Chapter 2

(Two hours later)

The snow was coming down heavier now and the SUV didn't show any signs of stopping when suddenly it swung off a narrow country road and Pete knew he had no choice but to follow even though he also knew that it was probably a trap to catch him. A bullet to his front tire later proved him right as he crashed into a nearby tree. The seatbelt and airbag prevented him from serious injury as he watched the SUV move on.

"Jones…they shot out my tire and I've crashed into a tree. I'm going to follow them on foot…they can't be going too much further. If they are going to do something to Neal it will probably be soon…send help…" and Peter's cell went dead.

Peter cautiously left his vehicle when the SUV suddenly appeared and a window rolled down.

"You can find your consultant up the road…we didn't kill him but he will think twice before pissing me off again," Fuller snarled before laughing as the vehicle sped off but not before shooting out another tire making the journey back quite difficult.

Peter didn't waste a moment before he took off up the road to locate Neal praying that he hadn't been injured to badly. He had only gone a few feet up the road when he saw Neal lying in the snow…or so he thought. He headed straight to what he had been wearing only to find the clothes but not his son. The bastards must have stripped him before leaving him somewhere exposed to the elements.

"NEAL!" Peter shouted over and over as he gathered his discarded clothing and moving on. He finally found him tied hand to foot in the snow shivering. Peter was there is seconds before cutting him free. "Neal, maybe next time you will listen to me when I say to stay put," he said as he helped the younger man get dressed and once that had been accomplished Peter pulled him still shivering to one of the pine trees and thrust him under the tree where he was out of the blowing winds and snow.

"You stay there…I'll be right back," ordered Peter before leaving him momentarily to get supplies from the car so they could survive until help arrived which from the way the wind and snow was blowing may be some time.

"You are trying to tell me that my husband was chasing after a SUV which just kidnapped my son and you haven't found them yet?" asked a peeved Elizabeth Burke.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up," replied Reece Hughes, Peter's boss. "Elizabeth, we will find them. The tracking device on Neal's anklet is still running even though Peter's cell lost power hours ago…it's just with this storm that we can't get people out to actually look for them…but I know Peter and he will get both him and Neal to safety…you've just got to have patience."

"I know Reece; it's just so frustrating not to know anything or to have them here with me. You will of course, let me know when you have found them?"

"You will be the first to know," the older agent promised as he hung the phone up and looked once again at the blowing wind and snow outside his window.

Peter had returned about fifteen minutes after leaving Neal under the protection of the tree. He stuck his head in a moment before he entered pulling out two space blankets. He spread one out and motioned for Neal to sit on it before opening the other and wrapping it around the younger man. "You stay here, while I get a shelter build; I'm afraid that we may be here for a while…its blowing up to be a blizzard out there," Peter explained as he prepared to go back out.

"Peter," Neal cried out scared that the older man might not come back.

Peter looked up and saw the fear in Neal's eyes and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back …my dad and I used to go camping and he taught me how to survive in the wilderness…the shelter I'm about to build won't take long and then I'll be back for you," he added before backing out and was gone.

It was only then that Neal noticed that Peter wasn't dressed in a suit but into something that looked a lot warmer and some of the fear he had felt earlier started to leave.

After leaving Neal Peter looked hurriedly around and found the type of tree he was looking for. It was an evergreen that had branches that went down to the ground offering shelter to any that might need it. He hurried to it and looked inside and smiled. This will be perfect, Peter thought as he saw a natural shelter in front of his eyes, or would be soon. He quickly placed the two backpacks he had brought from his wrecked vehicle's trunk inside before following them in.

Once inside the shelter of the tree's busy branches Peter gathered the dried pine needles into two large piles before spreading two more space blankets on top to protect them from the cold ground…that would keep the chill of the ground from zapping the heat from their bodies. He then pulled out two tarps and some cord from one of the backpacks and quickly punched a hole in the corners with a knife he had also taken from the pack before ducking back outside to tie the tarps outside to the branches to act as a wind guard as well as to keep any blowing snow from entering. The tarps were large enough to cover the outside of the tree.

Peter ducked back in to catch his breath and get out of the wind while he thought of what else he needed to do to keep their shelter snug and looked up…it looked pretty tight up there but he had to be sure he would soon be bringing Neal in and he had to be sure that they stayed warm so he pulled out his last space blanket and position it so that he had a roof to protect them from any falling snow. It wasn't completely tight because he knew that some air needed to come in so they wouldn't use it all up especially since the next bit of business after bringing Neal in would to build a small fire so he could warm Neal up from inside.

Before leaving to get Neal Peter emptied the two backpacks getting ready for what he felt could be a long time before they would be rescued. He had one sleeping bag but it was big enough for two adults to share; a Kelly kettle so they could melt and then boil the snow for water and it would also give them heat. He also pulled out his Firestarters as well as some warm clothes to change Neal into once he brought him over. Then he would have his hands full in keeping them both warm and alive.

Neal was still cold even though having a blanket to sit on as well as one around his shoulders did help he still wanted to be with Peter as was just about to head out to look for his friend when Peter stuck his head in surprising Neal a bit. "Peter! You gave me a start…can I leave now?"

"Yep, I've got everything ready for us, so just come out slowly and hold on to me and I'll lead you to our new home for the next few days," Peter said as he picked up the blanket off the ground and wrapped it around Neal making sure to cover his head as well before backing back out pulling Neal out with him.

The storm had picked up in its intensity since Neal had been under the tree and his fear returned full force but he remembered Peter's instructions and grabbed a hold of Peter's coat and allowed himself to be pulled along and before he knew it he was pushed once again under a tree branch and into a cozy and surprising warm shelter.

Peter ducked in a second later before grabbing a cooking pot and going back outside. He was gone only a minute before he returned with a pot full of snow. "That will be out drinking water as soon as I get a fire started," Peter explained at Neal's look.

Neal watched interestedly as Peter scraped a bit of dried pine needles away to get to the bare ground underneath as he set his Kelly Kettle down. It didn't take him long to scoop some of the snow into the kettle part or put the dried material in the part that held the combustible material before pulling out his fire starter and starting a fire. Neal was amazed at how quickly the fire started or how quickly the snow melted and began to boil.

"It just needs to boil for a few minutes before it will be safe to drink," explained Peter as he pulled out another container and opened a plastic jar and poured some of its contents into the smaller pot before pouring the boiling water on top. Soon he had a hot cup of chicken broth ready for them to drink. "Here drink this; it will warm you up," Peter said as he handed Neal the hot drink.

"Thanks," Neal said as he quickly grabbed the drink holding it in his hands to warm them up before taking a tentatively sip. "This taste so good and it is hot…thanks Peter."

"You're welcomed and after you finish it we are going to get you out of that suit and into something a lot warmer," Peter said as he drank his cup of broth, too.