“Do you know where we are?” she asked. “I have no idea what state we’re even in.”
“I’ve taken this trip a few times, and based on how long we’ve been traveling since our stop, I’d put us just over the Utah/Colorado line. But it doesn’t matter what state we’re in. Either way we’re high altitude and not near anything. This was the worst possible place this could’ve happened.”
“Should we stay near the train? Won’t someone come looking for us?”
He gave her the smaller backpack and put the larger one on himself. “Eventually they’ll come when we don’t show up at our next scheduled stop. But that is more than eighteen hours from now. Then by the time they figure out something’s actually wrong and get someone out here...we’ll die from exposure.”
“Oh.” Natalie fought not to get overwhelmed. One hour at a time. She just needed to take it one hour at a time.
And at least she was in absolutely no danger from Damien up here. That thought made her smile.
“Want to share your happy thoughts?” Ren tapped the corner of her lips. “I wouldn’t mind a little good news.”
“Nothing. We’re alive. That’s what matters. But I guess I shouldn’t be smiling.”
He pinched the tip of her chin gently. “No, it’s okay to smile. Wearealive. Let’s just keep it that way. We need to find shelter for tonight and we’ll take stock of everything tomorrow. Food. Water. Figure out a plan.”
“Okay. I have a sleeping bag, some protein bars and a water filtering system.”
“You do?” Incredulity painted his tone. “Were you on your way to a camping trip or something?”
Yeah, explaining camping equipment when she had no clothes that could be used for that type of activity wasn’t easy. “I was sort of relocating and had this stuff in my bag.”
“It’ll definitely come in handy. Let’s get going.”
Natalie took a couple steps, then had to stop as dizziness assailed her again.
“You all right?”
“Yeah. I must have hit my head in the crash, although nothing feels tender. I’m just woozy.”
He began to walk again, but kept her close to him as they moved. “Shock. Altitude. Cold. A lot of things could be affecting you. And yeah, I’m sure we’ll both be totally sore tomorrow.”
“Better sore than dead.”
She felt his arm tighten around her waist. “Always.”
Chapter Six
Ren led them, in a slightly roundabout way, to the overhang he’d found when setting up for this operation last week. He and the team had cleaned it out—not wanting to accidentally find themselves bitten or attacked by something—then carefully made it look as if it had been undisturbed.
Not that Natalie would notice. He didn’t think she would notice if there was a couch and television in the small cave. The drugs he’d given her, a tiny injection once she’d fallen asleep to make sure she wasn’t conscious when the train “crashed,” had affected her a little more than expected. She still seemed woozy and confused, clinging to him a lot more than he suspected she normally would.
Ren would continue to foster that closeness as long as he could. Maybe by the time the drug was completely out of her system her body would already be used to his nearness somewhat. The closer he could get to her, the more information he’d be able to glean.
He’d planned on wrapping the both of them within his coat inside the little cave. That, along with the random pieces of dry timber he and the team had placed inside that would allow him to make a fire, would’ve made for an uncomfortable but not miserable night.
She had a damn sleeping bag. She’d definitely caught him off guard with that one. Were she and Freihof planning to go on the run,literally, where they would need camping gear? A water purifier? Who carried that around if they didn’t plan to use it?
Of course, she’d also had stuff that made no sense if she was going somewhere on foot. Paints and brushes. He’d just left them in the bag.
They stepped in a particularly deep drift of snow and it came past her knees. Natalie stiffened almost to the point where her back was bowing. Ren looked over in concern.
“Natalie, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” The drug shouldn’t be causing a reaction like this. She looked like she was in pain. Not just pain, but complete agony.
“I just... The snow hurts. It hurts.” Her voice sounded odd. Distant. “Please. I’m sorry. I’ll be good, just let me out of the snow. It hurts.”
What the hell?
