* * * *
Everyone left the water and dried off, the breeze cooling them down after the warmth of the hot springs. They decided to take a walk into the cavern. The entrance to the largest cavern was just a short walk up the hill.
Joe had hiked up this hill more often than he could remember. His friends left their footprints in the pulverized earth on paths where people had walked for well over a hundred years.
As usual, they all had their headlamps to give them light inside the darker areas of the cave beyond the entrance. They hadn’t brought any other climbing gear this time since they didn’t plan to make any difficult climbs or rappels.
Joe noticed that everyone was in a carefree mood and enjoying the walk. But he couldn’t help remembering when he’d found their close friends deep inside the cave, overcome by the heat and a fall probably caused by the gang that tampered with their gear. Remembering that tragic incident gave him a bad feeling about going inside this cave again, but he kept it to himself so he wouldn’t ruin everyone’s walk.
They reached the arched rock entrance to the cave after the short hike, and as they all walked inside, he followed his friends with Valerie beside him. After turning on their headlamps, they hiked along the path and followed it as it zigzagged down the gently sloped hill into the depths.
When they paused on the first level landing, Joe looked back, wondering where Chris was. “Hey, everyone, we need to wait here for Chris.” They all agreed and waited for Chris, who had stopped to take a call from headquarters just as the others reached the opening to the cave. They had only walked inside beyond the entrance a short distance.
Finally, Chris joined them, and he didn’t look happy. What the hell?
“Headquarters said that they received a suspicious call saying that someone known to C.P.O. is being held prisoner in the cavern,” Chris said. “They also said the person being held is a young woman.”
Joe took in the responses of his friends, who were as surprised and angered by Chris’s news as Joe was. “Those damn bastards,” he swore.
“We’ve been directed to follow the path down into the cave to reach the captive,” Chris continued. “I have a feeling we need to be ready for a fight with the gang before we can free her. I was also informed that our friends, Wes, Dan, Gray, and Case are already on their way to help.”
Dear God, Joe didn’t want Valerie in the middle of this. Maybe he could take her back to the SUV.
Chris paused and surveyed the group of agents who waited quietly for him to continue. “I think it would be best if Roger, Trav, and Jen accompany me and Joe and Valerie into the cave to find the captive woman. The new agents who have recently joined C.P.O., and have mountain search and rescue certification, are bringing climbing tools just in case. I’d like for them to join us in the cave. Mark and Tom, Jeff and Ry, if you’ll stay with the vehicles and keep your ladies safe, you will all be a huge help when we come back out of the cave with the woman and need your additional protection.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Mark said. “We’ll secure the area and wait either in or near the vehicles.”
Their women exchanged glances of approval.
“Let’s go,” Chris said. “Gray, Case, Dan, and Wes should be here soon, and they’ll join us in the cave.”
Joe’s uneasy feeling increased like a giant hand grabbing his stomach. He hated for Valerie to be involved. He couldn’t stand it if she was hurt. He felt Valerie grab his arm in a strong grip. He looked down at her, and she met his gaze with painful-looking worry in her eyes. He took her shoulder in his other hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. He knew she wouldn’t go back to their vehicle after Chris had given them all his decision on how to handle the rescue.
“They’ll find us with no problems while we’re heading down the path to look for the prisoner,” Joe commented.
“I’m sure,” Chris agreed. “I think we’d best head down inside the cavern right now.”
Their friends agreed, as well, and they parted company, dividing up to do their assigned jobs. Joe, and the others heading into the cave, continued along the path, moving as fast as possible. Joe’s feeling of impending danger increased. He wished Valerie was safe at home instead of heading into trouble.
It wasn’t long before the four new members of C.P.O. joined them farther into the cave. They carried the climbing gear that could be useful if needed. When they reached the first large room at the bottom of the path, they all stopped to listen for voices.
Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of a woman talking loudly and bravely. Then some damn guy talked back to her just as loudly.
“The voices came from that direction,” Chris said softly as he pointed toward the tunnel at the dark end of the cavernous room.
“Let’s go,” Dan growled. Obviously intent on his goal, Dan started off in that direction with Wes close behind him. Joe and Chris followed just as quickly.
Chapter Eleven
Joe worried that Valerie wouldn’t be able to keep up as they hurried to reach the woman, who was obviously in danger. He looked back and saw her walking quickly and confidently behind him. She took longer strides to keep up with them.
The tunnel was only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Dan and Wes entered first, and Chris followed with Joe and Valerie close behind him. Their friends, Jen, Roger and Trav, kept up with Case and Gray, who were close behind Joe. They also carried the climbing gear they’d brought along since it might be needed.
Near the end of the twenty-foot-long tunnel, another huge room faced them, a clear pool of dark blue water to their left.
The voices sounded closer. Chris signaled for everyone to move silently. Dan continued in the lead, walking quietly through the tunnel toward the voices. As they neared the opening of the tunnel, Joe saw there was sufficient light provided by the gang to reveal the large room where they were headed. They all turned off their headlamps and edged closer without making a sound.
The dampness in the air from the small stream of water meandering through the domed room felt almost oppressive. Stalagmites and stalactites dotted the floor and ceiling like strange cone-like forms, wet with the water dripping over them, adding to the dampness.
Chris held up a hand for everyone to halt, and he put a hand on Dan’s shoulder and motioned for everyone to crouch down. They all followed his directions.
“I saw the woman about thirty yards ahead,” Dan whispered quietly to Chris. “Those bastards have her tied to a narrow rock post. A couple of them are standing in front of her with their backs toward us.”
With images of the loss of their friends in his mind, Joe warned, “We need to move up as close as possible without alerting them.”
Chris motioned to everyone behind him to move closer to him. “We’ll need to take on the gang while Dan and Wes free the woman. You gals get her the hell out of here and back to our vehicle as fast as possible. Stay inside the truck with her until we get there and give you the all clear.”
The women nodded they understood, their eyes watchful, their bodies poised tensely to act swiftly.
Joe looked at each of their friends with the determination he felt to free the woman and get Valerie and everyone else out safely. The bad feeling he’d felt before persisted, even though he believed he and the other agents could take these guys.
“We all need to guard each other,” Chris said. “Move fast. Let’s get it done.”
Chris signaled Dan and Wes to go first. Joe and Chris followed close behind them with their friends and Valerie right behind.
The gang members saw them and shifted to their wolf forms just before Joe and Chris reached them.
“Shift,” Joe shouted as he quickly changed to his own wolf form, his clothing ripping and left behind in the process. More shouts echoed through the cavernous room when the outlaws saw they were under attack. Joe reached the gang of wolves and slammed into them at a full run. He knocked them down and ran over their rolling wolf bodies with Chris
joining him in his wolf form.
Dan and Wes headed straight for the captive woman. They freed her from the rope holding her and then shifted instantly, kicking out of their clothes as they charged the outlaws. They slammed into them and kept them away from her. Chris tackled another outlaw nearby.
Joe saw Valerie and Jen grab the frightened woman as he and the other agents overwhelmed the bastards and took them down. He closed his wolf jaws on the throat of the bastard who had rushed him. When he stopped moving, Joe looked around and saw Valerie and Jen hurrying the woman quickly along the path leading back to the cave entrance. Several gang members started after them. Joe growled viciously as he scrambled to protect Valerie and the other women. Roger and Trav followed him.
Joe slammed into two of the bastards, and Roger and Trav helped to put them out of commission. Chris tackled another outlaw shifter nearby and took him out.
Joe saw with a quick glance that Valerie and Jen were heading into the tunnel with the freed captive woman. Then he focused on finishing a dangerous wolf fight. Dan and Wes rejoined the battle at the bottom of the path. Roger and Trav fought beside them as Joe and Chris slashed and pounded two more outlaw shifters, tearing through furred flesh and drawing blood. Joe didn’t expect to finish this fight unscathed, and just as he thought that, he felt a hot searing slash of sharp teeth along his side. He swiftly turned and, grabbing the wolf by the throat, took out his attacker with his sharp wolf canines, shaking him hard as if he was prey. He dropped the limp wolf and surveyed the fight for his next gang member.
He noticed that Chris had taken out the wolf he fought. Dan and Wes fought two opponents to protect the path leading into the tunnel. Joe and Chris joined their fight and fought the vicious wolf shifters who bit and slashed the new agents ruthlessly. They pounced on the gang members and closed their strong wolf jaws over the backs of their necks. With a hard, swift yank on his target’s furred neck, Joe pulled him off Dan. A quick hard shake of the shifter as he flung him aside had the enemy running away fast. Chris swiftly dealt with the shifter attacking Wes, and that outlaw also ran.
Joe shifted back to his human form just as Chris did, and they helped Dan and Wes to their feet. Their wounds were already healing with the chemistry of their wolf shifter bodies. Joe searched for other outlaw shifters, but the area was clear. It appeared the gang leader had left the cave. Instantly, Dan and Wes shifted to their human forms, and the four of them headed for the tunnel as fast as they could with Roger and Trav close behind. They had to make sure the women were safe.
“We need to get to the women first,” Joe warned.
The wolf shifters they’d fought weren’t in any shape to follow, so Joe headed back the way they’d come in. The women must have already left the cave. He didn’t see them, and he prayed they were safe.
Just as he got through the main opening to the outside, he heard the women yelling. He and Chris raced down the hill as they shifted back to their wolf forms. Valerie fought one of the outlaws, who had her pinned beneath him. Joe saw red. An outraged growl thundered from his chest. The motherfucker was dead for touching her.
Chris raced beside him, and they both attacked the bastard who held Valerie. Grabbing his neck in his wolf jaws, Joe clamped down hard as he and Chris dragged the shifter off her. She rolled aside and got to her feet while Joe and Chris disabled the outlaw.
Joe followed Valerie, shifting to his human form. He was desperate to know if she was all right or hurt. “Valerie!” he called out. She turned toward him and ran straight for his arms. He hugged her tight. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Yes, I think so,” she said, panting to catch her breath.
He held her away at arm’s length and looked to see if there was blood on her anywhere. “There’s blood on the side of your blouse.” He pulled her shirt up and quickly checked but didn’t find a cut or torn flesh.
“I’m all right,” she said, looking up at him as she closed her hands over his shoulders and steadied herself. “I don’t feel any cuts anywhere.”
“Thank God,” Joe said, feeling huge relief. He hugged her tightly again. “Let’s get you into the SUV. Keep your door locked unless one of us asks you to unlock it.” He helped her into their vehicle and turned to join Chris.
Joe saw the other women in the vehicles they came in with their men.
Dan and Wes joined Jen and the young woman they’d rescued. They shifted back to their human forms, and the freed captive watched, obviously frightened. “It’s all right,” Jen told her. “They’re the good guys.”
“Stay in the SUV with Valerie,” Dan said gently to the rescued woman. “Lock all the doors until we get the all-clear sign.” Dan waited nearby with Wes as Valerie and Jen made sure all the doors were locked again.
Joe heard more fighting and, satisfied that Valerie and the other women were safe in the SUVs, he turned back to the sounds of the fighting. Gray and Case were busy fighting two other shape-shifters. To Joe’s surprise, he saw Dan and Wes go after the two fleeing forms of the new gang leader and one of the other gang members. He watched them, waiting to see if they needed backup.
Suddenly, Dan, in his wolf form jumped onto the back of the gang’s leader and took him down. With Wes busy with the other gang member, Joe knew that Dan could use some help. Joe raced to help him take control of the gang leader so he wouldn’t get away again. He held down the bastard with his hands and knees, helping Dan to make sure they had him secured. Dan shifted to his human form and took over holding the guy down as Joe took the rope Chris threw to him and quickly tied the bastard’s hands behind him. Dan ran to help Wes secure the wolf he held down. Soon they had both gang members tied securely.
They pulled them to their feet and marched them to the SUV where the others were secured. They’d all be taken to jail.
Their friends, Mark, Tom, Jeff, and Ry, made short work of the others. After they had them under control, they used the rope that Dan and Wes handed to them to restrain the outlaws securely.
Joe spotted Chris with their mountain search and rescue friends. Mark and Tom joined them with Jeff and Ry. Joe moved closer and heard Chris discussing what he planned to do next.
“I’ll call headquarters to come help transport the gang members to jail,” Chris said. “Anyone need to be treated at the hospital for injuries?” They all assured him they were okay.
“Sounds perfect,” Joe said, and the others agreed. All their friends who had shifted now got dressed in extra clothing they’d kept in their vehicles.
Joe saw that Valerie was still in the driver’s seat and had the motor running. Good girl.
Chris finished his call to headquarters. “A transport vehicle with guards is on the way. Great job, everyone,” Chris said. He surveyed the group. “We’ll take the woman by the emergency ward to get checked out.”
Soon, the guards drove up and they secured the restrained gang members in the vehicle from headquarters.
After they left, Joe took a deep breath of relief. Chris squeezed his shoulder as they walked to their vehicle to join Valerie and the woman they’d all rescued.
The other women waved from the vehicles they shared with their guys. They all left for home to relax.
Dan stepped close to Joe and Chris. “Wes and I agreed we want to go along with you to make sure the woman is all right,” Dan said.
“That’s fine with us, right, Joe? Valerie?” Chris asked.
“Definitely,” Joe said.
“I agree,” Valerie said and smiled at Dan and Wes. She turned off their vehicle’s motor and stepped out of the car. Walking over to Joe and Chris, she raised her arms to them. “Group hug,” she said softly.
“Thank God you’re all right, babe,” Joe said as he hugged her tight.
“My sentiments exactly,” Chris said, hugging Valerie and smiling at her. “Let’s get going. Dan, you and Wes should get checked out, as well. You’ve got blood on your clothes.”
“I think we’ll be fine,” Wes said. “We heal f
ast, right?” He grinned at them.
They returned to their vehicles ready to head to the emergency ward. They all wanted to make sure the woman who rested in the back seat with Valerie was perfectly all right. Joe got in behind the wheel. They led the way to the hospital with the four newer members of C.P.O., their good friends, driving close behind them.
“I can’t thank you enough for saving me,” the woman said to Valerie.
“It’s what we do.” She smiled at the woman. “I’m Valerie, and my close friends there are Joe and Chris.”
“I’m glad to meet you. I’m Sandy.”
“Hey,” Joe said and waved to Sandy from the front seat.
“Hi,” Chris said, and smiled at her.
“Hi,” she said, smiling back.
Chapter Twelve
When they reached the hospital, Joe parked the SUV in the parking lot by the emergency room doors. He and Chris helped the women out of the vehicle. As they turned toward the doors to go inside, Chris noticed Dan and Wes striding quickly from their vehicle to catch up to them.
“I’m glad you guys decided to come get checked out,” Chris said to Dan and Wes. “It can’t hurt, and it might help to treat any serious wounds you might have so you heal faster.”
“You’re right,” Dan said. “How are you all doing?” he asked, looking longer at the woman they’d rescued than at the rest of them.
It seemed to Chris that their longtime hiking friends were seriously interested in the woman they’d rescued.
“We’re all doing okay,” Valerie said. “I think it’s smart of Sandy to get checked out at the hospital, as well. Sandy, this is Dan Roper and his good friend, Wes Lawson.”
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