Chapter 16
From the moment Janice had settled onto the snowmobile behind him, her arms wrapped around his middle, Cole felt as though his focus on the mission was shot to hell.
Thick layers of clothes and coats did nothing to impede the way his mind went to wishing there was much less barrier between them.
He could feel her pressed against his back, her thighs bracketing his, her arms tight around his waist as she held on.
The professional part of his brain– the part that had kept him alive through combat tours and countless dangerous situations told him to ignore it, to focus on the terrain, the weather, the mission objectives.
The rest of him wasn't listening.
And the heat... holy hell, he felt overheated in the middle of a fucking snowstorm.
His body temperature had spiked the moment she'd climbed on behind him at the cabin, and he was grateful for the cold wind biting at his face, the sting of snow against his goggles.
Without it, he'd probably combust from the awareness of her body against his.
Get it together, Iverson, he told himself firmly. You're supposed to be protecting her, not fantasizing about her.
He gunned the engine, and they took off, the snowmobile responding smoothly to his guidance. The trail was already partially filled with fresh snow, but he could still make out the track, following it upstream toward the place where Janice had indicated the creek crossing would be.
The forest closed around them as they rode, a tunnel of white and dark green.
Snow-laden spruce branches hung low, creating a canopy that blocked some of the falling snow but also created limited visibility.
Cole kept his speed moderate, knowing that hitting an unseen obstacle at high speed could send them both flying.
Janice's grip tightened every time they hit a bump or rough patch, her arms squeezing his middle in a way that was distracting and oddly comforting.
When they'd reached the place where they would have to go on foot, he hated losing the contact and the awareness of her pressed against him. But maybe he could think clearly again without her arms around him.
Watching her cross the creek, with the rushing water going past and the rocks slick with snow and ice, his heart was in his throat and didn't ease until she'd grabbed his hand and he was sure she was safe.
Once at the site, his fears ramped up again. Someone could be there, just not moving around so that LSIMT wouldn't notice them on the satellite feed. Or someone could come to check on things, drawn by the same clearing weather that had allowed them to make this trip.
He prayed that the snowstorm, which made their mission so much more difficult, might keep the mining employees away from the area. They'd be hunkered down somewhere warm, waiting out the weather like sensible people. Not trudging through the wilderness like the two of them.
He was also afraid that Janice would touch the liquid samples with her bare hands.
The chemicals in that tailings pond could include heavy metals or acid-processing residues.
God only knew what Northern Summit was dumping there.
But watching her work, he should have known she'd be prepared.
She handled the samples with the careful precision of someone who'd done this kind of fieldwork before, someone who understood the risks and took appropriate precautions.
Still, his jaw stayed tight until she'd secured the last sample and pulled her gloves back on.
While she worked, Cole walked away to take a look around the clearing, moving stealthily through the snow.
He snapped photos of the machinery, obtaining the serial codes that might help trace the equipment back to Northern Summit.
Then he came upon a bonus when he spied an older model pickup truck, abandoned and half-covered by snow.
The mining company's logo was blazoned on the side, faded but still legible.
He took multiple photos from different angles, documenting the vehicle's position relative to the illegal staging area.
He surmised that when the snowstorm was starting, the owner of the truck must have left it and caught a ride with someone else back to town or wherever they were waiting out the storm.
The fact that they'd left it here suggested they felt secure in their operation, confident that no one would find this remote location.
That worked in his and Janice’s favor.
A quick search revealed a couple of tents with supplies and a temporary bunkhouse, but it appeared useful only in good weather, with no kitchen or shower facilities.
No signs of anyone camping here long-term.
This wasn't a permanent base, appearing more like a staging area for equipment and supplies that the workers used during their shifts before returning to more comfortable accommodations elsewhere.
That was good. It meant they were less likely to encounter anyone while collecting evidence.
The snow kept falling, and Cole was glad their tracks were filling in quickly. By the time anyone came back here, there would be no evidence that he and Janice had ever been here. Just pristine snow covering the illegal operation, hiding their intrusion.
He made his way back to Janice. Seeing her smile even though her teeth were chattering, he was torn between wanting to kiss her lips to help warm them and grabbing her to hustle back to safety.
The professional in him won, and he helped her to her feet, steadying her when her legs wobbled from kneeling too long in the cold.
They began the trek back to the creek, and Cole's spidey senses went on full alert.
Every crack of a tree limb breaking under the weight of snow sent adrenaline coursing through him.
Every shadow in the forest made him reach instinctively for his weapon.
The things he would normally have instantly categorized as non-threats now set off alarm bells because of what was at stake. Because of who was at stake.
Janice walked behind him, trusting him to lead them safely back. That trust was a weight on his shoulders, a responsibility he felt in every fiber of his being. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
The forest pressed in closely around them, the silence broken only by their footsteps crunching through the snow and their labored breathing in the thin, cold air.
The world had narrowed to the white landscape, the dark trees, the woman following in his tracks, and the constant vigilance required to keep them both safe.
Suddenly, he heard a sound that sent his thoughts racing. It sounded like a gunshot. He’d heard enough of them in the service, but he’d never felt the fear that jolted through him.
The crack echoed through the forest, sharp and distinct even through the muffling effect of the falling snow. Cole's training kicked in instantly, overriding everything else.
"Run!" He grabbed Janice's arm, and they began sprinting toward the creek, moving as fast as the deep snow would allow. He practically dragged her along, his longer legs and greater strength allowing him to break trail through the drifts while pulling her behind him.
He didn't hear another shot, but he wasn't taking any chances. Whether it was a hunter, a mining company employee, or something else entirely, they needed to get out of there. He radioed LSIMT as they ran, his words clipped and urgent. "Shot fired. Who's in the area?"
Dalton's voice came back through the static. "No one at the mining area. Could be a local hunter."
That should have been reassuring. Probably was just someone hunting. But Cole's instincts were screaming at him that they needed to move, needed to get Janice to safety before whoever had fired that shot decided to investigate the source of the noise they were making crashing through the forest.
"Not taking any chances," Cole responded. "We're getting out of here now."
At the creek, he turned to see Janice breathing hard from how he'd rushed her through the snow. Her shorter legs had made her work twice as hard to keep up with his longer strides through the deep drifts. Her face was flushed with exertion, her breath coming in visible puffs in the cold air.
"You go first," he ordered. He wanted to be the one closest to danger if someone was after them. Wanted his body between her and any threat that might emerge from the forest behind them.
Janice looked like she might argue, but something in his expression must have convinced her. She approached the creek and repeated the same careful steps she'd used on the way over, testing each rock, balancing, moving with deliberate precision.
But she was cold and tired now. When she almost reached the final rock, it shifted slightly, and her boot slipped off the wet edge.
Cole watched in horror as she wobbled, arms windmilling as she fought for balance. For one terrible moment, she was almost across, so close to safety. Then she slipped, and her feet plunged into the freezing water.
She managed to stay upright, but the water flooded over the tops of her boots, soaking her feet and lower legs with icy creek water.
She cried out, whether from the shock of the cold, or fear of falling completely in, or pain…
Cole couldn't tell. She managed to remain upright, but he didn’t hesitate.
He rushed across the rocks, somehow not slipping as he reached her. His hands grabbed her arms, steadying her, half-dragging and half-carrying her the rest of the way across. He got her back onto the last rock, then practically lifted her the final distance to the far bank.
The moment they were both on solid ground, he immediately lifted one of her legs and pulled off her boot. Icy water poured out, soaking into the snow at their feet. He repeated the process with the other boot, working with urgent efficiency.
She was shivering violently now, her teeth chattering so hard he could hear it. The temperature was well below freezing, and wet feet in this cold could lead to frostbite in minutes. They needed to get her warm, and fast.
"We need to get back to the cabin," he said, sliding her boots back on over her soaked socks. "Can you walk?"
"Y-yes," she managed through chattering teeth. "I'm f-fine."
She wasn't fine. She was hypothermic and getting worse by the second. But they didn't have time to deal with it here, not with that gunshot still echoing in Cole's mind and the very real possibility that someone was out there who shouldn't be.
In the distance, he heard another shot, but this time he didn't worry as much. If the Keepers monitoring the situation said it wasn't near them, he'd trust their assessment. Still, he wanted Janice somewhere safe and warm as quickly as possible.
He lifted her onto the snowmobile, then settled in front of her and started the engine. "Hold on, Janice."
Her arms came around his waist, but he could feel her shaking through all their layers of clothing. The tremors ran through her entire body, violent shivers that told him she was losing the battle against the cold.
Cole gunned the snowmobile, pushing it faster than was probably safe given the conditions. But safety was relative right now. The immediate danger of someone potentially following them was balanced against the very real danger of Janice developing hypothermia before he could get her somewhere warm.
He chose speed.
The forest blurred past as they flew over the snow-covered trail. Branches whipped by, close enough that Cole had to duck a few times to avoid being struck. Snow kicked up from the treads. The engine roared as he pushed it to its limits.
And through it all, he could feel Janice pressed against his back, her arms locked around his waist, her body shaking with cold.
Hold on, he thought fiercely. Just hold on. I'll get you home. I'll get you warm. Just hold on.
The cabin appeared through the trees, and Cole had never been so relieved to see a building in his life. He passed the front door and glided around to the side shed where the snowmobile was out of sight and safe from the storm. Killing the engine, he shoved his body off and turned to help Janice.
Her movements were sluggish, with the cold affecting her coordination.
She stumbled when her feet hit the ground, and Cole caught her, swept her up into his arms, and headed to the side door.
Managing to unlock the door with her still cradled bridal style, he rushed her through, kicking the door shut behind them.
Setting her down gently, he kept his arms around her. He knew he needed to let her go so that he could get her warm. But for a few seconds, he just wanted to feel that she was safe in his embrace.