by J. T. Cross
All four ATVs were set up for hunting and had large racks on the back as well as the front. The village hunters needed all the capacity they could get to carry supplies and any game that needed to be brought back to a waiting truck.
Luc helped Kate strap her supplies onto the rear rack of her quad and made sure that everything was properly secured.
“The moon looks so big,” Kate said as Luc stretched the last bungee cord over her things.
He looked up at the sky. “It’s funny how it always looks the biggest just as it’s starting to rise.”
The light from the full moon spilled out across the landscape, and because of that, Luc felt it would be possible to navigate the mountainous areas that night, especially once they turned on the headlights. He just hoped he would be able to recognize the landmarks under the moonlight.
Yudi walked over to him. “Miki and I will camp here for the next four days. If you’re not back by the night of the fourth, we’ll have to go back to the village and let the authorities know what happened.”
“I understand,” Luc said.
A serious expression came over Yudi’s face. “If you get stuck or hurt out there, there’ll be no one to come get you. The authorities are worthless. You know that. Good luck.” He walked back to where Miki was starting a campfire.
“Cheerful thought,” said Kate.
“We’ll be okay,” Luc said and climbed on his quad.
They started the engines and let them warm up in the cold night air. Luc had taught Kate to ride his ATV when he had first met her. Since that time, they had rented one for her and gone riding several times. He knew her to be a good rider.
Yudi returned and offered his hand to Luc. The two men shook hands. “You’re a brave man, Luc. May the spirits of the great hunters be with you.”
He walked over to Kate and gave her a hug and then shook Chuck’s hand.
He looked down at the ground for a moment as if deep in thought. “Tonight, you have the spirits of the great hunters of our village going with you. It is fortunate that you have the full moon on your side. But remember, as you ride into the eastern mountains, the clouds will be heavier and it will likely begin to get foggy. Keep your eyes open for animals in the darkness.”
When Yudi had finished speaking, he turned and walked back to the campfire.
Luc put his quad in gear and pulled away from the center of the campground.
* * *
Victor watched Luc turn and head away from the campground followed by two riders.
“It’s time to move out,” he said softly to his men and started his quad. He flipped down his night vision goggles and the night lit up. Using the goggles, he knew he would be able to keep Luc’s party in view and remain far enough back that they wouldn’t be spotted.
As he followed Luc’s party into the rift, he thought about the sniper rifle he had brought. He couldn’t wait for the moment when he would be able to put a bullet through Moon’s head. He would personally toss his body to the bottom of a gorge where the wild animals would scatter his bones for miles.
* * *
Marcus bent over and helped Christie to her feet.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I tripped over my own foot. That wolf scared me to death.”
“It’s all right, it can’t get through the window,” he said.
“It’s the branches I’m worried about,” she said as the growling from within them intensified and they continued shaking and moving as the wolves did their best to dig through them.
“I know. If they begin to get through we need to fight them back.” He raised his ax and got into position.
She frantically thought about what she would do if one got into the cabin. She couldn’t let that happen. She would chop on it with the machete before it got through the tangled branches, she thought.
Just then the massive head of a wolf burst through the foliage. It growled and snarled at them, trying to work its body inside.
She drew back the machete, but before she could complete her swing, Marcus brought the ax down on the side of its head. It howled and pulled back.
Then she noticed a pure black wolf, even bigger than the others, trying to get in between the broken edge of the glass and the tree branches. It grabbed the edge of the shattered windshield and began pulling it back, ripping it away from the branch. It continued pulling and tugging on the glass.
When it had made enough of an opening, it poked its head through and tried to force its way in. Christie screamed and brought the machete down on its head then jumped back.
The wolf made a screeching, whining sound and jumped off the front. She felt sick to her stomach. She didn’t want to hurt the animal, but she had no choice. Then another one took its place and began tearing at the windshield.
“They’ll be through any minute if this keeps up,” Marcus said. “I have an idea. Keep hitting them with the machete. I’ll be right back.”
Then he was gone and she was left to face the wolves alone. What the hell was he thinking, she thought. How could he leave her alone to fight them all by herself.
She turned around and saw he had a wrench in his hand. She watched him crawl behind a seat and begin furiously loosening the bolts that held the back on.
Another wolf hopped up on the nose and began trying to get in the cabin.
She poked at it with the machete and it backed away. Then it lurched at her, its head coming into the cockpit. She hit at it with the machete and it grabbed it in its mouth and began trying to pull it out of her hand.
She grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled hard as the blade slipped out of its mouth. The wolf came back at her growling and snapping.
Marcus returned with the seat back. He chopped several branches out of the way then jammed it up onto the cockpit dash. She saw that it fit perfectly, filling the whole area.
“Hold it up while I get the bottom,” he yelled.
She dropped the machete and put both hands against the back of the seat and pushed as hard as she could.
She turned and watched him unbolt the seat bottom and bring it to the cockpit. He jammed it tightly between the seat back and the copilot’s chair. Once it was in place, she no longer had to hold the back against the glass.
“Now, it doesn’t matter if they tear the glass out, they’ll still have to get through the back of the seat. That should discourage them,” he said.
The wolves continued growling, snarling, and tearing at the branches and the loose cockpit glass, but they couldn’t get through the seat back.
The sound of the children crying in the back of the helicopter caught her attention. She felt guilty for not having realized they were in such anguish and rushed back to them. She held them both close.
“It’s okay. Marcus put the seat in the way. They can’t get in, so we’re safe.”
“Are you sure?” Kelly asked between sobs.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
As she held Stuart and Kelly she noticed the growls and snarls of the wolves begin to lessen, and then after several minutes, they stopped altogether.
She watched Marcus flashing the light out the side windows and looking for any sign of the wolves.
“I don’t see them anywhere,” he said and came to the back to join her. “I think we’re going to be okay for the night.”
Together, they huddled in the back of the helicopter, as quietly as they could. Christie had no idea what they should do next, and she was too exhausted to even think about it. She lay her head down on the conference table and rested.
Chapter 16
Luc rode into the darkness, his headlights illuminating the natural passage ahead. Kate rode close behind him, followed by Chuck. He felt somewhat reassured knowing Kate was in the middle and had her own shotgun within quick reach. Luc knew she could handle a gun. He had been skeet shooting with her and she was a good shot.
If they happened upon anything dangerous he hoped it would come after him first and felt
confident of neutralizing it with his Sportsman. But even with the ATVs and the weapons, he knew they were going to need a good dose of luck in order to find the helicopter and get the survivors back out of the valley.
He led them northward into the rift, easily remembering the landscape from when he had searched for the boys. Within an hour though, everything began to take on an alien appearance under the moonlight.
As before, they ran into the never-ending series of hills, boulders, and rocks, as they moved deeper into the eastern mountain range.
He noticed it was growing harder to see the terrain. He looked up and realized the clouds were beginning to block out what light the full moon had offered. In turn, he cut their speed by half to avoid accidentally going over the edge of a sudden drop off.
Two hours into the ride Luc stopped, afraid he had become lost. Kate and Chuck pulled beside him and came to a stop. For the last few miles he had been following an eastern passage that split off from the main rift. During the last half hour of riding the clouds had descended, and it was now impossible to see the tops of any of the mountains. They were in an area he hadn’t seen in the vision and most definitely hadn’t seen when searching for the boys.
He removed his helmet and motioned for them to turn off their engines. “The clouds have fallen so low, it’s almost impossible to navigate the mountains,” Luc said.
Kate and Chuck listened but had nothing to say.
He looked at the black silhouettes of the mountains in the distance and then cleared his mind. If he had ever had the heart of the hunter, he surely needed it now.
In his fatigue, he let his mind wander and his focus was drawn to a spot in the distance to the east. He pulled out his binoculars and looked but saw nothing but the continuous dark cloud cover.
He waited, though he didn’t really know why, maybe because he was out of any other ideas. As the minutes slowly passed by, he felt calmer, and strangely, more certain that eventually he would get a break.
As he stared into the distance he saw the clouds gradually part and expose the full moon, creating a silhouette of the top of a peak he recognized, one whose top broke into a perfectly shaped V.
“I know where we are,” he said.
“Care to share?” Kate asked.
“We’re almost to the first landmark I saw in the vision. It’s the same one Ishki drew and gave me when I went out searching for the boys. I’m going to try and find a way to that peak,” he said, pointing in the direction where the clouds had opened a moment before.
He put his helmet back on and started his quad. “Are you guys ready?” he asked.
Kate and Chuck nodded and started their quads. He gave them a thumbs-up and accelerated up a winding path that provided a way over a transitional hillside. Halfway up, he looked back to make sure Kate and Chuck were close behind. Seeing that they were, he continued to the top.
Looking down from the other side, he saw that it descended into a small barren valley whose easternmost side ended at the foot of the landmark.
He rode down the hillside and began picking his way through the boulders that were scattered across the valley. He was careful to choose the easiest paths for Kate and Chuck.
Eventually, they began to climb out of the rocky and barren valley and finally arrived at the entrance to the narrow trough-shaped area where he had found Kevin.
This was an area Luc knew was inhabited by the supposedly extinct Smilodon, at least that’s what Christie had said. He remembered the animal well.
He stopped and they pulled up next to him. He killed the engine on his quad and Kate and Chuck did the same. The sudden silence, coupled with a cold breeze and the dark foggy mountains, drove home the feeling of just how isolated and vulnerable they were.
“This is where we have to start being very vigilant,” Luc emphasized. “Keep your eyes open for any animals hiding or prowling in the shadows. If you see anything suspicious, especially anything reflected in your headlights, stop and get your shotgun out then beep your horn or do something else to get the others’ attention.”
“You mean all the time I’ve been vigilant up to this point has been wasted,” Kate said, with a grin.
Luc smiled at her for a moment. “No, of course not. I just wanted you to know that this is the area where I ran into the animal that attacked me. We need to be extra alert from here on out.”
“I’m takin’ ole Betsy out,” Chuck said, and unpacked his shotgun from the rear utility rack of his ATV. “She ain’t never let me down yet,” he said, patting the side of the shotgun.
Chuck opened a package of cartridges and loaded them one after another into the side of the shotgun until it could hold no more. He then slid it into the rifle boot at the front of the quad. “Bring it on,” he said, with a dead-serious look on his face.
“We’ve got about a five-minute climb up to where I found Kevin,” Luc said.
Luc began the climb up the slope with Kate and Chuck close behind him. After several minutes of climbing a wide rock-littered expanse, they finally arrived at the entrance to the narrow trough area.
Luc slowed down and pointed to his eyes and then out toward the rock outcroppings in an attempt to warn them again to stay alert and watch for anything unusual. He continued leading them up into the middle of the trough-like area then stopped next to the crashed ATV. He shut off his engine and waited for Kate and Chuck to catch up to him.
They pulled alongside him and shut off their engines. He pointed to the crevice where he had found the boy. “If you look over there, you can see where I found Kevin. The cat was crouching in front of the opening right before it attacked me.”
He pointed at the top of the mountain. “The rest of the way to the top is pretty steep. The trick is to keep it in a low gear and stand up on the pegs so that your legs will cushion the bumps. Try to stay relaxed and lean forward. Let the machine do the work,” he said and smiled at Kate.
“Remember to stay in low gear,” Chuck said.
She nodded.
“We’ll go up one at a time. First, I’ll go and make sure that everything’s clear up at the top, then I’ll signal you by blinking my flashlight three times. Kate, that’s your signal to come up. When you’re safely on top, I’ll signal you to come up next, Chuck.”
“Are we ready?” Luc asked. He waited for their response.
“I think so,” Kate said.
“Like I said, bring it on,” Chuck said.
“Let’s do it then,” Luc said. He started his ATV and began the climb to the top. As he hit the steepest part, he stood up as the powerful machine dug its knobby tires into the mountainside and worked its way up.
He crested the top and slowed to a stop, immediately pulling his shotgun out. He slowly moved the headlight across the mountaintop. As far as he could see, it was empty except for the quad he had seen before on the far side. He got off and walked to the edge and looked back down. Far down the slope he could see Kate and Chuck’s headlights. He blinked his flashlight three times.
He saw Kate start the climb. He kept his flashlight trained on the ground in front of her. When she reached the steepest part, things began to go wrong. Her quad’s front wheels began to lift off the ground.
Luc felt his heart in his throat. He imagined her going over backward and tumbling back down with the ATV any second.
“Back off on the throttle and lean forward,” he yelled as loud as he could.
He saw her stand up and lean forward, yet she continued climbing on just the two back wheels, somehow maintaining that perfect balance between gravity and power.
As she reached the top, she shot up over the edge and become airborne for a moment then slammed back onto the ground and continued moving. He saw an expression of sheer terror on her face as she shot past him, barely in control of the machine.
“Let off on the throttle and put on your brakes,” he yelled.
Abruptly, he heard the engine go to an idle and saw the back wheels skidding. The quad came to a sto
p. Relief flooded through him and he began to breathe again.
Kate slowly climbed off the machine and walked back to him. “That was the most scared I’ve ever been,” she said.
He put his arms around her. “You did everything right, Kate,” he said.
“I felt myself starting to go over backward, and I would’ve if...”
Luc put his finger up against her lips and she stopped talking. “You did great, a little bit too much gas, but other than that, you were a natural.”
She smiled up at him. “You really think so?”
“Absolutely, and I promise I won’t take you up any more climbs like that if I can possibly help it. Now, don’t even think about what just happened; it’s behind you. We move forward, okay?”
“Okay,” she said.
Luc realized that being so close to disaster could paralyze a person. He felt that he had to get her to move past the experience and learn from it but not get hung up on it. He believed that if she thought too much about it she could become overly cautious and actually set herself up for worse problems.
She had hung in there, controlled the situation, and not given up. He couldn’t have asked for more.
“We should signal Chuck before something down there gets him,” she said.
He walked to the edge and flashed his light and Chuck immediately began his ascent. They watched him make steady progress and then pop over the edge and come to a stop next to them.
He hopped off his quad. “That’s the way it’s done,” he said, grinning.
Chapter 17
Luc carefully scanned the relatively flat top of the mountain they had just climbed. It was covered in a light fog that made it impossible to see to the edges. He guessed they were inside the clouds that had opened for a moment, allowing him to see the V-shaped peaks.
They had climbed to an altitude where the air was cold and the wind whipped around them. It was not a comfortable place to be. Fortunately, he didn’t plan to be there long.