency exit. He stepped out first, surveyed the land and sniffed the air. Satisfied that there was no imminent threat aside from the plane exploding, he lifted Logan and jumped to the ground before turning to help Megan. He shouldn’t be surprised that she had already shimmied down on her own and was standing in the snow beside him. She was strong and agile, had to be, it seemed, in her current job.
He didn’t bother to put Logan down. Sticks hidden beneath a sheet of snow cracked under his boots as he strode deeper into the forest. A massive boulder loomed a few feet ahead, one that would provide them with adequate shelter if the explosive detonated. Once they were safely behind its protection, he dropped his arms down and waited for Megan to get her footing before he stepped back.
“Stay here. I’m getting the bags.” He loped through the forest in the direction of the crash site, slowing as he neared the clearing paved by the collision. Thick, towering trees were snapped in half like toothpicks from the velocity of the accident. It was unbelievable that they came out of it with only bruises and scrapes. He heaved one pack up onto his shoulders, took the others in his hand, and walked briskly back to where he'd left Megan and Logan. They only had an hour before nightfall, and they needed to get somewhere safe where he could start a fire. Somewhere that was concealed from view would be best. It wouldn’t matter if they escaped the plane crash only to draw unwanted attention from the wrong people. He wanted to believe that no one would come after them—that the bomber who had sabotaged the plane wouldn’t track them all the way out here…but he couldn’t be sure. And he would take no chances with Logan or Megan’s lives.
He rounded the rock, and Megan let out a sigh of relief. “We should stay together next time.” The look she gave him was withering, but her concern warmed him. Was it the near-death experience they faced as the plane free-fell through the sky that made him feel so connected to her? She’d been there for him when he needed her, holding his hand when they crashed, and he would do what he could to make things easier for her now that they were on solid ground. Maybe she’d needed that physical contact too, but the result had given him a sense of peace that he hadn’t expected, and that he did not fully understand. But he didn’t have time to dwell on that now. They needed to get moving.
Taking them away from the plane meant leaving the little protection they had from the elements, but they couldn’t stay here. They needed to find a safer shelter—one that would protect them from the elements, the wildlife…and anything else that might do them harm.
And by the looks of the dark clouds bruising the ashen sky and the rapidly disappearing daylight, they needed to find it now.
Chapter Six
There was something Ben wasn’t tel
ling her. They had been trudging through the snow and densely packed trees, stopping every so often at Ben’s command, so he could look and listen to their surroundings. Some wariness was natural—she certainly didn’t want them to run into a bear or a wolf. But he was being way too cautious for that to be his only concern. He was on the lookout for something else. Something more. Something that he was keeping to himself.
She’d been waiting for Logan to fall asleep in her arms, hoping the repetitive fall of footsteps would lull him so she could ask Ben what was going on, but even as the distance from the wreckage slowly spread behind them, his eyes stayed wide open. Her arm had gone numb from his weight, a welcome relief from the soreness that had begun to build in her triceps. They were running from something or someone—but who? She couldn’t wait any longer to broach the subject.
When Ben had found them on the airplane and urged them to follow him, she’d sensed something was very wrong, but she’d obeyed without asking too many questions. Trusting him as she always had to keep her safe. When they’d been dating, he might have fumbled traditional romantic gestures, but there had never been a time when she hadn’t felt valued and protected. Warmth seeped through the perpetual cold that had encased her since the crash, as memories replayed through her mind of how Ben used to meet her after her night shift at the pizzeria just to walk her home. He was her protector then, just as he was now responsible for protecting their country. He really had made the perfect career choice.
“Where are we going?” Her breath turned to white plumes against the frigid air.
Ben cast her a sidelong glance over his shoulder. “Somewhere safe.”
“From what? What are we r-u-n-n-i-n-g from?” She spelled out some of the words that she didn’t want Logan to understand and kept her voice casual to avoid spooking him.