45 Ch 45 Trapped (2/2)
I went past Derrick a short way to make sure we were still safe before sticking my nose back in to update Derrick on what I'd found.
”I'm going back to see what John and his crew are doing. Pack up. Keep my clothes on top. Try and keep the light to a minimum. If they come, they might see it before I can get back to warn you.”
Derrick promised to be careful as I took off again. The way was becoming familiar. The area Derrick and I had been held in was still dark. I went up and made my way once again to the fence, being more careful than before. If they were still sleeping on the ground, they had a better chance of seeing me.
They weren't sleeping. John was having a fit. I chuckled to myself as I heard him rant. Apparently, it had been dark when they loaded up the jeeps and they hadn't noticed the tires. The lights, generator, and body were gone, as were the fridge and the drugs. The only light was the daylight streaming in from the cave entrance.
Finally, I heard John ask if they had it set. I strained to hear better and it was almost my undoing. I scrambled back to the dropoff as an explosion rocked the small area. I cowered down, waiting for the dust to settle.
They blew the cave entrance! Had they just left we might have been able to work the fence loose to get to my bike. I don't know what I was thinking when I ruined all of their tires, other than they would think we had left. Now it would be impossible to go out that way. I hurried back to Derrick.
He was down off the ledge, sticking his head out the entrance, the light he was holding giving him away. I growled, no longer needing to keep silent.
”If I was a bad guy, you'd be dead!”
He brought the pistol around which had me growling louder and jumping to the side behind an outcropping.
”Sorry, Rick. I heard something. What happened?”
”They blew the main entrance. We aren't getting out that way. I doubt we'll find the other exit before they blow it up too. This area wasn't affected?”
”I felt the shockwave but no rocks fell.”
”We can try for the other exit, and hope we get out before they come and blow it, or that we don't get buried under rock if we make it close and they blow it. Or, we can stay here, wait for the explosion, take our time in relative safety looking for a way out. There were a few small cracks to the surface. If they blow up the other entrance, it might open up another somewhere else, maybe. What do you think?”
Derrick was in the middle of answering when we heard the rumble coming from the other direction.
”Well,” he said grimly, ”looks like our choice was made for us.”
”Let me go the other way, see what's there. I'll probably be gone for an hour or so. The good thing is you can try the walkie-talkie. Don't say anything, just listen to see if you can hear anything. Then we can go toward the openings I found, see if we can get a signal for our phones, maybe send out a text.”
”Sounds like a plan,” he said. ”I'll start walking the other way, save us some time.”
”Ok. Stop when you get to a low area. We'll have to crawl through. It will probably be less painful for you if I pull you through on your back.”
”Pull me how?”
”With my teeth,” I grinned back at him.
He shook his head as I grabbed the flashlight and shifted again. I went the one way I hadn't been yet, past our previous prison. I was disappointed to come to a dead-end after about ten minutes. I shone the light around just to make sure.
”No good that way,” I said to Derrick as I came up beside him and shifted, dropping the flashlight from my mouth to my hand.
”Damn, I'm just never going to get used to that.”
”Well, I don't usually go around with a flashlight in my mouth!”
”Smartass!”
I laughed before getting serious. ”How's your arm? Let me take a look.”
”Hurts. Wouldn't be so bad if the other shoulder didn't hurt so much.”
”Let me see.” I felt around, pushing gently, watching when he grimaced.
”I think it's dislocated. Here.” I gave a shove and a pull, hearing it snap back into place as Derrick yelled out at the sudden pain.
”Feel better?”
”No! Or maybe,” he added as he moved it around.
”Ok, give me the bags. I'll carry them. You focus on not tripping. The last thing we need is you breaking a leg.”
”Keep it up and when I feel better I'll meet you in the sand and kick your butt.”
I laughed as I shouldered the bags.
”Hear anything on the walkie-talkie?”
”Yeah, they talked about meeting up at the ranger station. They're going to say they had car trouble and John's going to use a park jeep to help them. I bet all our spare tires will be gone. You, uh, want to get dressed?”
”Hmmm? Oh. Ok. Better?” I asked as I went to half-shift.
”What the shit!”
”Told you I don't need the pants, I have fur. Seriously though, you should wear them with yours if we are still stuck down here tonight. The temperature drops at night and I'll be fine.”
We walked on in silence with Derrick throwing the occasional glance at me in my fur.
”So how many people know about you?” he finally asked.
”Dad, Running Elk, Anna, a few elders of my tribe, Mahina, Mac... not Chani so don't say anything to her. And Sister of course.”
”Who's Sister?”
”The girl with the wolf.”
”The make-a-wish kid? You told her? Are you nuts?”
We made it to the low area. I carried the bags through first, then had Derrick lay on his back. We went slow, him scooting with his feet. I had to remind him that we were in no hurry, to take his time so he didn't hurt himself more.
We rested for a while and I told him the real story of what happened between Sister and me to pass the time.
I nudged his leg finally to get him up. ”Come on, let's see what it looks like up ahead.”
He grabbed my hand with his relatively good one to pull himself up.
”A real frigging werewolf!” Derrick said as we moved out. I think he might finally be getting used to me.