THE RELUCTANT
WARRIOR
BY PETE B. JENKINS
All characters and events portrayed in this book are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to any person, either living or dead, is purely coincidence. Copyright: 2014 Pete. B. Jenkins.
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design: BookGraphics.
No part of this book may be copied, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the permission of the publisher, except for review purposes.
NOTE: There is no swearing or sex in this book.
Word Count: 87442 words
This book is dedicated to the memory of my mother Ailsa Jay Jenkins (nee: Paul) who was the first person to instill in me a love of reading.
I love and miss you more than you could ever know Mum.
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter One
Jed Rand cast his eye expertly over the satellite map before sliding it reluctantly across the table to his companion, brown eyes betraying his disappointment. “Would love to be in on the attempt,” he said wistfully, “but Cassie would go ballistic if I was gone for that long again, I don’t think you’ve forgotten how Everest nearly broke us up.”
A well built man in his mid thirties deftly folded up the map and slipped it into his breast pocket. “Pity,” he answered bluntly, “we could have done with you on this one. This Antarctic expedition is the biggest adventure we’ve planned yet.”
Jed spotted the disapproval in his friend’s eyes, Rex Ferguson was an explorer in the truest sense of the word, and the pair of them had been on every expedition together since they were twenty-something’s checking out Brontosaurus sightings in the Congo. No dinosaur had materialized, but they had walked away from the experience the firmest of friends. He knew Rex wouldn’t take his refusal to participate lightly. “Look, Rex,” Jed leaned his elbows on the desk and fixed the other man with an apologetic look, “Cassie and I have been having…problems lately.”
“For crying out loud, Jed,” Rex exploded, “problems have followed the pair of you around since the moment you first met.” He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. “She’s always threatening to leave you, and you always end up giving her what she wants to keep her hanging on.” He looked Jed squarely in the eyes. “So just give her what she wants. She’ll be happy, you’ll be happy, I’ll be happy.”
Jed leaned back in his seat and sighed. “I wish it were that easy but this time I get the distinct feeling that if I go she won’t be there when I get back.”
Rex flung his chair aside in disgust and paced in an agitated fashion to the window. “Would be the greatest adventure so far,” he said hopefully. “It’ll make the Arctic look like a stroll in the park. Antarctica is a big continent and we wouldn’t be following in anyone’s footsteps.” Catching the faint gleam of excitement in his friend’s eye he went straight for the jugular. “And we’d be the first to trial the U.S. military’s new tracking devise.”
Jed sat bolt upright. “What…the G.P.S. Pathfinder?”
“I thought that might get your attention.” Sliding back into his seat he produced a folder from a drawer and tossed it casually across the desk to his companion. “This is classified you understand…but I guarantee it’ll make your mouth water.”
Jed flipped it open and scanned its contents. “If what this says is correct then with this updated model we can’t possibly get lost.”
Rex smiled slyly. “We’ll be there and back before Cassie even knows you’re gone. Seven weeks tops I’d say.” He fancied he could see a glimmer of a breakthrough in Jed’s resolve and so pressed home his advantage. “Just imagine it…you and I would be the first to do it, the first to journey into the very heart of the continent and live to tell what we’d seen. No merely crossing the outer fringes of it as others have boasted of doing.”
Vacating his chair Jed smoothed the creases out of his trousers as he thought it over. “As exciting as it all sounds I’m going to have to pass on this one.”
Rex’s face fell. “It won’t be the same without you.”
Jed’s hand closed on the doorknob. “You’ll soon get used to it. Besides, it is past time you hitched up with a new travelling buddy, I’m getting a little long in the tooth for it.”
“What the dickens are you driving at? I’m the same age as you,” Rex said, feigning offence. “Are you suggesting I’m too old for it as well?”
Jed grinned. For as long as he had known him, and courtesy of having an English mother, Rex had always used the expression, “dickens.” It was the closest Rex ever came to swearing.
“Well, now you mention it, you are beginning to look a little worn around the edges.”
This time Rex didn’t need to pretend he was offended. “You’re only as old as you feel,” he growled, “and I feel a lot younger than most fellows I could mention, worn around the edges or not.” He fixed his pal with a disapproving glare. “So you’re not coming then?”
“Not this time.”
He slumped heavily back into his chair. “Well you’ve got two weeks to change your mind. After that we’ll be off to the military base to be trained in using the Pathfinder.”
“I won’t be changing my mind,” Jed said firmly. “Cassie is more important to me than this, or any other expedition for that matter.” Swinging open the door he slipped through before Rex had the opportunity to dangle any more carrots in front of him. Blast the fellow for bringing this up, now of all times. As if he and Cass weren’t having enough problems without him racing off to the South Pole. No, he wouldn’t go and that was the end of it.
He tried to put the whole business out of his mind as he strolled tiredly down the wintry New York street, and was doing an admirable job of it until he passed a bookshop. There in the window along with all the other new releases was a book on Antarctica screaming out for him to take notice of it. It was as if Rex Ferguson had cunningly planned it his very self.
“Blast the man,” he said out loud, ignoring the strange looks from passersby. But he gazed longingly at the tall ice covered mountains and barren wilderness that graced the cover all the same. He could be the first to travel to the very heart of the continent and see what was really there, a place where no navigational instrument had ever been able to function, until now. The G.P.S Pathfinder made it all possible, and they had been given the rare privilege to test it out for the U.S. military. “Snap out of it, Jed,” he growled suddenly. “You’re not going and that’s final.” Tearing himself away from the display he stalked angrily up the street. “Blast the man,” he grumbled again, only with more venom this time. “Now of all times.”
Turning the corner he marched sullenly up the footpath towards the old house, and was still mumbling under his breath as he let himself through the door. He cast an eye up to the bedroom as he hung up his coat. “Cassie, are you here?”
As a tall leggy blonde swept across the landing and lithely descended the stairs he looked from
her to the suitcases she clutched and then back to her again. “What’s going on?” he asked quietly.
“It’s not going to work, Jed.” She looked straight past him as she continued her headlong flight towards the door. “You’re not going to persuade me to stay with any of that meant for each other garbage.”
“Cassie, just tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s not going to work,” she said again.
He detected that determination in her voice that he had encountered a thousand times before, and knew she wasn’t going to be easily pacified. “All I want is an explanation,” he said tiredly, “that’s all I’m asking for.”
Putting her suitcases down she turned to face him. “All right, I’ll give you an explanation,” she answered coldly. “I have invested six long years in you and what have I got to show for it?”
He stared back at the wild blue eyes. “What did you hope to get out of it?”
“Don’t you make fun of me, Jed Rand,” she snapped furiously.
“I’m not making fun of you, sweetheart,” he said, taking a few steps towards her. “I just want to know what you want out of the relationship.”
“Nothing at all,” she answered bitterly. “I’ve finally given up trying to get anything out of it.”
“I thought we were going to try to work this all out.” As he took a few more steps towards her she fixed him with a penetrating glare that stopped him in his tracks. “It’s gone well past that.”
“Why?”
“It just has, that’s all.”
He noticed how she had suddenly averted her eyes, and the reason for it finally dawned on him. “What’s his name, Cassie?”
“What?”
“What’s the name of the guy you’re leaving me for?”
“I never said I was leaving you for anyone else,” she answered guardedly, unable to disguise the slight tremor that had crept into her voice.
“I’m not a fool your whole demeanor gives you away.”
She looked up at him angrily now, her vivid eyes flashing wildly. “Could you blame me if there is someone else? I’m thirty-three years old, and I deserve someone who’s going to treat me with respect.”
Jed shook his head in disbelief, this was typical of her. “Respect…I think you’ve got that round the wrong way, lady.”
The pretty blonde rounded on him. “I’ve never treated you with anything but the utmost respect,” she ranted. “If you’d been here a bit more often instead of away on your crazy Boy Scout adventures then maybe the relationship might have worked.”
“If you didn’t have such a violent temper then maybe I wouldn’t have had to escape on those crazy adventures,” he countered angrily, stabbing an accusing finger in her direction.
Her mouth dropped open, but only for a moment. “How dare you. How dare you blame your failure on me, John would never do that.”
“Well go to your John then,” Jed snapped, “he’s welcome to you.” As he strode purposely towards the living room he heard the front door bang loudly behind her, and with it all hopes of ever salvaging the relationship. Pouring himself a generous scotch he plonked himself down in his favorite armchair. So she was gone, gone for good, it didn’t seem possible. Six years of sharing each other’s trials and tribulations extinguished in a matter of minutes. He gazed sadly out the window. What was the fellows name again? John? The name rang a bell…ah yes, John what’s-his-name who worked at Cassie’s gym. Or did he own it? It would be just like her to ditch him for someone with money.
Swallowing hard he felt the liquid burn its fiery path down to his stomach. Perhaps it was for the best. He and Cassie had always suffered from all the symptoms of a classic love-hate relationship, so maybe she would be better off with this John fellow. He would miss her though. All except that temper of course. She had the tendency to fly off the handle at the least provocation, something he would never miss. That was the real reason their relationship had failed, and he knew it would be the reason she would fail with the new fellow too.
He took another slug of scotch. There was one good thing to come out of all this though, and so picking up the telephone he tapped out the number. “Hello, Rex,” he said, breezily, “its Jed…count me in.”
CHAPTER TWO
Jed stepped down from the plane and studied his new surroundings; McMurdo Station had most of the creature comforts of home, including its very own bar. Not that he would have much time to enjoy it; he would be leaving for the interior in three days time and until then alcohol would be the last thing on his mind.
Rex’s big hand clapped him enthusiastically on the shoulder. “Let’s get inside and meet the rest of the team.”
Jed watched him stride excitedly across the ice towards the main building and couldn’t help thinking how boyish he looked, despite his thirty-four years. Rex had never lacked for enthusiasm, especially on an expedition, but somehow, this time, he was displaying even more passion than usual. As he trudged along in his friend’s wake his thoughts were on how well equipped they were. The very latest in technological advances would be going with them. Light but unbreakable sleds, pre-packed meals with carefully calculated vitamin and mineral content, the finest in weather resistant fabrics to wear and sleep in, and of course, the all new Pathfinder Global Positioning System to ensure they couldn’t get lost. Scott and Amundsen would be drooling at the sight if they were alive to see it.
Jed would be glad to catch up with a few buddies he hadn’t seen in quite some time while he was here, in particular, Jonathon Bately. Not only were they good friends, but Jonathon’s extensive experience in polar exploration would be extremely valuable out there where the winds could reach speeds of eighty miles per hour. Besides Rex and Jonathon there would be four others on the team, all seasoned explorers, and Jed could feel a growing sense of excitement as he thought about the adventure they would be embarking on in three days time. At thirty-four years of age he knew he only had a few good years left in him before the rigors of his adventuring lifestyle caught up with him, leaving his body unable to cope with such an expedition. But for now, Antarctica, the last great mystery, it lay sprawled before him like a slumbering giant beneath southern skies, its virginal terrain beckoning seductively to him.
On departure day those skies were clear with minimal wind speeds. It was a perfect morning for trekking, and as Rex unfolded his map in the briefing room and spread it across the table something very close to euphoria had taken a hold of Jed.
“We’re here,” Rex grunted, tapping his finger down on the spot that marked McMurdo Station. “We trek from Mac Town to this point here.” His finger swept across the map to a point within the heart of the continent. “No one has been there before.” A satisfied gleam came into his eye. “Then we make the hard slog to Halley base on the Brunt Ice Shelf.”
Jonathon caught his eye, “The first to do it.”
“The first to do it,” Rex echoed excitedly, his dark eyes scanning the men’s faces. “Anyone want to pull out? Now is your chance to say.”
Six heads shook in unison.
Rex’s roughened hands grappled with the zipper on his jacket. “Well, let’s get out there and get this show on the road then.”
“Wouldn’t mind a bit of a breeze so we could try out our wind-kites,” Rex commented six hours into the trek with the good weather still holding.
“Would certainly push us along a bit quicker,” Jed agreed, his mind only partly on what his friend was saying. If the truth be known he was thinking of Cassie and whether there had been any truth to the accusations she had brought against him. Certainly, he had been away several times during their six years together, but had that really bothered her? He couldn’t really believe that it had. She had always enjoyed such a full and satisfying social life he couldn’t imagine his occasional absences would be of any great concern to her. He was vaguely aware of Rex harping on about wind speeds and their effect on a kites pulling power but he wasn’t really taking it in. No, if Cassie had real
ly been bothered by his adventures she would have long since told him. She was no shrinking violet, and so he was confident she was just using the excuse to justify her affair with John. Anything to shift the burden of blame away from her and on to him, and wasn’t that so typical of her. He had never known her to accept the blame for anything, not ever.
“You haven’t heard a word I’ve said have you?”
Jed shed his thoughts of Cassie and tuned into Rex. “No, I guess I haven’t,” he admitted.
Rex’s cynical face considered him carefully. “You’re thinking of her aren’t you?”
“What?”
“You’re thinking of Cassie.”
Jed didn’t offer a reply. There was no way he was getting into any conversations with Rex about his love life, and so keeping his head down concentrated on dragging his sled one step at a time across the ice.
Patience wasn’t Rex’s strong point. “She’s not the only fish in the sea, you know,” he said brutally.
Jed felt a sudden gust tug keenly at his jacket. “Any stronger and we’ll be able to get the kites out,” he said, in a desperate attempt to try and steer Rex away from the subject of his ex.
But Rex wasn’t having any of it. “Good looking fellow like you wouldn’t have any trouble catching a pretty young thing,” he continued. “You just have to put yourself out there.”
The breeze was more than just tugging at his jacket now, and so he cast a furtive glance over his shoulder at the direction it was coming from. “Why have you got such a strong interest in my love life?”
“Because we’re pals, and for the past six years I’ve watched you being manipulated by that hellcat and been entirely powerless to do anything about it.” Rex noticed the wind now too. “You might be right about the kites,” he said, mentally gauging the speed it was travelling at before bringing his eyes back to rest on Jed’s solemn face. “I know you’re hurting. I know that you miss her. But you really are better off without her, she wasn’t right for you.”
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