Cold Cat Mountain: The Peak (Cold Cat Mountain Trilogy Book 1)

by Kimberly Goss-Kearney

  ~*~ Gordon waited nearby on his horse. As Dusty mounted his sable colored mare Gordon raised the collar of his buckskin jacket, nodding at his grandson. “Stay close, no matter what happens out there. And follow your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t. Have your weapon close and be ready to draw.”

  Dusty nodded, flipping open the leather snap of his scabbard, reigning his impatient mare in close to his grandfathers. It was usually a lengthy ride across the ravine that separated his grandparent’s home from Cold Cat, but Gordon had discovered a shorter route during one of his many scouting trips on the mountain. Dusty, like most young adults raised in the region, knew Cold Cat’s terrain and legends, having nearly been weaned on the stories and terror left behind by something unknown. They trotted down the driveway taking a sharp left, and veered away from the ravine where they would navigate through the dark thick timbers until they reached the other side, emerging on the western slope of Cold Cat Peak. Dusty was grateful he and his Grandfather had prepped their saddle bags during the summer months, remembering the flasks, along with hand and boot warmers they’d included in the items they’d stored. All of it would be needed at some point during the night and early morning hours on the mountainside. The unusual arctic cold would dictate how soon. Heat radiated from the horses as they traversed the rocky slopes. Their rhythmic breathing moved into the dark night, filling the air otherwise devoid of sound. Dusty checked his watch. At nearly midnight the mountain shadows and copses of trees formed sinister shapes and outlines. Clearing his mind to focus on the task at hand he moved his mare ahead to close in the gap between him and his grandfather. Every sound, even the dry scuttle of brush scraping together indicated a possible danger they could not disregard. Gordon rode ahead, his jaw squared, narrowed eyes sharply scanning the landscape through the biting cold. Static from his radio startled Storm. As the gelding danced he raised it, identifying himself to Search and Rescue.

  Dusty pulled his radio free from his hip as well. In the static Roy identified himself. The head of Search and Rescue for Stryker, he and his three teen daughters and wife responded to the check in without hesitation. As practiced numerous times, Hoyd, Norma, Dillon and Wyatt followed suit, repeating their location and ETA to the warehouse. Walker responded to all parties, letting them know he would meet them at base headquarters.

  ~*~

  Hoyd was the first to reach the base, swiftly unlocking the large bay doors to the warehouse where the search units and gear were stored. The town’s sirens blared out every few minutes from above the Search and Rescue and the fire hall, alerting the town’s residents to an abduction. Many watched the activity unfold as vehicles began to crowd the main street of Stryker. Mothers stood in open doorways holding their children close.

  Roy and his family pulled in behind Hoyd. Jogging ahead of their father, Holly, Bailey and Hannah quickly switched on the interior lights and began re-checking the four-wheelers to assure gas levels were full on all motorized units. Each ATV was re-filled upon returning to headquarters following a search, but it was mandatory to insure no one would be left without enough gas on the mountainside. Roy’s wife, Andrea pulled out the clip boards for coordinates which each search team would be assigned to. The clip boards were carefully laid out in order with black pens. Numbered quadrants indicated portions of the mountainside. Norma pulled in behind the others, bringing the truck to a sudden halt. Dillon and Wyatt quickly bailed out and raced to the helicopter pad. Norma jogged behind them, taking the clipboard from Dillon to perform their preflight check list. Back inside the large warehouse Hoyd started huge vats of coffee as volunteers began arriving, asking questions and speaking in low tones. Roy and Andrea organized the volunteers as their daughters handed out search and rescue jackets with reflective stripping across the backs, as well as numbered radios.

  Hoyd paced with his hands in his pockets in front of the large silver coffee makers. The weight of urgency rested heavily upon his shoulders. Struggling with guilt he rubbed his jaw, recalling his phone call with Matilda Bough inviting her to the mountain. Sighing he leaned against the over sized counter, dropping his head. He couldn’t help her and Blaze now, any more than he’d been able to save his own mother. He felt the tiny silver cross slide between his fingers, the cross he’d been given the day he’d stepped into the ministry. It was warm from being in his right pocket, where he always carried it. Until that moment it had never occurred to him to wonder if his mother would have been pleased with his choice in ministry. As far as he knew they’d had no spiritual or religious connections in their family tree. However, he remembered vividly the day he had been called to step into the church. He had been on his rock, watching the woods, thinking again of his mother. An acute presence of comfort had overtaken him. It was early spring, and flowers were beginning to emerge from their winter rest. Hoyd had fallen to his knees with the consuming sense of love and invitation. He had never read the bible prior to that day. He had never shared that moment with anyone either. But, he had read the bible every day since. There were many unexplainable things in the world. He’d experienced many phenomenon’s within the tiny community he called home. Unexplainable things. Deep abiding mystery, both bittersweet and beautiful marked his time on earth; as did the presence of good and evil. He let the small silver cross drop back into the depths of his pocket, looking up. The activity and bustle of the warehouse afforded him a moment to collect himself. Swiftly wiping his eyes with the back of hand he turned, handing a cup to the first person reaching for coffee. When he had served several of the volunteers he searched the warehouse with his dark eyes. A peculiar calm fell upon him as he observed the preparations unfolding around him. A warmth, spreading from deep inside, propelled him toward something right. Something conciliatory. Hoyd silently opened the back door of the warehouse and slipped out into the cold night, unseen.

  ~*~

  Roy jumped onto a makeshift platform and called everyone together. The crowd moved in around him as he turned down his radio.

  “I want to thank you all for coming. We have a female missing.”

  Their low voices rose and fell in pitch according to their responses. Roy raised his hand to stay them. “She was taken from a permitted research site about forty-five minutes ago, maybe a little longer. Please report to Andrea for quadrant assignments and gear if you haven’t already been issued what you’ll need. When that is complete you will report to Holly and Bailey who will help you locate your search team. Some of you will be assigned four-wheeler's and some of you will be on foot, and those on foot will obviously be scouting the low land quadrants. Gordon and his grandson Dusty will be meeting the horse unit for Search and Rescue in another location, they’ll work a separate quadrant on the peak. Please do not separate from your team. Norma and her grandsons Wyatt and Dillon will be in the helicopter, searching from the air. Any questions?”

  Roy took in the group and nodded. “If there are no questions I’m turning the floor over to Sheriff Walker.”

  Roy stepped back and the Sheriff jumped up to the unsteady platform. “Thank you for responding so fast everyone. I was at the scene of the abduction when Blaze Christian was taken tonight. Her disappearance followed a disturbance that may have agitated the creature. Unknown choppers, black and without markings maneuvered aggressively over the research site, disturbing or agitating whatever it is out there we’re dealing with. Keep an eye out for those as you search tonight. I don’t believe they’ll return, but if they do call it in immediately. This creature is much more intelligent than we have assumed in the past. Please be on guard. It managed to open a locked door on the research vehicle were Matilda Bough and her assistant Blaze were camped. The two black choppers also played a pre-recorded set of howls and screams over a megaphone. Blaze, the female missing, was able to push them back down the mountain by use of a huge spotlight, but she was taken while she was climbing down the ladder on the back of the RV.” Walker turned when a side door opened. Randall Sterling approache
d the group, murmuring to Andrea and Holly. Walker gritted his teeth. The man always turned up in a crisis.

  “As Roy said, be safe. The faster we respond the better the chances we recover her. Also, Matilda Bough and another colleague are currently waiting at the RV for us.”

  Walker turned and rushed over to Andrea, checking in and leaving the rest of the searchers to Roy.

  In his truck he turned dirt under his tires, making his way back up the mountain with Deputy Barnes behind him in his SUV. As the crowd swiftly dispersed Norma and her grandsons jogged back to the helicopter. Strapping in, she double checked the headphones to ensure they were working. Both Wyatt and Dillon pulled out weapons with long range ability and strapped in. As the helicopter surged upward, Randall stood below, sipping the hot coffee Hoyd had made. In his long black designer coat he stood out. Slicking back his hair he knew he hadn’t accomplished what he wanted. His carefully laid plan was coming undone and Matilda Bough would leave the mountain soon. While he had wanted her at the helm of the discovery on Cold Cat, he had also needed to control the pace at which the events unraveled. For her to assume she had made the first contact, and act as the primary voice in the Sasquatch discovery, he needed her to present a Sasquatch to the world. One that was dead. She was the only person capable of producing it, and explaining her findings to the scientific community. The Summit had contacted him yet again. They had changed their minds, again. They felt it was time to reveal one to the world. Only one. He needed the crisis to be put to rest in order for her to produce a finding. As he watched the efforts being made in vain to recover Matilda’s assistant he smirked. It was too cold out for his taste. Returning to his sleek black Land Rover he instructed the driver to turn up the heat. From inside, with soft symphony music filtering through the speakers he watched the hustle and activity of the searchers as one by one, team by team, they disappeared into the dark timbers of Cold Cat. Smiling, he waved his driver on. The press would be arriving soon and he could monitor the progress from his comfortable summer home just beyond the Stryker city limits.

  His lifted his cell phone when it chimed, reading the message that shared the package had been recovered. Good. Now the skull would not be a problem. Another item he could mark from his list. He earnestly wished the Summit would decide on one direction and adhere to it. He would not have been surprised if the message had read, he should leave the skull alone. Randall had always felt that really wealthy people with too much power were often like drunken two year olds. Their choices often made no sense.

  He lifted his cell phone, waiting for someone to pick up on the other end. “Hello? Yes, this is Roy with Stryker Search and Rescue. I wanted to inform you we have a confirmed missing person on Cold Cat Mountain, again.” He hoped Roy did not catch wind of his impersonation or there would be hell to pay.

  ~*~ Up in the air Norma was in her element. Few restrictions, a bird’s eye view of the world and the freedom to maneuver where she felt led. She sliced through the wind currents, navigating adeptly, thoroughly enjoying her machine. Below her the mountain was spread out in a thick blanket of green forested slopes and rocks, illuminated by the spotlight Wyatt navigated over the tree tops. Norma stared down at the location of the research vehicle and began to conduct a thorough search expanding outward. She dipped low when she thought she spotted color in the tree line. Wyatt grabbed the handle at the inside of the door. His voice was mirthful in the headset.

  “Take it easy G-ma. I’d like to make it home alive tonight.”

  Norma smiled broadly. “Didn’t they teach you how to be tough at boot camp?” Wyatt shook his head and grinned at Dillon. They knew she was a risk taker, and arguing wouldn’t make a difference in how she flew the copter. She zigged and zagged back and forth through the tree line. While she knew it was a somber occasion, she also knew life was short. She looked over and winked at Dillon. He shook his head, returning to his scan of the sloped mountain. Not many grandmothers had the chance to fly a helicopter, let alone have their grandsons ride shotgun. She dipped and rolled the helicopter to the right, laughing low in her chest.

  “Point the light over that way Wyatt. You see that?” Wyatt followed her instructions and relocated the search light. A man in a light blue coat was navigating his way up the mountain alone. She frowned and pivoted the copter, pulling the exterior microphone to her mouth.

  “Please remain in the area without moving. We are conducting a Search and Rescue operation. I will instruct a team to come and pick you up.” The man looked up, leaning against a tree. Norma narrowed her eyes. “Hoyd? What the hell are you doing out here?” Her confusion was evident over the speaker as she strained to see him.

  Waving her off Hoyd slowly stood upright and began making his way back up the mountain.

  Dillon switched radio channels, communicating directly with Roy. “This is Air Ranger to base, over?”

  Roy responded. “Go ahead Air Ranger.”

  “Hoyd Merger is up here alone. He is not remaining stationary as advised. Awaiting instructions, over.”

  Norma frowned at Dillon. “Like hell we are!”

  She navigated the copter along the path Hoyd was taking. “We’ll follow him. You tell Roy that we’re following him.”

  Dillon raised his eyebrows but radioed the message back to base as instructed.

  “Air Ranger to base, over.”

  “Go ahead Air Ranger.”

  “Pilot instructs we are following him, over.”

  “Negative. Do not follow. The sound from the helicopter will draw that thing out and pull it right to Hoyd. It’s attracted to the sound and lights, over.”

  In the middle of the two forces Dillon lowered the mic, turning to Wyatt.

  “You wanna ride shotgun?”

  Wyatt laughed and shook his head. “Nice try, cuz.”

  Sighing, Dillon keyed the mic. “Air Ranger to Base, be aware that our grandmother is disregarding your instructions. Please instruct, over.”

  Norma threw Dillon a glare before dipping the helicopter lower. “Wyatt, keep the light on him. Dillon, if light and sound draws the thing out get ready to snipe it.”

  Dillon hugged his rifle in close, aiming carefully and scanning the trees around Hoyd.

  “Base to Air Ranger, over. Continue to search assigned grid. Do not deviate, over.”

  Norma nodded to her grandson as she spoke into the mic.

  “Air Ranger to Base, this is Pilot. Be informed I will search and fire as needed, unless you have someone else who can fly this machine, over.” Roy repeated his earlier commanded that they evacuate the zone. Dillon shifted his rifle, knowing they would stay on course. His grandmother and Roy would lock horns back at the base, as usual. The cold air was sobering as he scanned the tree line while Hoyd slowly picked his way up the side of Cold Cat Peak. A large black object moved to the left of Hoyd, falling in behind him. Norma pointed and dropped the nose of the copter lower. Wyatt managed to keep the spotlight steady as Dillon took careful aim, pulling the trigger just as the creature reached for Hoyd. Its howl was heard even inside the helicopter when Dillon’s bullet grazed its left arm. Hoyd turned and pressed his back to a tree, covering his eyes with his arm to block some of the light from above. In less than the time it took to blink the creature pulled Hoyd into the shadowed tree line. Norma followed close, recognizing that whatever it was, it was used to remaining out of sight. It pulled Hoyd behind large trees, taking advantage of the shadow play from the light Wyatt used. Staying within those shadows it managed to make excellent time. Norma turned the helicopter and reported their location.

  Protocol was absent as she and Roy shared a heated public exchange.

  “Damnit Norma, I asked you not to follow it like that.” The anger in Roy’s voice crackled across the radios in use. Norma ignored him. Below, watching the light from above Gordon shook his head as his horse shifted anxiously beneath him. He knew his wife could be a handful. She moved to her own beat. Always had. He chuckled quietly, wishing Roy luck. Aft
er living with her for forty years she still didn’t listen to him either.

  Gordon passed his flask to his grandson. “Thank God your grandma doesn’t have any alcohol up there with her.” Dusty chuckled and they turned to meet up with the rest of their Search and Rescue unit. Nearby they could hear the rescue units on the four-wheeler's moving across the ridge of Cold Cat. Turning in his saddle Gordon watched Roy’s daughters crest the ridge. The moon had finally appeared, aiding in their search. The three girls, although young, were armed and dangerous. Roy had made sure of it. His wife Andrea followed close behind her daughters. The pitch and lull of their engines echoed below down the mountain as Gordon watched them gain ground.

  Dusty greeted the rest of the search team. Their horses blew steam into the air as he pulled his own mare up when she started dancing. Their animals seemed to sense the tension and were reacted. The other riders, seven in all, joined up with Gordon and Dusty, discussing their coordinates. The radios crackled again with Norma and Roy’s traffic. Norma was speaking forcefully.

  “If you can find someone else to fly this helicopter better then let me know. Until then I’m following Hoyd. He’s being drug by the thing up the side of the mountain. Should I turn off my spotlight and head home now?”

  Roy swore into the mic. “No. Stay on them.”

  “Then stay off my ass.” Gordon rubbed the back of his neck, raising his eyebrows. His friends, Pat and John chuckled, raising their eyebrows. Pat reigned his mount around toward Gordon. “She’s pretty spicy. No wonder you look tired all the time.”

  Rolling his eyes Gordon steered Storm toward the light from the helicopter. “You don’t know the half of it.”

  John laughed and slapped Gordon's shoulder. “Let’s go!” They rode in the direction of the copter, moving swiftly through the trees. The sure footed animals made good time weaving around limbs and the lower hanging branches. At a gallop, the mounted search party navigated their way across and down the peak, intercepting with the search team on ATV’s. Gordon and his grandson led the way, pulling up to the right of where Hoyd was reportedly being drug through the trees, while Roy, Andrea and their daughters flanked to the left. Closing in slowly from all sides, a solitary Search and Rescue person on foot ran up the side of the mountain to join the others. At a dead run she bobbed in and out of the trees, pulling out a bow and knocking an arrow. With speed and dexterity the red head let the arrow go. The tip pierced the fleshy part of the creatures shoulder, causing it to scream again.