A/N: Yes yes. I know it has been forever! Since I updated. But I felt I needed to finishes one story at a time. And then I had finals, graduation and now trying to find a job. I hope you enjoy ;)
It had been about 20 minutes of running by Greg's estimates when Sam finally cried out for them to stop. Parker looked over at Sam who had one hand up against a tree and the other wrapped around his stomach. He tore his eyes away to keep a keen lookout but still could hear the ragged breathing coming from the younger man.
"Sam…Sam I know it sucks but we need to put more distance between us and them until we stop for the night."
"I know boss. But I think we need to start creating false paths for them to follow."
"Ok buddy. You get us till nightfall, and I'll get us from there."
For the next few hours Sam would run down in different directions leaving footprints and breaking twigs. Trying to use anything he could remember from survival training and tracking.
"Ok so what's the plan now?" Greg asked as Sam made his way back from the fifth path he laid out.
"Lets move further in. Then I'll run one more path while you get stuff we need for tonight."
"Copy that. What should I get?" While they made their way further into the woods Sam kept a lookout for a good place to stop for the night. In addition, he went over with Greg what he needed to find. They couldn't make a fire because that would obviously draw to much attention. The only way they were going to be semi warm was to find enough brush and dead leaves to put between them and the ground. A lot of people don't realize that the earth is what will zap all your heat away.
"Here." cough "We can stop here." Panted Sam. "See those bushes over there? Gather up all the dead brush over there, we can use the bushes as cover from the wind."
"Alright kid." And with that Greg watched as Sam hobbled off to go layout another false trail. He hated only relying on Sam and not being able to really contribute. He was use to being a part of a team where everyone had a special skill that assisted in producing a good outcome, but being chased through the woods was not something he had experience in. The part that really frustrated him with himself was the fact of how much he had to rely on Sam who was sick and injured. But he set out and did exactly what Sam told him to while listening for the slightest sounds of their pursuers. Not to mention his constant worry every time Sam ran off. He was worried that Sam would collapse somewhere or get lost and Greg wouldn't be able to find him. But he always came back, more sweaty and wheezing then before, but he always came back.
To keep his conscious mind off of worrying when Sam would make it back, Parker sat down on his new achievement of dead shrubbery and opened to see what things they were given in their tac-vests. Opening up the Velcro pockets Greg took out a water bottle, granola bar, some string and a little bit of duct tape. He only saw them getting any use out of the food and water. Just then he heard the snap of a twig that made him jump. Cautiously poking his head around the bush he saw Sam clumsily making his way over. Greg immediately raced over to help hold up the slouching man and walk him over to their temporary home. It was like a horse shoe. A huge tree in the middle and a couple of bushes that rapped around both sides. Sam had found the best spot, this way they only had to watch one direction.
"There yah go, nice and slow." Greg eased Sam down and leaned him against the tree. He quickly broke the sealed cap and helped Sam drink a few sips of water. Sam motioned that he had enough and sighed closing his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree. He chewed on his lip as he saw how pale Sam's face was against his red cheeks. He lifted up his hand to the other mans forehead and felt heat greater than the last time he checked. 'Damn it!'
"Boss…" Sighed Sam, the tone telling Parker to not go there and start blaming himself.
"How ya feeling buddy?" Greg asked the obviously stupid question, but the hated the awkward silence of them both trying not to think of the worst case scenario.
"Ha, like I just ran a marathon without conditioning first…" cough "so we got ourselves some water eh?"
"hhmmppp. Oh. Yeah we got water, power bar, duct tape and string." Greg laid them out in front of them. "What do you have?"
Sam went to start to pull out the things in his vest, but his arms felt like they made of lead and hands shaking. He was grateful that Greg jumped in and removed the contents and not let him flop around and lose more of his dignity by the second.
"Alright. We have another bottle of water and granola bar, ha..a paper clip, and oh a lighter."
"Yah they probably gave us the lighter hoping we would start a fire with it. Help track us better."
"And what the tape, string and paper clip are for us to send up an SOS?"
Cough "mmm not likely. But I do think I can work with that."
"What now you're MacGyver?"
"Ahah…oh oh ow. ow. Boss. Please no jokes." Said Sam as he had both a smile and a grimace while he tried to shift himself.
"Sorry bud." Greg tried to help Sam find a more comfortable position but was waved off. "Hey, you hungry?" It just came to him that he hadn't had anything to eat since that morning. He opened up the granola bar and handed it to Sam.
Sam just broke of a small piece and chewed it. Greg then broke of piece and ate it too, putting the food back at Sam, only to receive a shake of the head.
"Sam…if you're just trying to save food for later, don't. We'll figure out some way to get food."
"No it's not that." Sam had to pause, the bit he just ate already making him nauseous. "Just not feeling to hot boss."
Greg ran his hand over his head nervously, "Well why don't you just go to sleep. I'll take first watch alright."
"mmhhmm if you say so…" mumbled Sam as he fully succumbed to his exhaustion.
Truth be told he wasn't going to wake Sam up to change shifts and keep a watch out. Sam needed all the rest he could get, besides, he had a child before so he had been use to nights of getting no sleep. Greg sat there, luckily where ever there was didn't get the rain that Toronto had so while it was cold, at least they were dry. The sun was starting to set and it would be dark within the hour, taking the little bit of warmness with it. Positive. He had to think positive. So much of survival is mind of matter, and in order to get both of them through this and find help he needed to keep a level head.
Scooting back he sat up against the tree next to Sam. Bored he picked up the string and started mindlessly fiddling with it while he started to think of things like what their next move should be or what should they do if their pursuers caught up them or an animal.
'Good God' it was really starting to get cold, even his nose was starting to run. He glanced over Sam to his left. The younger man was shaking from the cold, yet his skin was hot to the touch. Even though his eyes were closed, Greg doubted he was getting any really rest. Between the fever, shaking and coughing Sam's face was constantly pinched in pain. Shrugging his jacket off of his stiff body, Greg draped it over the shivering form. Sam's military instincts kicked in when he felt something touching him and he instantly opened his eyes, however, darted around with confusion.
"Hey, hey. Easy every things ok." Said Parker as he tried to calm Sam down who went into a coughing fit. He held the bottle of water up to Sam's lips. "Sorry about that. Just try to get yah a little warmer."
Sam looked down and finally his fevered brain allowed him to figure out what was going on. "uh uh boss. It's yours, take it back."
"Not gonna happen buddy, you need it more than me. How the ribs feeling?" Greg glares at Sam with a look that says don't you dare say 'fine.'
"They hurt."
"Ok. Thanks smart ass." It didn't take a genius to know how worse Sam was getting, but he felt that he needed to know where they were at; and he was thankful that Sam still had it in him to joke around.
"How long was I out for? My turn to keep watch?"
It had been a couple hours but Greg just told him he wasn't out that long and to go back to sleep. As Sam passed out against the tree again Greg prayed they could make it through the night without any problems and could find help soon.
_flashpoint_
"Spike! Where are we on the traffic cameras?" Shouted Ed as he entered the room where Spike was sitting in front of computers looking over the traffic camera footage for the past two hours.
"There is no camera at the intersection of the accident and I'm trying to clean up some of the other footage where it looks like a suspicious vehicle from the cameras around it, the only trouble was they were slightly distorted from rain droplets on the lenses so I haven't been able to get a license or good enough picture to the driver to run a match."
"Jules, Wordy you got anything on witnesses out there?" Questioned Ed into the com-link in his ear.
"Not yet Ed. We can't seem to find anyone that would have seen anything." After both Sam and Greg failed to answer any calls Spike pulled up the SUVs GPS. Ed didn't know what to expect when he pulled up to the smashed vehicle, but learning that the two teammates were missing was definitely not one of them. After securing the scene he told Wordy and Jules to stay behind and look the crime scene over while asking around to see if anyone saw what happened and wait for back up to arrive. While he and Spike went back to headquarters to run intelligence and organize a plan from there. Hearing that they couldn't find a witness was just what he feared since it was on the outskirts of town and not around much of anything.
"Alright. Just keep pounding the pavement." Ed didn't need to say what they were all thinking. That their teammates were in trouble and the longer it took meant they had less of a chance of finding them.
_flashpoint_
So how was it? I'm not entirely happy with it, but I figured it had been long overdue so I should just post something for all of you. Don't worry, Sam will be in for a lot more wump…just couldn't give it him all in one chapter. Pretty please review!