Chapter 5

"Ok I have traced the phone and it isn't at the cabin." Hardison said looking up from his computer as Parker drove towards Eliot's cabin.

"Well where is it then Hardison?"

"Here…" Hardison said pulling up a map of the area.

"What the hell is it doing there?" Sophie asked. The area the signal was coming from seemed to be deep into the forest in an area that had no hiking trails running through it. "Something has happened. Hardison?"

"I am alerting the Rangers to a possible situation and I am arranging for a search helicopter." Hardison said working on his computer feverishly.

"Maybe they just lost the phone on their hike and they are at the cabin." Parker said trying to quell the feeling that Nate and Eliot were in mortal danger.

"Maybe but rather safe than sorry." Hardison replied and Sophie smiled at him nodding in agreement.

By the time they arrived at the cabin the Forest Rangers were making their way to the coordinates that Hardison had given them and there was a search helicopter flying over the area looking for any sign of Nate and Eliot.

"Eliot's car is still here." Parker said as she pulled up.

The all piled out of the van and headed into the cabin with Sophie calling Nate's name out as she went but getting no answer. It did not take them long to see that the cabin was empty.

"Where the hell are they?" Sophie said as she stepped outside and looked out at the forest and the mountains surrounding them.

"The Rangers will be at the coordinates in about four hours, it is difficult terrain to cross." Hardison reported.

"They went on a hike right?" Sophie said. "Hardison pull up this area and all the hiking trails they could have taken. Nate said they were going to hike up a small peak so look at those ones first."

"Right." The Hacker said and pulled up the area. "Ok there are four different possibilities, they all head up towards this peak here."

"So which one did they take?" Parker asked looking at the map.

"I don't know but I would think that Eliot would pick the easiest one for Nate's sake." Sophie said.

"Yeah ok so that would be this one." Hardison said. "Do we go?"

"Yes we go." Sophie said. "But guys we go as far as we can and be able to get back down here before night comes we can't afford to get ourselves into trouble as well."

"Agreed." Parker said then looked at the Grifter. "Sophie you can't hike like that."

"Oh yes of course." Sophie said walking over to the van to retrieve the clothing that Parker had packed for her just in case they would have to do a hike themselves. She quickly changed her shoes put on a pair of jeans, with Hardison also swapping his shoes for hiking boots. As they set off down the trail Eliot was headed back to their camp still unable to find the pack.

"Nate…" Eliot said as he got back to their little camp, but the Mastermind was out again.

Eliot dropped to his knees beside the man and took his wrist feeling for his pulse. It was a lot faster than he liked. His breathing had also become fast and shallow. He put his hand on the man's forehead and felt the heat emanating from him. Dammit Eliot thought, well that seals it. He sighed and then started to pack up his things. They could not stay another night, he had to try to get Nate out, even if he just got him up to the little trail, there was more of a chance of him finding better shelter for them there than down here. A half hour later he was ready to move.

"Ok Nate well maybe it is better you are not conscious for this because it is going to hurt like a bitch." He said as he lifted the man up and flung him over his shoulders in a fireman's carry as carefully and gently as he could. Then he started up the slope.

It took Eliot almost an hour to get Nate up the slope having to manoeuvre through the trees without knocking his leg or any other part of his body, he had to drag the Mastermind part of the way as it was too difficult to keep his own feet while carrying him. Finally they reached the little path and Eliot lay Nate out as he checked out all his wounds. His leg was bleeding again as where the deep gashes on this chest and shoulders. He felt extremely hot to the touch and his heartbeat was high. Eliot sat down beside him and pulled out his water bottle.

"You have to have some water Nate." He said as he moved his head back and let a few drops fall into his mouth. "That's it Nate just a few drops ok, you need to stay hydrated."

Eliot leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. "Dammit Nate you have to make it through this understand, you have to." He whispered. Then he stood up and once again lifted Nate onto his shoulders and started off down the little trail.

It was slow going and he had to stop frequently to check on Nate's condition. He tired to keep his leg as protected and supported as possible and he could feel Nate's blood on his back as his wounds seeped more and more. He would have liked to have constructed a litter to be able to drag him along, but he did not have anything to be able to do that. He had only gone a few miles when the first raindrops began to fall, he briefly thought of stopping and finding shelter but decided to get as far as he could while the rain was light and if he found a good place to shelter Nate he would stop for the duration. An hour later he spotted an outcrop a little way up the hill and decided to stop and seek shelter there. He quickly made his way up the little slope and then gently lowered Nate to the ground making sure his entire body was sheltered from the rain. He checked him over again and redressed the wounds as well as he could before trying to get as much water into him as he could.

"Ok Nate well it looks like we might be spending the night here." Eliot said as he watched the rain pound down, the storm he estimated would last at least an hour and then it would be starting to get dark. He moved to go in search of some firewood for later before the wood was too wet to be useful.

As Eliot took shelter with Nate Sophie and the others walked resolutely up the mountain looking for any sign of Nate and Eliot. They had been walking for a few hours going slowly so as not to miss anything, they did not want to walk right past the two people they were looking for, when the rain started to pound down on them. The storm got worse and finally they all decided they needed to head back to the cabin. Dejectedly they turned and headed back down the trail which had now become slippery and dangerous so it was slow going and they reached the cabin as the sun started to set.