Heidi unpacked the tents and synthetic insulated blankets, tossing them to the wary climbers by the fire. Jason, Liam and then Rhea. The woman, face pale, lips a little blue, wore a dazed expression and shivered. It appeared she might be getting hypothermic. None of that came as a surprise considering the climbers had been waiting for hours for the SAR team to arrive.
Heidi must have let her gaze linger on Rhea too long because the woman blinked and looked up from the fire, regarding Heidi with an odd expression. Heidi hated that Rhea gave her the creeps. She was here to assist Rhea and her climbing buddies, so Heidi didn’t like thinking that way about anyone. Yet she almost wished the moon wasn’t shining on the woman’s face. Soon enough, she’d have her wish as the light in the sky shifted behind the mountains or the storm clouds hid it from view. Unfortunately, she didn’t relish working in the dark, either.
Heidi focused her attention back on removing the needed equipment from the various packs. The snow flukes to help secure the tents against the heavy and wet snow, along with the high winds that would come with the expected storm. The small camping stove and fuel they’d mostly use to melt snow for water. Sleeping bags. Now all she needed was some help to get the tents set up.
A blast of icy wind swept over her. It was definitely picking up. She shivered at the thought. Heidi hated to weather a storm like this, but the good thing was they’d gotten here beforehand and these people would have ample protection now. Cade had been right to insist she help. The swell of satisfaction she received when helping others was returning.
“You should wait,” Rhea said.
Heidi looked up from the pack—stuff now strewn around. “Wait? Why would I do that? The faster I can get you warmed up the better.”
“Because we’re hiking out tonight.”
The woman wasn’t making any sense, didn’t know what she was talking about. Yep, her core body temperature was too low. The quicker Heidi got Rhea inside a tent, the better. Heidi glanced at the two men who only stared into the fire. Obviously, they had experience in dealing with Rhea. Heidi would follow their example. She kept her thoughts to herself and focused on setting up camp. No need to further antagonize Rhea.
Cade had gone off to grab the rest of the supplies the helicopter dropped a few hundred yards from them to keep it safe, and Isaiah went to check on the deceased climber. Not so far away, but they couldn’t get back fast enough for her.
“Did you hear me?” Rhea’s tone grew belligerent.
What was this all about?
“That was never the plan.” Heidi stood tall, facing her. “The plan was that a helicopter would hoist anyone who was injured out in the morning. It’s too dangerous tonight.”
Cade came from the shadows and tossed more packs and sleeping bags toward Heidi, where they plopped in the snow. Heidi shot him a look.
“What’s the problem?” Cade caught his breath, then focused on Rhea. Jason and Liam stood up as if they were answering a challenge.
“No problem,” Rhea said. “I told her not to unpack. We’re hiking out.”
Cade frowned.
Isaiah came into the circle of light, Zach right behind him. Zach shoved Isaiah forward.
What was going on?
Zach held two guns and pointed one at Isaiah and one at Cade. “I’ll need your weapons and all communication devices.” He glanced over at Heidi. “You, too, sweetheart.”
Heidi gulped for air. This couldn’t be happening. What would Cade do? She watched him, willing him to hear her pleading.
Don’t try to be a hero now, Cade. Please don’t.
“I don’t have anything on me,” Heidi said.
“You’re going to have to prove it.” Zach waved the gun. “Take off your coats.”
“What?” Cade said. “It’s too cold out here! We have to stay the night on this mountain.”
Zach pressed the gun into Isaiah’s temple. “I don’t need all three of you.”
“Yes, you need us all.” Heidi didn’t hide the desperation in her plea. “Whatever you’re planning, to hike out tonight like Rhea said, you definitely need all three of us. You’ll never make it without our help. We are the bare minimum required.”
Angling his head, Zach studied her, considering her words.
The way Isaiah slightly shook his head, as though he was ready to die for them right here and now was too much for Heidi. She couldn’t allow that. Cade could not get his weapon out in time to do anything for them. Isaiah had to know that.
“Do as he says, Cade.” Heidi took off her own coat and arctic cold swirled around her. She shivered.
Wind rippled over the small fire and almost snuffed it out, but Heidi knew the darkness wouldn’t help them.
“You should listen to her,” Zach said.
Cade quickly stripped from his jacket, revealing his shoulder holster and the weapon inside. He handed it over to Jason.
“Radios and SAT phones, cell phones, everything.”
Cade’s expression turned dark and menacing as he handed over everything that would connect him to their brother David, who was monitoring this rescue mission from the command center at the base of the mountain. Adam, Cade and Heidi’s other brother, had been called out on a separate search and rescue. The Warren siblings were spread out tonight.
“Is that everything?”
“We came here to help you,” Isaiah said. “A storm is approaching, so we don’t have time for this. Why are you threatening us, pointing those guns at us?”
“If you don’t want our help, we’ll just be on our way,” Cade said.
“I like to hear that, because that’s exactly what’s going to happen. We’re going to be on our way. All of us. You’re going to lead, and we’re going to follow you out.”
Isaiah looked at the cliff face they’d just scaled. “We’re not equipped to help you back up that cliff, not in the dark. Not with a storm closing in. There’s a reason we brought supplies to make it through the night and longer, depending on the weather.”
“Why did you call us? Why do you need us?” Heidi asked the question, but she thought she already knew the answer.
“The supplies you brought, and we need you to guide us out,” Jason said.
Finally, someone besides Zach spoke up. Maybe if they could somehow take him out, the rest of them could be overcome.
“Our small plane crash-landed up there.” Jason pointed behind them. “Two people didn’t survive, the pilot died. Another guy, too. The rest of us...we made it this far, but knew we needed to call for help or die in the mountains.”
But why the guns? Obviously, there was much more to this than they were being told. They were desperate to get out tonight, which was also a risk. So desperate that they would hold a search and rescue team at gunpoint. Why were they in such a hurry? What were they running from?
Fear gripped Heidi at her next thought.
Were they fugitives?
She didn’t watch the news enough to know anything.
Heidi wanted to ask, but her brother gave a slight shake of his head. Knowing too much about this group in need of help could be deadly. But sooner or later the SAR team would learn the truth, and Heidi feared that truth, when it came, would cost their lives.
* * *
“Look,