Ch 43 Detour

"Rick, any chance of driving by the north access road on your way out," asked my boss John as I headed out Friday. He had already held me up so I was the last one out.

"I can," I answered. "What do you need?"

"I was just concerned about those tremors we've been having and wanted to make sure the emergency access road is clear for the weekend."

"No problem. I'll text you with its condition."

"I appreciate it."

I waved to John as I pulled out on my bike. I hadn't been able to figure out what was going on with him lately. My mind was still going over John's odd behavior when I saw a car pulled over on the main road out of Yellowstone. Slowing down, I saw Derrick standing by his car, with its hood up. I quickly pulled over.

"Problem?"

"I think my radiator blew."

I glanced underneath the front end of his car.

"Good guess," I said with a laugh. "Get on. I told John I'd drive through the north access road on my way out. We can stop by an auto parts store, get that stuff that stop leaks and bring some water back, see if we can get it going."

I handed Derrick the spare helmet and was soon heading down the access road. I hoped the delay didn't interfere with Sister's nightly call. Sister had been excited to learn that Mahina now knew about me. She was more excited that I had told her before I had told Mahina. And here poor Derrick was still in the dark!

I was passing a high point, just past where the tremors had been, when I felt something hit my arm. The bike wobbled a little. I straightened it out. It wobbled again. My vision blurred. I started slowing down. I felt Derrick grab me, yell something in my ear, but I couldn't focus. I tried my hardest to get the bike stopped. I wasn't sure I did before everything went black.

I came to slowly. It was dark. Was it night? My mind felt groggy. There was no wind, not the least hint of a breeze. There was solid rock beneath me, not grass or dirt.

I went to move, and found out I couldn't. I could feel the strips of plastic that had me bound, cutting into my skin. I laid still for a moment. I wiggled my fingers and toes, flexed muscles in my legs and arms, felt the breath within me, verifying I had nothing broken or damaged, just sore and scraped up.

I brought out enough of the wolf within me to look and listen. I heard ragged breathing next to me. I could smell Derrick, so whatever had happened, we were in it together.

I took a deeper breath, giving myself a moment, trying to get my bearings and not panic. I could faintly smell the drugs I had only gotten whiffs of. I could smell at least three different men who had been around this area. I didn't smell anyone close. I could hear someone, but it was distant and oddly muted. It took a second before I realized I was in a cave, and the sounds were echoing through caverns.

I move my arms slowly, feeling where they were tied. My ankles were also bound. This was something I could get out of. I wished there was a hint of light so I could see what was around me. I wiggled around. I could feel my phone in my back pocket still.

I had to try and reason through the fog in my brain. Something had hit my arm and I had blacked out. Someone had hit me with a tranquilizer. John had a tranquilizer gun. He used to be a sharpshooter and was the one who shot the wolves that got tagged.

So, John had kept me back, sent me along a specific road, purposely sent me out to get shot. The question was why? I was about to be gone for almost three weeks for training. To hold me made no sense.

Derrick groaned next to me.

"Shhhh. No one is close and I don't want them to come check on us," I whispered. "Are you ok?"

"No, my arm hurts like hell," he whispered back in a strained voice. "What happened?"

"I think we were hit with a trank gun, or at least I was. Did you get knocked out when the bike stopped or..."

"I was pinned under the bike for a sec,"

He said, "and my shoulder hit the ground hard, then I blacked out. I came to with someone dragging me. I remember struggling, something hit my arm, probably the butt of a rifle. I passed back out." He paused. "I think it's broke."

"Ok, let me look around for a sec. I'll try to find something to cut you lose."

"You aren't tied up? The way my arms are tied is killing me," he said quietly, his voice filled with pain.

"I am, but I can get out," I whispered. "Hang on."

I altered my hands and wrists, wriggling my now smaller limbs out of the ties. Feet and ankles were next, my feet leaving my work boots behind, even as my front paws became hands to pull the plastic loop away. I changed back to man, straightened out my clothes, and reached into my pockets. I had to chuckle.

"These guys are stupid. They didn't empty my pockets. Hang on."

I pulled out my pocket knife and went to work on Derrick's bindings. He was free in minutes.

"Let me get us some light," Derrick said. I could hear his phone slide out of his pocket. I grabbed his hand before he could turn it on.

"It's pitch black back here. They might see any light. We have to make sure they won't see. I'm going closer to where I can hear them, get the lay of the land"

"Rick!"

"Shh, trust me."

I moved my shoes off to the side, stepped away from Derrick and stripped quickly. I moved away on four legs. I was actually able to get pretty close until I came to a makeshift fence with a gate in it. The gate was locked with a padlock. There were lights a distance away and I could hear the hum of a generator.

I moved quickly to the side, under a table, and held very still. The voices were getting closer.

"What do you mean there were two of them? You stupid shits! Shut up and let me think!"

That was John, no mistaking it. There was enough light I could make out two of the guys with him. I didn't see or hear the third.

I looked around the area I was in, seeing more as a wolf than I ever could as a human. I partially shifted, snagged a plastic bag and a few supplies. There were a few snacks laying around, half a case of water, a few flashlights. I took one flashlight as I kept listening.The small plastic grocery bag they had brought the snacks back in filled up as I added some water bottles.

"Where'd you put them?"

"In the back."

"Where they can escape through the fissures? You stupid..."

"They're tied up. Ain't like anyone can find their way through that mess anyway, heck, you can't even fit through most of them."

"You can't, you big oaf!"

I took one more look around for anything I could use to help with Derrick's arm. There was a pack of zip ties I slid in the bag. There was a small pallet that had a broken board hanging down. I gave the loose piece a tug, grateful when the section of planking fell off easily. I gave a quick glance to the arguing men to see if they heard the slight crack of the board breaking loose, but they were too caught up in discussing what to do with Derrick and I.

I wanted to head back to Derrick, having heard enough. I scoured the workstation they had set up, finally spotting a screwdriver for the other half of a splint. It took precious time sliding it out silently.

Heading back to Derrick, I stayed at a half shift, so my black fur would keep me from being noticed. I kept my side against the wall this time instead of following the scent trail the men had left coming and going. I found three small cracks in the wall, one of which might be big enough to squeeze through, though I doubted it went anywhere.

Once I was close enough to smell Derrick, I set the bag down and continued along the wall. They had mentioned fissures we could escape through, if I could find them in the dark. The space we had been left in was a natural room. There was an alcove off on the one side. It narrowed down into a shallow crack. I was pretty sure we both could slide through it. I leaned into it as far as I dared, catching the barest scent of someone familiar.

I hurried back to the bag, bringing it closer to Derrick. I think I shifted and dressed in record time.

"Rick? That you?" Derrick hissed.

"Who else silly?" I whispered back. "I managed to knick a few things but we have to go. I'm going to check your arm then we move, and fast! I'll fill you in in a bit."

He didn't ask any questions. I debated whether to fix Derrick's arm now or later, finally deciding he would move faster with it splinted. I grabbed the screwdriver and the piece of slat that I broke off the pallet, and a few zip ties.

"Now Derrick, I'm going to splint your arm. If it's only fractured, no problem, but if it's broke, I might have to set the bones, and that'll hurt."

"Set away," Derrick said, "because it feels like more than a fracture."

I reached out until my hands felt him. He moved them over to his busted arm. I felt from his shoulder down, feeling the bump where the break was. Shit. At least it was only one bone in his upper arm.

"Is your other arm ok?"

"Yeah, but the shoulder hurts."

I put my shoe in his good hand, adjusting it so the toe was pointing toward his mouth.

"It ain't pretty, and it won't taste good, but bite down. We can't afford for you to scream out. Oh, and try not to pass out. Here," I said, helping with my shoe. "Ready?"

He mumbled and I moved the bone. As much as I sympathized with Derrick, I hoped his muffled cry didn't bring anyone to check on us. It felt like a clean break, and I was hoping I had it set right.

Derrick had passed out with my shoe in his mouth. I took my shoe out and went to work splinting his arm. I tightened the wooden slat and wrench against his arm using the zip ties, then ripped up my undershirt to tie his arm to his torso. I used one strip for a makeshift splint to support his wrist, keeping everything snug against his body.

It took a bit to wake him. He groaned. I opened his mouth, tilted his head back a little, and dribbled in a bit of water. He coughed, and I held my hand over his mouth.

"You did good," I whispered. "I'm done, set and splinted. We have to move, now. Hope you're ready," I whispered in his ear.

I led him to the alcove, carrying the bag of stuff that just might save us. I guided him into the back of the alcove, keeping my hand on his head, going from memory and smells to guide him down.

"You're going to have to roll a little. I'm going to go first to help you down. I'm not sure how far."

I pulled out my phone and held it through the opening. There was about a four foot drop. Easy for me, harder for Derrick, but not impossible. I put my phone away, whispered directions to Derrick, and helped him down.

Now, which way to go? I had to pace around for a bit while Derrick sipped on some water. I finally made a decision, based partly on the old trail that smelled of John. It smelled stronger on the one side. I was putting together more of the story.

"Look, Derrick, I grabbed a brick of their drugs, but I don't know what they are or what they'll do. I was thinking one, we would have evidence, and two, a little bit might help your pain. I don't know, it's up to you. I have a little of the herbs I make my tea with, might help a little but probably not enough to actually make a difference. I'm going to give you the herbs for now, and after we get to where we know we're safe, you can decide if you want to try the drugs."

He didn't argue. I opened my medicine bag, my fingers feeling the stone. I took a moment to pray to Spirit Wolf. Holding the stone, I dumped the herbs out before replacing the stone and putting the bag back around my neck.

"Hold them under your tongue for as long as you can. Stuff gets absorbed faster that way. Swallow them down after a bit."

"What, you're not going to make me drink wussy tea?"

"Nah man, you'd never live it down! Now shush and come on. We have to move fast. I'm going to risk a bit of light. You go in front at your best speed. We'll rest later."

I pulled out the flashlight and put what was left of my shirt in the bag. I tied my shoe laces together, draping my work boots around my neck. Derrick handed me the water bottle. I nodded. I didn't want to leave any trace behind. Luckily there wasn't any dirt, only stones, so I didn't have to worry about us leaving a trail they could follow. I came up on Derrick's relative good side so I could support his body and shone the light in front of Derrick's feet.

I stopped to peek into every opening we passed as Derrick went on. If we needed to hide quick I needed to know where would work. I also kept an eye open along the rough flooring for any pockets deep enough to lay low in, and rocks big enough to take cover behind.

I thought we were making half-way decent time, until I heard voices behind us. I turned my light off immediately, making Derrick cuss as he stumbled.

"Stop," I told him. "We have to go back a bit."

"Why?"

"Because there was a fissure back there we can hide in. Hush. We have to move quickly."

I pulled him back to the fissure, pushing him through. I only kept the light on for a second once we were inside before turning it off. They were too close. I pulled Derrick to the side.

"Up," I whispered in his ear. I moved his good hand to the ledge I had seen. He could barely reach it with his fingertips, hissing as his reach pulled against his bad side. I tossed the bag up then boosted him up, letting him climb me like a ladder. I stripped quickly, knotting my jeans into a ball and tossing them up, along with my boots. I shifted, took a running start, and leapt up, claws scraping against the stone. I shoved Derrick in as tight as he would go against the far wall. I shifted a leg to move my clothes in, then curled around him with only my back covered in black fur exposed to the opening.

Even Derrick could hear them at that point. I heard his breath hitch. He was laying on his sore shoulder with his splinted arm on top.

We laid there, listening to them pass. It sounded like two of them. They might have seen our light, or heard of voices from a distance. I dared a "shhh" in Derrick's ear when he squirmed a bit.

Wolf patience. I kept Derrick still. They had to give up on finding us, and I wasn't sure they would. Sure enough, a third man went by. He was taking the time to shine his light in every fissure, every nook and cranny, but he didn't shine it up as high as we were.

It made me think. I could leave Derrick here. There were enough snacks and water to tide him over for a day. I was more worried about the pain in his arm. He might make sounds if he fell asleep. I might have to guard him while he slept.

I waited until I was sure the men were gone. Unfortunately there were only two directions they could go, the unknown way out or the way back to their lair. I wondered if I could make it back and out, bring back help for Derrick, all before he gave himself away. I could at least sneak back, see what I could find.

The alternative was wandering around, hoping to find that hidden way out. I shifted so my voice wouldn't be weird and, whispering, filled Derrick in on what I had planned.

"You sure you can stay awake for a bit?" I asked him.

"Yeah, but I wanna go on record that I think you're stupid for doing this."

I laughed quietly. "I'll be back. Trust me."

I shifted even as I dropped the six feet down, landing silently. Wolf leaving his den I thought with a laugh.

Not even Derrick heard me leave.