Day 18

Now I am here, waiting, wondering, thinking, what a mess! Sleep never comes and I decide to start planning for in the morning. If there's any less than a dozen of 'em, I got a pretty good chance. Figure at least three or four more gonna have encounters with my traps out there, before the rest of 'em gets close enough to do any actual damage. Though the cabin was never built with anything like this in mind, the log walls would be efficient to hold off bullets, unless fired from close range. Only three weak spots, one door and two windows. I can live with that.

Nothing better to do, I start counting ammo. Four-hundred-twenty-seven rounds for the MPK, thirteen rounds in the clip of the second SIG—Jimmy still had the other one. Fifty rounds for the Llama, forty-two rounds for the M14s, and a whole bunch of shotgun-shells that I can't use because Cut's Bullpup never turned up again. Bigfoot got it. I snicker at the thought. Well, I still got enough to hold off an army for a day. Just wish I knew them two are okay. I shake off the thought—have to or I might lose my mind.

Buck is snoring, and the night seems to be dragging on forever, perhaps just because the wait is the worst part of it all. I put on some coffee, mainly to keep busy so I don't start thinking again. It doesn't help! Wonder what they did with 'em. Hope they take at least care of his shoulder. Maybe I'n get 'em out of this somehow, maybe Billy can do somethin'. If he gets here at all. Damn, Chase, stop feelin' sorry for yourself, it ain't gettin' you nowhere.

A look at the window, and I notice to my relief that it is getting lighter outside. I finish up the last of the coffee and grab the MPK off my bunk.

Buck raises his head and is up immediately, strolling to the door.

"Sorry, boy, you just gonna have to hold it."

He looks at me with a pitiful expression and whines.

"I know, but they're probably out there waiting already. Guess drinking all that coffee was a mistake, too," I laugh, but don't feel funny at all. "Hope we'll get this over with quick."

My wish is answered instantly when the game-tracker screeches again. Four, I count in my mind, then deduct one because there is another explosion. At the same time the glass from the old windshield shatters and throws splinters in my face. Several bullets slam into the outside of the logs. Great! They really mean business.

"Riggin! You guys don't have a chance." I recognize Micheals' voice. "I'll give you all thirty seconds."

You guys? "Damn, Buck, looks like he didn't get Cut and Jimmy after all."

Another volley of bullets hits the wall.

"Shit, that son-of-a-bitch counts fast!" I still don't return fire. No sense in it. Let 'em come closer first, so I can make it count.

Buck suddenly starts pacing, then stops and scratches the floor beside the fireplace.

"Gees, boy!" It hits me like a ton of bricks. "How the hell could I forget about that? Let's get outa here!" I grin, slide over to him and pull out the small latch, hidden below one of the stones. "Thanks, Buck!"

Not even Cut knows about this, and I hadn't thought about it at all. There is a tunnel below the camp. It hooks into a sidearm of an old abandoned mine-shaft, which ends approximately one mile east of the ridge. The fireplace was a perfect cover for it. Built on rails so it could be moved, and disguised so well that I had forgotten all about it.

Hitting the ground when more bullets come flying through the window, I push against the outlining rocks of the fire-place. It is moving! Thank God! Then the opening is big enough for both of us to squeeze through. Buck hesitates and needs a little convincing. But then he is through, and I grab a flashlight, following quickly. The latch is down, and the opening closes behind me with no problem. Let 'em try and figure this one out.

It is cold down here and pitch-dark, at least until I turn the flashlight on.

"Let's go, Buck! Just hope the shaft ain't caved in. Guess we'll find out, huh?"

#####

We move quickly. A few spots are pretty tight where the walls have partly broken down, but there are no real obstacles. Buck hustles forward. I know he doesn't like tight, dark places, but it is our only chance. The tunnel soon widens. This is where the mine-shaft starts. I grit my teeth, tripping over something. The flashlight shows a wooden beam, one of those holding up the ceiling.

"Damn! " Slow down, Buck!"

He keeps running.

I follow as fast as possible, holding the light down instead of forward now. "Ouch, damn!" My mistake, ran right into that low spot. Boy, Jimmy would have a time in here. Thank God, I'm only six foot tall.

Then it gets lighter, and Buck runs even faster. A low whistle from me, and he stops, looking back.

"Careful, boy. Let me check first." I sneak up to the opening, the MPK ready, and glance around the corner. Nothing. Everything is quiet.

Buck sits down beside me, panting. A good sign. I still wait though. Can't be too careful. Besides, it gives me some time to think. Okay, what now! By the way Micheals talked, they didn't know it was just me and Buck in there. Good! One less worry on my mind. Just hope Cut and Jimmy don't get the idea of coming to my rescue. Damn, there's somethin' I hadn't thought about. They might still get caught if they tried that. I scratch my head and Buck gives me an impatient look.

"Okay, let's go. We'll cut back around, and maybe we'n get close enough to see what's going on. I gotta make sure Cut and Jimmy don't try to be heroes. So stay with me and be quiet, got it?"

A reassuring "whoof", and we are on the way.

#####

Of all days it has to quit raining and the sun is breaking through. Just when I don't need it. A little fog would sure be helpful today. Buck finds himself a tree that seems to his liking, and I take care of 'business' too while I got the chance. No tellin' what's gonna happen later.

We move on. Everything is quiet, perfectly normal—at least until Buck suddenly stops, turns back and growls. I spin around, ducking, the MPK ready. Nothing. Here we go again, same old shit. As if I didn't have enough to worry about. The dog takes off, back toward the mine-shaft, barking and snarling for all it's worth. Then he is gone and it is quiet, totally still. Holding my breath, I try to listen. Nothing. Not the slightest sound.

"Damn!" Hearing myself is almost a comfort. Almost! I wait and watch, kneeling beside a tree and starting to get a cramp in my right leg. Great! This damp weather is killin' me. Suddenly there is a movement, and I forget all about the cramp. What the hell is that?

Something is coming toward me—something pretty damn big.

Gees, what the... I slide up, slowly, with my back against the tree, and peek around the side. It is getting closer and I can smell something. Like rotten leaves or—bear? Nah! It smells different, much stronger. I can hear something now. Leaves rustling, a branch snaps, and another thought pops into my mind. No way! Couldn't be!

It is getting closer, then the sound suddenly stops. Dead quiet again, only my own breath and the blood pounding in my ears. Damn, where did it go? Behind me! I spin around, bring up the MPK, and—

I stare up, my mouth dropping open. Of all things I might have expected, this sure isn't one of them.

This face, almost human, is towering a good two feet over me. I slowly lower the barrel of the MPK, still staring. If anyone had ever told me, I would have thought them completely crazy.

He is just standing there, looking down at me. Then he grabs hold of the MPK, and there is nothing I can do when he rips it out of my hand. An angry grunt, and he tosses it aside.

Finally I come back to life. Ducking out one of the huge paws—or should I say hands—reaching for me, I roll clear. Instantly back on my feet, I am just in time to catch a hit in the chest that knocks the wind out of me. Falling backwards, I keep rolling toward the spot where the MPK lays. My hand reaches out, but he is already there. Damn, he is fast! The realization that I don't stand a chance is the last thing, then the lights go out.

Damn leaves! Ouch, my head! What the fuck happened? Trying to put my thoughts together, I squint up at the green canopy overhead. The drizzle has started again. Guess that's what woke me. How long was I out? Couple of minutes at the most. I sit up with a flinch. There is a nice 'mouse' on my forehead. Okay, where is he? It is a comforting feeling when I reach for the .45 behind my back. Still there. Good! Thanks for the back-up, Cut. I don't intend to shoot him, at least not right away. This is just too intriguing. What is this thing? Or better say who? He was there, no doubt in my mind. And I am here, buried in a bunch of leaves. Just like Cut and Jimmy. So what's gonna happen next? Damn, Chase, this can't be. Things like that don't exist. At least not here in the real world. I gotta go. I gotta find Cut and Chief, before Micheals gets a hold of 'em. I gotta...

That is as far as I get, then he is suddenly back. I never heard him coming, but he is there and I stare again. Gees! I jump up, reaching for the Llama. My hand comes around, and he moves so fast, I don't even have time to blink. A thump, my shoulder pops, and the Llama flies through the air. Shit! I still give him my best shot. My round- house kick catches his belly, and it feels like I just kicked a brick wall. He grunts, and I barely duck out a swipe of his hand.

Jumping back, I trip over something and stumble. His next move knocks me off my feet, my right shoulder hits the ground, and that is all she wrote. I can take pain, but this is just a little too much. Nothing I can do when he picks me up by the belt, throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and takes off. My head is spinning, and the ground is flying by, 90 miles an hour it seems like. Fuck-up number three, Chase! Never underestimate your opponent. Little late for that now.

I have not the slightest idea how far the trip goes. Then suddenly he slows down and ducks low. It gets dark and cold. Looks like some kind of a cave or so. Where the hell is he taking me?

Getting lighter again, I can see the ground once more, flying again, then stopping. A grunt, and he drops me. No, actually he lays me down very gently. I look up and—he is gone. Looking around, I squint, and Cut grins from ear to ear.