by JJ Aughe
To his relief Melissa answered that she was okay then asked where Sean was and where they were. Agent Winfrey assured her that Sean was with them then said that explanations could wait, they had to get moving because the lights were on battery backup and would only last for thirty minutes or so. It would take almost that long to reach the exit.
Two hours of almost silent trudging through forests, wading through a knee-deep stream, then coming to a fast flowing river took its toll on Bailey’s energy. He knew he had to let Carol know he needed to take a breather before trying to cross the river. Carol was good with that and led them to the shade of a giant cedar tree. She helped him lay the unconscious Sean on the grass and duff.
Carol decided to check Sean’s wounds while they rested. One of the bandages was soaked through with blood so Carol asked for the first-aid kit. Bailey searched through the contents of the blanket bag, spreading things out in the tall grass and cedar duff, found the kit and handed it to her. When Carol finished re-bandaging the wound she gave the kit back and he repacked the blanket, overlooking a small green pouch containing the GPS Dennis had included that had inadvertently been pushed into the tall grass. Fifteen minutes later Carol found a decent place for them to cross the river so Bailey again hefted Sean to his shoulder and they crossed.
Agent Winfrey led the way through a sparsely treed forest and finally across a paved road and into a thick copse of young fir trees at the edge of a dirt road leading to a farmhouse northeast of Buckley, the town closest to the safe house. Telling the others she knew the owners she needlessly cautioned them to stay out of sight of the paved road and stepped out onto the dirt road leading to the farmhouse.
Winfrey’s companions silently watched as she boldly sprinted up to the front porch of the house, jumped the two steps and knocked on the door. She waited for what seemed an insufferable time for someone to answer. Shrugging her shoulders, she knocked again. There still being no answer, they watched curiously as Carol opened the door of a rectangle compartment beside the entry, took out a pad of paper with a pen or pencil tied to it and wrote something. Leaving the pad hanging from a string attached to the inside of the compartment, she tore the sheet of paper from the pad, did something with one hand they couldn’t see, turned, walked down the steps and ran toward a three bay barnlike garage. As she neared the structure the roll-up door at the far side began to open, revealing the cab of an ancient, mottled-gray, extended cab International 4X4 pick-up truck. As she entered the structure she stepped out of sight for a second. When she re-appeared she got into the vehicle. Seconds later they heard the truck’s engine roar to life. As the truck rolled out of the garage the garage door closed behind it. She drove the truck to abreast of the trees, stopped, jumped out and ran around to open the two passenger side doors.
Realizing speed was needed, Melissa, favoring her wounded arm, hurried to the rear passenger door, threw the bundle holding the first-aid kit and other supplies onto the far side of the floorboard and climbed in, scooting to the far side. Bailey slid O’Donald from his shoulders and into his arms, then onto the seat. Satisfied the injured man wouldn’t fall over he slid in on the floorboard to help get him lying flat on the seat with his bandaged head cradled in Melissa’s lap. After quickly checking O’Donald’s pulse and breathing, Bailey shook his head silently to convey to Melissa, who was watching with worried, but hopeful eyes, that there was no change in the man’s condition. He then joined Jessie and Agent Winfrey in the front seat.
While Winfrey drove toward the main highway, they discussed where they could go that would be safe and whether they should first find medical attention for Sean. Though Melissa insisted that O’Donald be taken to the hospital in Enumclaw, Bailey, again taking command, over-ruled her. He explained that it would be too dangerous because Almed’s men would have found Bealour and the blood on the escape tunnel floor and wall and reported that to Almed. If that were the case, Bailey told her, Almed would surely check the nearest hospitals. He was, however, at a loss as to where a safe place to hide might be until they could get O’Donald back on his feet or stabilized enough to travel. They was still mulling over the dilemma as agent Winfrey stopped at the main highway.
Melissa solved the dilemma from the back seat.
“I know where we can go,” she excitedly exclaimed getting everyone’s attention. “We can go to what my Grandfather called his hunting cabin! Actually, it’s a four bedroom home he built so he would have a place to go for some alone time or where he could take visiting colleagues. The cabin is not very far from here either!” When her companions silently turned in their seat to stare at her, she quickly went on. “Though I have had a property management company keep it up, I have only been there once since Grandfather passed. I think it’s the perfect place! It’s situated in a remote part of the mountains northeast of Enumclaw. Not only is it secluded and sits atop a mountain, you can see most of the only access road for miles!”
“Sounds like just the place we need,” Agent Winfrey agreed, “How do we get there?”
Agent Winfrey didn’t hesitate after Melissa gave her directions and turned north onto the highway. Winfrey, being familiar with the area’s back roads, skirted Enumclaw until they were north of the city, then cut to the east until coming to the main highway leading to a state park. Within half an hour Winfrey turned right onto a deeply rutted, dirt road and shifted into four-wheel drive. Even though she drove as slowly and carefully as she could the winding, switchback road was so rough that Melissa was having a hard time keeping Sean from sliding onto the floorboard between the seats. Bailey finally had Carol stop and got into the back to sit on the floorboard to help Melissa. Another thirty minutes of rather bumpy, slow, up-hill travel they had their first look at the secluded ‘cabin’.
When Jessie first saw the front of the ‘cabin’ through the trees as the pickup approached she was a bit dismayed. From what she could see of the dilapidated front porch and steps she got the impression the rest of the structure would be in the same condition. She let out a shocked breath though as Carol made the last turn into the clearing atop the mountain.
Though a recently fallen tree had partially destroyed the front porch and steps, the exterior of the structure, if not in spectacular shape, appeared to be solid. Jessie could see brick and stone chimneys jutting from the roof at each end of the rustic two-story building and another on the front side.
From the back seat Melissa instructed Carol to drive around to the back and park in the open carport as close to the back door as possible. Carol made the turn at the far end of the building and pulled to a stop.
Eddward Parker, (Eddie to his friends,) was taking his usual leisurely evening walk. Since his wife had passed away twelve years ago he had moved to his hunting cabin a quarter of a mile from that of his late friend Charles G. Hough. Since that gentleman had passed away a year after Eddie’s wife he had made it a point to make regular checks on the property Hough’s granddaughter now owned. He was stepping onto the trail to go there when he spotted an old gray pickup coming up the winding mountain road to the property of his old friend. Eddie knew the pickup could not belong to the property management company’s caretaker because that young man drove a newer Chevy Blazer and wasn’t due for another week. Concerned that whoever was in the pickup might be planning to raid or vandalize the place, Eddie decided to keep an eye on things.
He watched as the pickup with two occupants in front and another in the rear seat arrived at the cabin. He was surprised to discover that the passenger in front was a woman. He was again surprised when the driver, another woman, jumped out. Seeming to know exactly where the key was hidden, she ran to the rear stoop, retrieved the key and hurriedly opened the rear door of the cabin. Parker noted that the driver had a bloody bandage around her head that covered the upper part of her forehead and, not knowing the circumstances, that made him cautious.
As he watched the woman open the cabin’s door a movement by the truck caught his attention. The movement had been
the other woman opening the rear door of the truck. As Eddie intently watched she helped a man, who had obviously been lying in the back seat out of sight, with something on the back seat. Suddenly the other rear door opened and the other woman got out, franticly ran around the truck and stood with her fingers at her mouth. Eddie was close enough to recognize the third woman as Melissa Calahan-Hough, the granddaughter of his old friend Charles Hough. And her left arm was in a bloody sling. This puzzled him. The girl hadn’t been back to the cabin since the week after her grandfather’s death. Now all of a sudden, here she was bringing strange people there and she seemed to be injured. Why?
Deciding he would go welcome Melissa he took a step from his concealment in a large copse of fir sapling. He hesitated in mid-step as the woman who had opened the door to the cabin turned. Alarm bells went off in his head as he caught sight of a holstered pistol at her waist! It might be prudent for me to go get some persuasion before I make my presence known, he thought as he hurriedly stepped back into concealment and headed for his own cabin.
As soon as the truck came to a halt Jessie jumped out to open the rear door while Carol, Melissa having told her where to find the key, ran to the back door of the cabin, found the key hidden under a loose siding shake where Melissa had said it would be, unlocked and opened the door. A minute later Bailey carefully placed Sean on the double bed in the only bedroom on the ground floor while Melissa opened the heavy drapes covering the lone window of the room. Finished with the drapes she hurried to the bedside.
Bailey glanced at her. The intense worry he saw etched on her face had him trying to ease her mind. “The jarring of the truck caused his wounds to start bleeding again. I was able to get new compresses on and I think the bleeding has nearly stopped. Sean seems to be breathing better now too. His color is coming back. Good signs.” Melissa’s hands suddenly flew to her face, covering her eyes as she broke into gut-wrenching sobs.
Bailey sympathetically placed an arm around her shoulders, gently pulling her close. He didn’t say anything, just silently let her cry. Then, though he wasn’t too sure what Sean’s chances really were, he tried to give her a positive reassurance. “He is a fighter, Melissa. He is going to be okay.”
Melissa lowered her hands, placing them close to Sean’s heart. Her voice a whisper, she kept her eyes on Sean’s still form as she made a confession Bailey was already aware of. “I was so afraid he was dead! I think I have fallen in love with him and I don’t think I could handle it if he died!”
Carol had just returned from the back of the house in search of Melissa. Hearing Melissa’s admission she didn’t want to disturb her or take her away from O’Donald’s bedside. She also knew that Melissa was the only one who might possibly be able to solve the problem she had encountered.
Speaking from the doorway she interrupted. “Melissa, I hate to bother you right now, but a problem has arisen that I think you are the only one here who has the knowledge to solve.” She hurried to explain as Melissa and Bailey turned toward her. “It will soon be dark and I wanted to make sure the generator works. I haven’t been able to get it started. Is there something special that I need to do to get it going, a trick to it or something?”
Without a word, Melissa turned back to gaze at Sean’s still form, then turned back. Wiping the tears from her eyes she forced a quiet calmness to her voice she didn’t really feel and finally answered. “Don’t feel like you failed at an easy task, Carol. Grampa used to have trouble with that thing all the time. I used to watch him working with it and I think I can get it going. But if it still won’t start we will have to get the candles and kerosene lanterns from the storage room for light tonight. Then tomorrow I will have to work with it some more.”
As the two women left the room Bailey shook his head in wonder at the way Melissa had reacted to this new problem. He could tell how upset she was feeling about O’Donald’s condition. For a city girl who had suddenly found herself being attacked and shot only the night before and today’s traumatic events, again being shot, Melissa was handling herself pretty darn good. He could see in her eyes and in her every movement the strain the woman was under. But rather than succumbing to the pressure and anxiety of the events of the last twenty-four hours she was trying hard to stand above it. And she seemed determined to stay above it! Yes indeed, he marveled. She is quite a trouper!
Bailey’s thoughts were interrupted when O’Donald weakly cried out, “Melissa!” and attempted to sit up, rasp out a painful groan as his body went limp, his eyes closed and his head fell back on the pillow. Bailey was certain his patient was unconscious again and was immediately concerned O’Donald may have re-opened his wounds. He quickly checked the bandages for fresh blood, not finding any he breathed a sigh of relief as Jessie stepped in from the hall.
“Did I hear O’Donald’s voice?” she excitedly asked as she stepped up beside Bailey.
“Yes. But it was only momentary,” Bailey answered as he re-covered Sean with the blankets. “He just cried out Melissa’s name, struggled to sit up then collapsed again. I rechecked his bandages and didn’t find any fresh blood, which is good. I’m not a doctor and without a doctor here I can’t be sure of anything, but I hope his stirring is a good sign.”
Hearing the self-condemnation in Bailey’s voice Jessie placed a hand on his shoulder. Her voice almost a whisper, she pleaded, “Bailey. Don’t do this to yourself. I know you feel terrible that he is hurt and feel somehow responsible for his condition. You have to remember this, Bailey. There was nothing you could have done to prevent what happened. And as for doing something about his condition, all any of us can do is keep him quiet and keep a close watch on him. That lump on his head probably means he has a concussion and is what is causing him to remain unconsciousness.”
Shrugging her shoulders she finished with, “We all know he needs a doctor, Bailey. But until we can figure out how to do that without running the risk of Almed finding us, the only thing we can do is keep him as comfortable as possible.”
Bailey realized she was right. He had been condemning himself for Sean’s condition. He kept remembering he had been forced to leave Bernie behind back in Afghanistan. This situation was different. He knew he could do something about Sean’s condition whereas with Bernie there had been no chance.
He gave Jessie a smile as he grasped her by the hips and pulled her to his chest, giving her a quick kiss. “Thanks,” he whispered against her lips. “I needed that.”
He was just releasing her when Melissa returned. He noticed the woman had changed out of her bloody clothes and into what appeared to be some of her grandfather’s hunting garb and she had discarded her arm sling. “How did it go with the generator?” he asked.
“Carol didn’t realize there was a gas valve she needed to turn on.” Melissa chuckled. Having noticed Bailey’s quick perusal of her changed attire, she explained. “I couldn’t stand those bloody clothes anymore. Grampa always kept extra hunting clothes here and I haven't had the heart to come up here to dispose of his things. He was a slim man and I figured his clothes would fit. I found these and changed. There are enough extra clothes of different sizes in the closet for everyone if you want to change into something too.”
Then, seeing concern written plainly on each of their faces, her intuition told her something had happened and cautioned her to get serious. Quickly glancing at Sean’s blanket-covered form she fought back tears, hesitantly stammering, “W-what is it? Tell me! Has something happened to Sean?” Not waiting for a response she burst into tears and ran to the other side of Sean’s bed, frantically checking his pulse, then his breathing.
Straightening, she looked over at Bailey and Jessie. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, tears staining her cheeks. “I am just so worried about him! And I don’t know what to do!”
Jessie, abundantly aware of the same feeling and not knowing what to say, went to her. She placed an arm around the woman’s shoulders pulling her friend into a close embrace, softly whispered, “It is obvio
us, Melissa, that you are in love with him. I know your feelings for him make it really hard for you to cope with his condition, and you want him to get medical care as soon as possible. I promise you, Melissa. As soon as it is safe, his medical care will be our top priority. Right now though, it is not safe for him to be in a hospital, or for any of us to be seen out in public. We’ll get him to a doctor as soon as we can.”
Carol Winfrey’s voice from the doorway stopped Melissa from answering. “Hey, guys! Don’t be too alarmed, but someone has a gun stuck in my back! Whoever this guy is, he saw us arrive and knows how many of us are here. He wants all three of you to put your weapons at the foot of the bed and move to the wall by the window with your hands in plain sight so he can see each of you and at the same time have a clear view of Sean in the bed. And for God’s sake don’t do anything foolish!”
Carol’s mention of the gun at her back had Bailey, Jessie and Melissa simultaneously drawing their weapons. Bailey hadn’t heard any real fear-induced quaver in Carol’s last words so he silently nodded for Jessie and Melissa to comply as he obediently tossed his Glock to the foot of the bed. The women, intuitively sensing they had no other choice, followed suit and met him beside the window. All three had their hands in plain sight as they a faced the doorway.
Bailey’s first thoughts were that Almed had somehow been able to track them to the cabin. As soon as the man behind Carol stepped into sight however, he changed his mind. Though he had an older model walkie-talkie clipped to his trouser waist and sported a very determined, menacing expression on his face, the be-speckled, cardigan clad gentleman behind Carol was no terrorist of Almed’s. He had to be at least sixty, maybe older. He held an antique Colt 45 in one hand pointed at Carol’s back while with the other hand he almost casually let the muzzle of Carol’s Glock make a lazy, expertly careful sweep of the room as they entered.