Page 11 of Mountain Man's Forgiveness
Aiden
My phone buzzes before I even finish tightening the bolt on my prosthetic leg. It’s Eva. She doesn’t usually call; she texts, and the second I hear her voice, my chest tightens.
“Aiden—are you seeing that? We’re trapped!”
I rush to the window and see thick smoke curling up from the distant canopy. My stomach twists.
“Where are you?” I yell into the phone.
“Two miles west of the university research station. I just sent you my location. We didn’t see the smoke—” Her voice cuts off with a cough.
Shit.
I shove the cell in my pocket and grab my gear: gloves, helmet, Nomex shirt. My prosthetic clicks against the wooden boards as I rush, muscle memory kicking in. I slip my hand up to Mom’s silver compass pendant and rub it between my fingers, the cool metal solid. I can’t let my girl or my baby down.
I burn down the service road, calling in the approximate location to Captain Bannon. His team’s already on it.
Eva’s vehicle sits abandoned at the fork, its door open, two sets of gear half-packed. I park my truck, toss my pack on, and hit the trail. Smoke stings my eyes and scratches my throat. This part of the mountain is alive with it, but I don’t care.
Not today.
Underbrush catches my arms as ash dots my skin. Not thick yet, no embers, thank fuck, but it’s just a matter of time. My prosthetic leg catches a loose rock, and I adjust automatically.
When my phone rings again from an unknown caller, I answer it immediately, my pulse spiking.
“It’s Julia. I’m sharing my location and sending a pic in case the call drops. Will those help?”
“Yes. How many people are with you? Are you safe?
“Just me and Eva. I think so. We’re in a ravine.”
“Stay put. Share your location with the number I’m about to send you. Call if you have to move.”
I end the call, pull up their location, and call my captain.
“Bannon here.”
“There’s two civilians who are about to share their position. How far out is the crew?”
“Twelve minutes.”
“I’m already on site. My girl and my baby are out there.”
“I know you know what to do, Aiden. Keep your phone close.”
“Copy.”
I navigate the forest, following the blue dot on my screen at a dead run. All my training, all my hard work has led to this moment. I understand these woods just like I understand mountain fires.
After several minutes, I’m almost to the ravine. I start shouting.
“Eva! Julia!” When I hear a faint response in the distance, my chest tingles.
It feels too damn long until I see the girls down in a small creek bed, its trickle of water not providing any respite. Both are coughing, their eyes wide with fear.
“Jesus, Eva! What the hell are you both doing out here alone?” I shout.
She coughs, her words tumbling. “The smoke got thicker, so we switched directions and got turned around.”
