Chapter 6

It was a sleepless night for both Eliot and Sophie as they sat worrying about Nate. Eliot checked the man whose condition was starting to get bad, he had developed a serious infection of that Eliot was sure, he had still not regained consciousness and he was losing a lot of blood albeit slowly. Eliot even considered trying to make it down to the cabin in the dark but gave that up as too dangerous for both him and Nate.

As the sun started to rise Sophie and the others were ready to start again. Hardison had received a report from the Rangers that they had found a backpack with the phone in it and no sign of either Nate or Eliot. The chopper also reported no sightings, neither of the reports gave the three people who set off down the trail a good feeling and increased their urgency as they walked up the trail. At the same time Eliot had put out their small fire and after checking Nate again he lifted the Mastermind up and headed off down the trail again. He decided that stopping to check Nate was not really helping, he had to get the man to the cabin and then to a hospital as soon as possible or he was going to die.

"You just damn well hold on Nate you hear me." Eliot said as he walked at a fast pace knowing that that was causing even more friction to Nate's wounds but doubting it would make that much difference. It worried him that the man had not woken even with the amount of pain he must be in but there was nothing he could do about it.

He had been walking for nearly two hours when he saw three figures approaching him along the trail. Sophie looked ahead and saw Eliot carrying something over his shoulders ahead of her.

"Eliot." She called out and broke into a run heading for the Hitter with Parker and Hardison following.

"Nate…" Sophie said as she came up on the Hitter.

"He's hurt bad, we have to get him to a hospital." Eliot said looking at the woman.

"I'll get down and get the van ready with first aid stuff for you Eliot." Parker said knowing there was nothing else she could really do.

"I'll go with." Hardison said following the woman down the trail at a slow run.

"Eliot?" Sophie asked as she fell in behind the Hitter as he started down the trail again.

"A black bear, damn fool pushed me out the way." Eliot said. "He fell of the end of the trail and down to the bottom of the slope to a little stream, he hit his head, his leg is badly broken, and he has some serious injuries to his chest and shoulders from the bear. I don't know if there are any internal injuries. He regained consciousness once but not again, he took quite a knock to the head, he has lost a lot of blood." Eliot said holding nothing back from her. "He has a high fever and I'm not sure if it is from the leg or his other injuries. He is also dehydrated, I tried to get some fluids into him but couldn't really get much down."

Sophie listened to the man and her face became bleaker as she noted all the injuries and possible problems Nate had. She could see the blood on Eliot's back and knew instinctively it was not his but Nates. She wanted to tell the man he was a stupid fool for letting this happen to Nate but bit her tongue, it was not his fault she knew that, but she was scared, more scared than she had ever been in her life.

Eventually they reached the cabin to find the van idling ready to go the door open with a blanket laid out in the back. Eliot carefully lowered the injured man onto it and then climbed into the van with him. Sophie climbed in after him and closed the door with Parker setting off down the little road.

"Slowly Parker, we don't need an accident now and this road is tricky." Eliot said and Parker nodded slowing the van down as they traversed the difficult terrain.

"Hardison nearest hospital?" Parker asked as they drove and Hardison quickly pulled up the GPS and located the nearest hospital to their position. He also notified the Forestry Services that they had found Nate and Eliot as well as notifying the helicopter search team.

Eliot removed Nate's shirt and then opened the bandages revealing the long deep gouges left by the bear and redressed them. Then he redressed the head wound. There was nothing more he could really do for the leg, so he just made sure it was as immobilised as possible. He noted that Nate's pulse was now racing, and his breathing was slow and very shallow.

Sophie sat on the other side of Nate watching as Eliot worked. She gasped as he revealed the injuries the bear and given him. Once Eliot was finished dressing the head wound she put her hand on his forehead and ran it down his cheek.

"Hold on Nate, you have held on until now you can hold on a little longer." Sophie whispered to him and then leaned in and put her lips to his as she fought back her tears.

Finally they reached the bottom of the little road and then Parker sped up heading for the hospital.

"Hardison get the hospital on the phone I want to brief them so they will be ready for him when we arrive." Eliot instructed and Hardison nodded then handed him the phone after dialling the number.

They arrived at the hospital in under twenty minutes from leaving the little mountain road and the doctor met them at the door with a team of nurses and a gurney ready to take Nate into the ER. The four members of Leverage were left to wait as they were told they could go no further than the door. Sophie filled in the paperwork for Nate and listed herself as his wife knowing that hospitals only gave information on patients out to next of kin.

"I'm sorry Sophie." Eliot said as she took a seat to wait for news on Nate.

"Not your fault Eliot and you got him out, you took care of him and got him out."

"I didn't even see the damn bear and he could have just shouted but…but he pushed me out of the way and…and…he…dammit Sophie he shouldn't have done that…he…I…he…"

"Eliot listen to me this is not your fault ok and Nate is going to be fine." Sophie said meeting the Hitters eyes. "He's going to be fine." She repeated trying to convince herself it was true.