Page 37 of SEAL the Deal

“I’ll take a look. Ali’s injured her arm so she’ll be staying here at Granite.”

She shook her head at the ranger.

“Anything serious?”

“No, but I think it would be a good idea to have someone here in case they make it this far. Plus, I can use her as a relay back to you guys.”

“Good idea.”

“OK, well I’m going to go check out that sighting. Ali will radio in on the hour.”

“Good luck.”

Jenny secured the handset as the kettle whistled. She lifted it from the stove and took two mugs from a cupboard. “I think it’s better if you stay here. I need you to operate the radio in case I have to get in contact with the station. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Ali winced as she raised her arm to take the coffee. “You’re right. I’m only going to slow you down. I’m sorry.” She glanced down at Axe who wore a concerned expression. “Take, Axe. If Mike is out there he’ll find him.”

“You sure he will be OK without you?”

The dog walked across to the door and scratched at it.

“I guess so,” Jenny said as she grabbed her backpack.

Ali followed her out onto the porch. “You two be careful and please, bring the boys home.”

Jenny embraced her in a hug. “With Axe’s nose there’s no way we won’t find them.”

Ali watched the dog and the ranger walk across the clearing. Axe turned at the edge of the woods and stared at her before letting out a reassuring bark. Then he disappeared after Jenny. She stood for a moment, staring after them. Then she returned to the cabin to man the radio.

* * *

Rick leaped over a log landed heavily and rolled. Jumping back to his feet he wiped the sweat from his brow and paused to listen.

A few hundred yards away the dog bayed. Then for the first time, he heard voices. The hunters were getting closer.

He started off through the woods, wincing as a rock punched through what remained of his dive booties. The shredded rubber footwear barely clung to his feet. His legs ached, he’d run out of water and the inside of his thighs were chafed to the point where he could feel the sting of raw flesh against the rubber.

Despite all that he wasn’t going to stop. The rest of the team depended on him. He needed to get to a phone and get help.

The baying of the hound turned to frantic barking. With each outburst he could hear it getting closer. The men’s shouting was also louder, accompanied now by the sound of them crashing through the undergrowth.

A wise man had once said, ‘Don’t run you’ll only die tired’. It was a motto that Rick embodied. He was all about lifting iron, fighting hard and kicking his enemy in the teeth. Skidding to a halt, he tore a branch from a tree to use as a club. He took deep breaths, slowing his racing heart rate. Whatever happened next he was going to go down swinging.

The dog was the first to appear. It charged out of the bushes and spotted him, baring its teeth. Rick waved his homemade cudgel at it. “You want a piece of me?”

Snarling it charged forward, snapping its jaws.

Rick swung and the dog jumped clear. He didn’t want to hurt the animal, but he saw no other way to escape.

“Hold it right there, muscles.” He glanced in the direction of the voice and found himself looking down the barrel of a pump action shotgun. The man holding it wore camouflage pants and a USMC T-shirt.

A second man appeared. This one carried a lever action rifle and was dressed in a denim shirt, jeans and cowboy boots.

“You’re pretty fast for a gym junkie,” said the guy with the shotgun. “Now lower the stick or I’m going to blow your head off.”

Rick’s jaw was clenched, his muscles taught and ready to leap into action. However, he knew he could never cover the dozen yards that separated him and the gunmen. His only hope was to jump behind a tree and sprint for cover.

“I know you’re thinking about running. You do that and old Bones here will run you down,” said the cowboy.

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