It had been several hours since Jessie and Shock had left Copper Canyon after deciding to chase after Extroyer. Within a few minutes of landing there they had been attacked and had lost radio contact. As the hours went by and with no word from either, all of N-Tek was looking for them. But when they couldn't get through Berto found himself getting ready to go after them, only to be stopped by Commander Forge just as he was leaving his lab.
"Where are you going, Martinez?" He asked the young scientist who couldn't help glaring. "I know you're worried about Jessie and Shock but rushing after them isn't going to help. We have no idea where they are or even if they're still in the Arctic." Forge told him.
"I know I can find her. She was still wearing my ring when she left." Berto said and Forge raised an eyebrow. "It has a built in tracking device. I never got to tell her that but as long as she has it I can find her."
"Then where is she?" Forge asked and Berto turned to his computer. His hands flying over the keyboard he soon brought up an image of the base and the surrounding area. Onscreen a dark green dot appeared some distance away from the base. "But that's miles from the base."
"I don't know how they ended up there but we need to get there now. If they're out there for too long…" Berto said and Forge nodded. He already knew; any longer and they'll freeze. Within minutes Max and Steel were in the air in the Turbo Jet. Berto had wondered why Kat and Jefferson hadn't gone with them in their Jump Jets until he realized that the Turbo Jet could get there in minutes, rather than hours. I should know I designed and built it myself, he thought as he silently urged Jessie and Shock to hold on just a little longer.
Meanwhile some distance away from the Arctic base I was limping through the snow. Linked with Shock and for the moment in Base mode, I could hear his voice in my head as I staggered through the snow. Even now and then I tripped, not seeing a branch or putting my foot in a snowdrift and having to climb to my feet again. Shivering I knew I had to get out of the wind and cold but with my Turbo energy running on empty I didn't see how.
"We have to find shelter." Shock told me and I knew he was right. Even in my Base suit I couldn't stop myself from shaking and it was getting harder and harder to keep moving.
"I…need to…rest." I coughed as I took another step. "Just…for a few…minutes."
"No Jessie. If you do we'll freeze. You can do this." Shock said and I sighed, continuing through the snow. "There's a building just up ahead. You're almost there." Stumbling along I stared straight ahead but I couldn't see anything except more snow.
"There's nothing…whoa!" I yelled suddenly when I almost slammed face first into a wall. Confused I put my hands out in front of me and as I walked I found that Shock was right; it was a building. Hurrying I soon came across the door and reached for the doorknob, only to find the door was jammed. Freezing and in pain from a possible twisted ankle I shoved the door as hard as I could and managed to push the door open. Relieved I hurried inside and shoved the door closed again. Finally inside and sheltered from the cold I sat heavily on the floor and Shock detached as I shivered. Removing my helmet I sighed, thankful to be able to rest. Unfortunately for me Shock had other ideas as he flew into my face.
"Hey you need to stay awake!" Shock yelled at me and my eyes shot open. "You need to keep warm so light a fire." He told me as I glared at him, standing and rubbing my arms.
"How exactly? I forgot to bring matches." I grumbled as I moved around the room. Ignoring my sarcasm Shock grabbed some boxes and dropped them in the middle of the room. "What are those for?"
"Use your Turbo powers on them." Shock asked and when I stared at him, confused, he rolled his eye. "To start a fire." He added and I nodded. Walking over I called up the last of my Turbo energy and as my hands glowed green I launched it at the boxes. The second the energy hit the boxes I knocked most of them away and I groaned in frustration, only to see a spark and within a few more seconds it began to burn. Surprised I watched on as Shock grabbed some more boxes and added to the pile and soon I joined in, trying to help and keep myself awake. Soon the boxes were ablaze and I stood back watching the fire until Shock flew over to me. "You should sit down. You look ready to drop." He told me and that's when I noticed that the room was going blurry. Sitting in front of the fire I held my hands close to the fire and tried to warm myself. As I sat there I wondered if anyone knew where we were and hopefully they had sent help.
"Do you think anyone's coming to rescue us?" I said as I found myself unable to believe we were stranded. I had originally hoped that the N-Tek base here in the Arctic would come looking for us once Commander Forge had contacted them but considering the blizzard outside I wasn't too surprised that at the moment we were on our own.
"Of course. I'll bet that Max Steel's on his way now." Shock answered though even he wasn't sure that they would get here in time. "Hey I sent out a distress signal ages ago so they'll probably show up in the next few minutes." He added as he watched me. When I didn't answer right away he began to worry. "How are you holding up?" He asked me and I shrugged.
"Still freezing if that's what you're asking." I muttered as I felt my eyelids drooping and I shook my head, fighting the urge to sleep. "And my ankle hurts. I can't remember how I injured it too."
"Probably when you got knocked flying by Extroyer." Shock answered and I shuddered, remembering instantly the moment he came after me in polar bear form. Getting slammed by twelve hundred pounds of bear hurts, especially one who can change shape at will. When I heard Extroyer had travelled all the way out to the Arctic I had rushed away before anyone could stop me and that proved to be a major mistake. After getting my head handed to me I somehow managed to get away when the blizzard had rolled in from nowhere. It didn't help that I'd hurt my leg somewhere along the way but that was a small price to pay after fighting a polar bear and walking away.
"Man that was humiliating. I can't believe I lost." I groaned as I shivered again and I moved a little closer, trying to get warm.
"Actually we lost. But it doesn't matter now." Shock said as he hovered beside me and I sighed. "The important thing is to get back home. I'm sure Berto's worried about you."
"I'm sure he's worried about both of us and not just me." I replied and he nodded. For the next few minutes we sat in silence, both lost in our own world, as the wind howled outside. Sitting on the cold floor I felt myself once again dozing off and as I went to close my eyes I heard something. I listened closely but the wind outside made it near impossible to hear anything. Giving up I started to doze when I was woken by something outside the building and I struggled to my feet. Linking with me, Shock urged me to be careful and after nodding I limped towards the door. Knowing I was too weak to change to modes I put my arms out in front, fists out though I wondered what good that would do. To my shock I heard the door bang open and as I got ready to fight I took a step back when Max Steel greeted me.
"There you two are. We've wondered where you got to." Max said standing in a new mode I'd never seen before. "Hey are you okay?" He asked as my arms dropped to my sides. Still unable to keep from shivering I was somehow able to glare at him.
"I…t..thought...y.. you…were...Ex…troyer." I stammered, shaking so bad that I couldn't help slurring my words. "You…sc...cared me. And the f...fire's gone ou…t because o..ff you." I managed before I stumbled and almost hit the floor. Somehow I caught myself in time and managed to stay standing.
"We'd better get you back." Max said as he quickly switched back to Base Mode. Wrapping his arm around my shoulders he helped me towards the door. As he helped me outside I saw the Turbo Jet sitting just beside the building and I sighed with relief. Climbing inside I sat behind Max while he closed the lid. T.J, the Turbo Jet's artificial intelligence, eyed me for a moment.
"Why did you go off on your own?" She asked me as I made another attempt to stay awake. Before I could answer my head fell forward against my chest and I closed my eyes. "Hello? Well that was rude."
"Jessie?" I heard someone say and that roused me enough to finally open my eyes, wondering why whoever it was wouldn't let me sleep.
"Huh? Wha?" I mumbled, yawning to find Berto standing nearby, looking worried. Beside the bed I was lying on I found Kat. "What's…going on?" I asked as I felt myself shaking again. Sitting I noticed at Forge, Max, Steel and Shock were standing nearby watching on.
"Hmm." She muttered to herself. Holding a thermometer in my ear she knelt beside me until we heard a beep and she removed it. "It's 30.0 degrees. She has hypothermia." She told everyone and as she stepped back Berto moved forward.
"Hey." I muttered and he frowned at me. "What's wrong?" I asked and he stared at me.
"Her lips are blue. What do we do?" He asked as I wondered why he looked so scared. Within a few minutes I found myself literally buried in blankets. Still confused I sat there as Berto sat beside me. Wordlessly he grabbed one of the blankets and began rubbing my shoulders with it. Still shivering I managed to speak.
"Wha…what are you…doing?" I stammered as he continued rubbing my shoulders.
"I'm trying to warm you up. Your body temperature's too low from being outside in the snow so I'm doing what I can to help you. At least now I can help you." He told me and even in my half-frozen state I could hear the worry in his voice.
"You…di..did help me." I managed and he looked at me for a moment. "I…k..know about the tracking device. S…Shock found it." When Berto heard that he sighed and stopped what he was doing for a moment.
"I didn't make the tracking device to keep tabs on you. It was in case of an emergency. " He explained and I gave him a slight smile. "I didn't think I'd have to use it so soon."
"Heck…of a field…test." I replied feeling a little warmer and I heard Berto chuckle. Returning to rubbing my shoulders and now also my back I sat there in silence. After a few minutes more Berto reached over and stroked my cheek.
"You're still ice cold." He muttered and I turned slightly. "How long were you two outside?"
"Counting the battle with Extroyer and wandering around in the blizzard…about four hours. Give or take." Shock told Berto whose eyes went wide for a moment. "What's wrong with you?" He asked Berto who stood and wrapped the blanket around my shoulders. When he rushed away I stared at his retreating back then at Shock who shrugged. A few minutes later Berto returned with a cup that had steam rising from it. As he gently pushed it into my hands I blinked at him confused.
"Its hot chocolate." He explained me as I went to take a sip, only to burn the tip of my tongue. "You might want to blow on it first." He added trying not to laugh when I frowned slightly. Still shaking from being cold I took another sip of the chocolate and sighed, feeling better. Noticing the smile on my face Berto did laugh this time. "Feeling better?" He asked and I nodded.
"Thanks…Berto." I said as I took another sip of the hot chocolate. Drinking the chocolate warmed me up and I soon stopped shivering. "Much better." I sighed as Berto resumed rubbing my shoulders. After a while, between the warmth of the chocolate and Berto rubbing my shoulders I began to feel sleepy and as I felt my eyelids start to close the cup slipped out of my fingers. Thankfully it was empty when it hit the ground but the sound of it hitting the floor startled Berto who stopped what he was doing for a moment. Looking down at the fallen cup and then back at me Berto smiled, noticing that I had started to doze off. Retrieving the empty cup and setting it down on the table he asked how I was feeling now, reaching over to touch my cheek. To his relief I was a lot warmer.
"Sleepy." I mumbled as my head drifted towards my chest. "Not cold…now." I added as I attempted to stay awake. Seeing how tired I was Berto suggested I lie down and I tried to protest. "No…I'm okay." I muttered before I almost slipped off the bed and Berto had to grab my shoulders to keep me upright. Again he told me to rest and when Shock detached and stared at me I rolled my eyes. "Two against…one. No fair…alright I'll…lie down." I grumbled as I lay back. Standing next to the bed Berto made sure I was going to stay put. Closing my eyes I began to doze.
"Man she's impossible." Shock commented and when I didn't reply Berto smiled. " At least she's finally asleep."
"Is she going to be alright?" Berto asked Shock who watched his partner for a moment. When Berto reached down and gently stroked my cheek I sighed and he smiled at me.
"I think she's going to be fine." The Ultralink replied as Berto covered me until just my head was visible and together they left the Medical Bay. Between the trip to and from the Arctic, the battle with Extroyer and the long trek through the blizzard I was pretty exhausted and I didn't wake up until hours later. And then I only stayed awake for a few minutes when Berto returned to make sure I was okay. Looking down at me he reached over and went to adjust the blankets covering me when I stirred.
"Lo siento Jessie." He said as I opened my eyes and blinked up at him. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"That's…okay." I muttered as I lay there, still half asleep. "What's…going on?" I asked him and he sighed. "Nothing good huh?"
"Yeah Extroyer's still loose and the Ultimate Elementor's nowhere to be found." Berto told me and it was my turn to sigh. "But we'll catch them." He added as I yawned. " You still look pretty tired. Maybe you should rest a little longer." He suggested as I attempted to sit up, only to wince. "What's wrong?" He asked me and I eventually told him that I hurt my ankle fighting Extroyer. I shifted over and Berto sat next to me as I told him that I'd hurt the ankle on my left leg. After lifting my leg onto the bed Berto reached over and moved his hand along it until I winced. When he found the spot where I'd injured it he began to massage my ankle and after a few minutes it felt better.
"Thanks…Berto." I mumbled as I again fought the urge to sleep. "It doesn't hurt so much now." Grinning at me Berto continued rubbing my ankle with his hands then he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. When I turned my head towards him we stared at each other for a few seconds before he moved next to me and leaned over. As I felt his lips on mine I reached over and wrapped my arms around his neck and as I did Berto did the same to me. Holding each other we kissed until my arms slipped from his neck as I felt exhaustion start to take its toll on me. Sensing something was wrong Berto broke apart and asked if I was alright.
"You don't look so good. Maybe you should…" Berto began to say before I snuggled against him and closed my eyes. "Umm…Jessie?" He said and when he realized I had fallen asleep he chuckled. Knowing he couldn't move without waking me he reached over and pulled me closer. Wrapping the blankets around us he leaned against me and closed his eyes. Seconds later he had fallen asleep, his head resting on my shoulder.