Page 29 of Becca's Trouble

“If it’s anything like his other base of operations, it will be extensive. Separate rooms for labs and living quarters and state-of-the-art security. It will be very hard to sneak up on him. In fact, he probably already knows we’re here.” Becca’s gaze scanned the trees. “He loves surveillance equipment. Gets a thrill at the idea of watching people without their knowing about it.”

A wolf’s howl broke the silence.

They froze and peered around them.

Cameron stepped closer to her. “That sounded close.”

“Too close,” she agreed. “I’ve had too many run-ins with wolves lately. Don’t they usually travel in packs?”

“Yep.” Cameron pulled out his gun and held it in his hand as they walked. “We’ve been walking all day. I was hoping we’d have more to report by now.” He quickly sent their location to Kyle.

Becca frowned. “These Jeep tracks go on forever.”

“If we don’t call Kyle to come and get us soon, we’re going to have to camp for the night,” he said.

She turned back to him and raised her right hand. “I vote for calling Kyle.”

“Okay, the tracks are turning toward the river. Let’s follow them until we find an open area for him to land.”

“Sounds like a plan.” They continued walking for a minute when Becca looked up at him. “What if we’re close to Emerich’s base? Won’t he hear the helicopter? He’d know we’re here.”

“True.”

“Although if we don’t call him, where are we going to sleep? I don’t want to be dinner for a grizzly.”

He grinned at her and winked. “We could tie ourselves up in the top of a tree.”

She scowled. “That’s a terrible idea. Plus, I’m pretty sure bears can climb trees. I’m starting to think this wasn’t such a great plan. We can’t walk across the state of Alaska.”

“It will be fine. I thought you weren’t afraid of anything.”

“I’m not.”

“Except bears?”

“Okay,” she relented. “Except bears.”

They heard a whistling noise.

Cameron held up his hand and they stopped. “That doesn’t sound like any bird I’ve ever heard. Do you sense anything?”

She shook her head.

“It came from over there.” They skirted to the right, off the trail created by the tire tracks. After another ten minutes, they didn’t find anything or hear anything else.

“It was probably just a bird,” Cameron said and laughed at himself. After another twenty minutes, the wind picked up, blowing through the trees. They circled, finding the trail again as black clouds thickened the sky.

Thunder rumbled across the trees.

“Please don’t tell me a storm is rolling in,” Becca said, looking up.

“We should find shelter. Over there.” He pointed to the soaring granite cliffs on the far side of the river.

They hurried toward them as the wind picked up, rushing down deer trails, moving as quickly as they could, trying to beat the storm that would unleash its fury on them at any moment.

They broke through the trees and entered a grassy clearing where a family of elk was grazing. They stopped as the large animals eyed them, still chewing, then put their heads back to the ground. Apparently, whatever they were eating was more interesting than they were.

Then the rain started to fall, coming down in sheets.