As usual... don't own them - I just use them!

Happy Reading!
Lisa

Chapter 10

Patrol

7:30am

Michelle and Lara had made the decision the night before to show up at the coordinates with thermoses of coffee for the guys. When they arrived, the guys were getting prepared to head out to try and find Heidi.

Michelle walked over to Vince. "How are you guys holding up?" She handed him a thermos.

Vince sighed, "we're okay. We are going to find Heidi-ho, I know it."

Michelle looked at Vince, "you bet you are. You have to get our girl back to us. Mac needs to be turned over to the police."

A few steps away, Dean and Lara were having a similar conversation. "Lara, are you sure you're okay?" Dean looked her over, concerned that she was pushing herself too much.

Lara nodded, biting back a smile. It felt good to know that he was concerned about her. "Yeah, I'm okay. I won't be doing any hiking, and I will stay here with Michelle and the police the entire time."

Dean looked around, "where are the police anyway?"

Lara shrugged, "guess they couldn't find the place. Go figure." She handed Dean a thermos of coffee. "Take this with you. Keep warm." Lara rubbed her hands together. She had put her gloves in her pocket, and just might need them today. Before she could help it, she threw her arms around Dean and hugged him tight. "Be careful. He's dangerous."

Dean took the time to hug her back. He didn't care who saw him. "I will be, you too." He pulled back and saw a tears pooling in Lara's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Lara shook her head, clearing the tears as much as possible. "Nothing. I am just worried about Heidi and you guys." Lara rested her hands on his chest. "Bring her back to us, Dean. I know you can do it."

Dean felt warmed by her trust in him. He had that much trust in himself, but it felt good to know that Lara felt the same. "I will." He shot her a smile and marched off, rushing to catch up to Chase, Jordan and Vince.

Michelle came up and put her arm around Lara. "They will be fine, Lara. They have to be."

Lara nodded and sighed. "Let's hope the coppers show up sooner rather than later."

Heidi

9:00 am

Heidi groaned and rolled over. It felt as though she had fallen asleep with the window open during the night and she woke up freezing. It took only a few short moments for her to realize that she was definitely not in her bed, and there was a reason why she was so cold. She had fallen asleep, soaking wet. Opening her eyes slowly, she took in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was Mac, sitting there watching her, his gun in his hands. Slowly, she shifted into a sitting position, her body protesting every movement. Soreness she could handle, it was the bone chilling cold that she was having a hard time with.

"Bout time you woke up." Mac snarled.

Heidi's stomach clenched at the sound of his voice. Sleep had obviously not dulled his surliness; in fact, it seems to have made it worse. "I'm sorry – you should have woken me." Heidi pushed herself to her feet, her ankle protesting the movement. "I'm ready to go when you want," Heidi said, hoping to sound cheerful.

Mac seemed surprised by her willingness to move. "Okay, let's go." He waited for Heidi to join him before moving.

Heidi looked out at the sky and groaned again. "Looks like rain again," she commented. "All the more reason to get moving." Honestly, she didn't want to be out in the elements any more than she had to. Her body was already so cold, that she wasn't even sure she could climb today, but ultimately knew that she had no choice. She noticed the lack of ropes, and began to realize just how insane Mac was. They were going to climb without a safety harness. She hadn't done that in a very long time. Fear invaded her senses and she pushed it back. She had no time to be afraid.

Mac stopped in front of the rock face 10 minutes later and looked at Heidi. "You go first, I don't trust you not to run away." He smiled at her, as if he knew that that was what she would do.

Heidi shrugged. "Okay. How far up are we going?"

"Just to the second ledge." Mac replied.

Heidi took a deep breath, and put her foot on the first rock. It was going to be a long climb.

Patrol

10:00am

Jordan pushed through an opening and groaned. It felt as though they were going in circles. Vince took one look at him and proposed they take a break and regroup. The guys removed their packs, and rest for a few moments.

Vince pulled out his map, "look, we've covered this section already. We are making good time." Looking around, he could see nothing but trees.

"Mac is an expert climber." Chase mentioned. "Don't forget, they could be anywhere."

Jordan shot him a look, "really, thanks Chase. Not that I was worried or anything!" He shouldered his pack, and started roaming around the break area.

Vince held up his hands to stop the other guys from going after him. "Give him a few moments alone, guys."

Jordan was looking at the ground, obviously trying to get it together. His head snapped up, and he let out a cry. "Guys! I found something." He kneeled down and used his gloved hand to hold up a piece of bloody gauze. It was fresh. "This must have been around her wrist. She must have lost it."

Vince nodded. "That means we are heading the right direction." Looking at the map, Vince knew that some cliffs and bluffs weren't too far from where they were. "Chase mentioned that he's a climber. Let's head in this direction, towards the mountain. Whatever we do, let's not scream out her name."

"Let's go!" Jordan practically shouted. They took off in the direction that Vince had indicated, their energy renewed.

Heidi

Heidi pulled herself up with shaking arms to the first ledge and pulled up against the wall. She waited for Mac to join her, before sighing. She knew it was wrong, but deep down, she had hoped he might fall. "No slacking, Heidi. Time to climb." Her ankle was throbbing, her limbs protesting every movement she made.

Heidi stood, her whole body aching with fatigue. "Listen, Mac. I need to rest... I don't know if I can make the climb. Can we please rest for 5 minutes?" Heidi coated her words with a sweetness she didn't know she had in her.

Mac looked her over and realized that she was most likely telling the truth. He opened his pack and gave her an energy bar. "Here, eat one of these. It might help you feel better."

Heidi took the bar, too hungry and too tired to fight. "Thanks." She chewed the bar slowly, and even though it tasted like chalk, she enjoyed it.

Mac nodded and inhaled one himself. He watched Heidi as she ate hungrily. "Almost ready to go?"

Heidi stared at Mac incredulously. "Uh, I guess." She limped over to where she needed to be to start to climb when she heard a clap of thunder ring out. "Let's get going." Adrenaline had her pushing herself upwards towards the second level. The last thing she wanted to do was to be stuck on a rock face, with thunder and lightning.

She must have been about half way up before the rain began coming down in sheets. She continued to climb, and could feel her hands and feet slipping off as she kept on pushing forward. Her hat blew off her head, and she was too afraid to try and reach for it. Fatigue and fear had her climbing faster than she normally would. Everytime her foot slipped, she hung on for dear life with her hands. She pulled herself up onto the ledge with the last burst of energy she had, before collapsing.

Her breaths came in rasps, her lungs aching. Great, thought Heidi, just another thing that is sore. Her entire body was chilled but on fire at the same time.

Mac stepped over the ledge and nearly fell over her prone figure. "Heidi! What the hell?" Mac shouted over the rain.

Heidi couldn't bring herself to move. She was spent. She watched Mac with half-closed eyes.

Mac dumped his pack in the cave a few steps away and went back to collect Heidi. "Heidi. Get up." He pushed at her with his feet. When she didn't move, he grew frustrated. "Get up!" He shouted at her, kicking her harder. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her and dragged her towards the cave. Once they were out of the rain, he tossed her to the side. "There. Can't even get out of the rain by yourself."

Heidi watched him, trying to get her strength back. At least she was out of the wind and rain. Slowly, Heidi painfully moved herself into a seated position. "Mac, I need water." She shrugged out of her sopping wet jacket and tried to wring it out. She left it lying on a rock. She couldn't stand to have it on her back for a moment longer.

Mac threw a bottle in her direction, the bottle rolling to a stop by her leg. Heidi took it grudgingly. "Drink up, Heidi. We are going to settle in here for a while. Until the hounds have stopped searching for us."

Heidi laughed. "They will never stop looking," she shook her head. "They will never stop."

Mac marched over to her. "You think you are so smart." He crouched down so that his face was even with hers. His face turned mean as he reached out and stroked her face. "You think that they care that much about you? They don't care about you. They don't love you like I do."

Heidi stayed stark still – not sure of what she should do or say. Mac had obviously gone off the deep end again, dangling on the precipice of sanity. "Mac- " Heidi started.

"Shhh... " Mac said, his fingers covering her lips. "We are meant to be together, Heidi. We can live here for as long as needed." He stroked her face again.

"Mac I don't think that's a good idea." Heidi whispered. "I know you mean well and that you care, but Mac..."

"No no no!" Mac shouted. "This is has got to stop! You need to realize that we are meant to be together, Heidi. I will not let anyone stand in my way!" Mac was getting louder and louder. He stood and started to pace. He grabbed the gun from his back pocket and continued pacing.

"Mac, Please! If you love me, you will let me go."

Mac swung towards her, his eyes wild. Heidi realized then that she had made a very very big mistake.

Patrol

Jordan pushed forward through the rain, cursing Mac the entire way. If only he hadn't taken Heidi, everything would have been fine. They would have been joking around the office, going out on rescues and just enjoying their lives. But instead, they were tracking Heidi and Mac, hoping to find her alive.

They came to a rock face and looked up. There was a cave a ways up, but it was entirely possible that they might be up there. The sound of Chase's voice brought Jordan back to reality.

"Over here!" He reached out and snagged Heidi's cap from a bush. "It's Heidi's!"

Jordan ran over, looking at the cap. It was definitely hers.

The four men were looking at each other and then looking around for Heidi. They knew that they were close.

They looked up again, staring at the mountain. Vince was the first to speak. "They must have gone up."

Jordan removed his pack and started prepping his ropes, the three others following suit. They were going up, despite the weather.

The next sound would stay with them for the rest of their lives. A gunshot sounded from the cave above, followed by a shrill scream.

"Heidi!" Jordan cried, tossing his ropes aside. He couldn't wait. He set off up the mountain, Dean, Vince and Chase right behind him.