43 Ch 43 Detour (1/2)

”Rick, any chance of driving by the north access road on your way out,” asked my boss John as I headed out Friday. He had already held me up so I was the last one out.

”I can,” I answered. ”What do you need?”

”I was just concerned about those tremors we've been having and wanted to make sure the emergency access road is clear for the weekend.”

”No problem. I'll text you with its condition.”

”I appreciate it.”

I waved to John as I pulled out on my bike. I hadn't been able to figure out what was going on with him lately. My mind was still going over John's odd behavior when I saw a car pulled over on the main road out of Yellowstone. Slowing down, I saw Derrick standing by his car, with its hood up. I quickly pulled over.

”Problem?”

”I think my radiator blew.”

I glanced underneath the front end of his car.

”Good guess,” I said with a laugh. ”Get on. I told John I'd drive through the north access road on my way out. We can stop by an auto parts store, get that stuff that stop leaks and bring some water back, see if we can get it going.”

I handed Derrick the spare helmet and was soon heading down the access road. I hoped the delay didn't interfere with Sister's nightly call. Sister had been excited to learn that Mahina now knew about me. She was more excited that I had told her before I had told Mahina. And here poor Derrick was still in the dark!

I was passing a high point, just past where the tremors had been, when I felt something hit my arm. The bike wobbled a little. I straightened it out. It wobbled again. My vision blurred. I started slowing down. I felt Derrick grab me, yell something in my ear, but I couldn't focus. I tried my hardest to get the bike stopped. I wasn't sure I did before everything went black.

I came to slowly. It was dark. Was it night? My mind felt groggy. There was no wind, not the least hint of a breeze. There was solid rock beneath me, not grass or dirt.

I went to move, and found out I couldn't. I could feel the strips of plastic that had me bound, cutting into my skin. I laid still for a moment. I wiggled my fingers and toes, flexed muscles in my legs and arms, felt the breath within me, verifying I had nothing broken or damaged, just sore and scraped up.

I brought out enough of the wolf within me to look and listen. I heard ragged breathing next to me. I could smell Derrick, so whatever had happened, we were in it together.

I took a deeper breath, giving myself a moment, trying to get my bearings and not panic. I could faintly smell the drugs I had only gotten whiffs of. I could smell at least three different men who had been around this area. I didn't smell anyone close. I could hear someone, but it was distant and oddly muted. It took a second before I realized I was in a cave, and the sounds were echoing through caverns.

I move my arms slowly, feeling where they were tied. My ankles were also bound. This was something I could get out of. I wished there was a hint of light so I could see what was around me. I wiggled around. I could feel my phone in my back pocket still.

I had to try and reason through the fog in my brain. Something had hit my arm and I had blacked out. Someone had hit me with a tranquilizer. John had a tranquilizer gun. He used to be a sharpshooter and was the one who shot the wolves that got tagged.

So, John had kept me back, sent me along a specific road, purposely sent me out to get shot. The question was why? I was about to be gone for almost three weeks for training. To hold me made no sense.

Derrick groaned next to me.

”Shhhh. No one is close and I don't want them to come check on us,” I whispered. ”Are you ok?”

”No, my arm hurts like hell,” he whispered back in a strained voice. ”What happened?”

”I think we were hit with a trank gun, or at least I was. Did you get knocked out when the bike stopped or...”

”I was pinned under the bike for a sec,”

He said, ”and my shoulder hit the ground hard, then I blacked out. I came to with someone dragging me. I remember struggling, something hit my arm, probably the butt of a rifle. I passed back out.” He paused. ”I think it's broke.”

”Ok, let me look around for a sec. I'll try to find something to cut you lose.”

”You aren't tied up? The way my arms are tied is killing me,” he said quietly, his voice filled with pain.

”I am, but I can get out,” I whispered. ”Hang on.”

I altered my hands and wrists, wriggling my now smaller limbs out of the ties. Feet and ankles were next, my feet leaving my work boots behind, even as my front paws became hands to pull the plastic loop away. I changed back to man, straightened out my clothes, and reached into my pockets. I had to chuckle.

”These guys are stupid. They didn't empty my pockets. Hang on.”

I pulled out my pocket knife and went to work on Derrick's bindings. He was free in minutes.

”Let me get us some light,” Derrick said. I could hear his phone slide out of his pocket. I grabbed his hand before he could turn it on.

”It's pitch black back here. They might see any light. We have to make sure they won't see. I'm going closer to where I can hear them, get the lay of the land”

”Rick!”

”Shh, trust me.”

I moved my shoes off to the side, stepped away from Derrick and stripped quickly. I moved away on four legs. I was actually able to get pretty close until I came to a makeshift fence with a gate in it. The gate was locked with a padlock. There were lights a distance away and I could hear the hum of a generator.

I moved quickly to the side, under a table, and held very still. The voices were getting closer.

”What do you mean there were two of them? You stupid shits! Shut up and let me think!”

That was John, no mistaking it. There was enough light I could make out two of the guys with him. I didn't see or hear the third.

I looked around the area I was in, seeing more as a wolf than I ever could as a human. I partially shifted, snagged a plastic bag and a few supplies. There were a few snacks laying around, half a case of water, a few flashlights. I took one flashlight as I kept listening.The small plastic grocery bag they had brought the snacks back in filled up as I added some water bottles.

”Where'd you put them?”

”In the back.”

”Where they can escape through the fissures? You stupid...”

”They're tied up. Ain't like anyone can find their way through that mess anyway, heck, you can't even fit through most of them.”

”You can't, you big oaf!”

I took one more look around for anything I could use to help with Derrick's arm. There was a pack of zip ties I slid in the bag. There was a small pallet that had a broken board hanging down. I gave the loose piece a tug, grateful when the section of planking fell off easily. I gave a quick glance to the arguing men to see if they heard the slight crack of the board breaking loose, but they were too caught up in discussing what to do with Derrick and I.