Hunted

HUNTED Chapter 32

Mitchell Inlet, BC, Canada

Gibbs led John into the secret room within the rock. Night provided them with cover from the prying eyes of the enemies. Using his cell for the secret codes, and for light, he led the detective deep underground.

When the door swished open at the bottom of the stairs, Sam stood with his weapon drawn, as a precaution.

"Gibbs. How's it going up there?"

"The Canadians have arrived for support. Special Agent Sam Hanna, this is Detective John Levett from the Victoria Police department."

Sam shook John's hand. "Thank you for your help, Detective."

John's eyes darted over to the lying form of Henrietta Lange. "Is she..."

"Alive. I've managed to stop the bleeding and stitch her up. She's lost a lot of blood, but Arkady here has donated his blood to keep her alive."

"Arkady? I thought it was Arthur?"

Arkady gave the detective a sheepish grin. "My name stands out too much up here. Arthur seemed a better fit."

John furrowed his brow. "You're Russian?"

"He's a friend." Stephen stepped forward, his bandaged arm caught John's attention.

"Agent Gibbs told me you were hit. I've come to take you and the woman to Queen Charlotte hospital."

"Is it safe?" Stephen turned to Gibbs, the need for confirmation to come from a friend was greater than anything else at that moment for him.

"Not yet. But Hetty needs medical attention."

"Sam's treated her. Just like Hetty did for me early this morning. I'd be dead if it wasn't for her. She's not going anywhere while 'they' are still out there." Stephen stood beside Hetty's sleeping form. "She's not up to it either."

"Stephen, please, it's just a ten minute flight," John tried to reason with him.

"No. No one leaves until it's safe."

"Daddy! Daddy!" Alice emerged from the other room and wrapped her arms around his waist. She'd heard the stress in his tone and it worried her.

Stephen looked down at his daughter and gave her a warm smile. "It's okay, pumpkin. Everything is okay. Grandma is just sleeping now."

"But she's on the table."

Stephen looked to Sam for help.

"You're right, Alice. We should move her to a bed. Do you want to help me?"

Alice nodded her head at Sam.

"Can you hold this for me?"

She nodded again. She placed her small hand on the stand that held the saline bag and wheeled it along to the bedroom. Once she was out of earshot, Stephen turned to Gibbs.

"You know why we can't move from here until it's safe. Alice and Tristan are not to know of the danger we're in."

Gibbs nodded. "I know, Stephen. But we have Victorian Police and Rangers from Queen Charlotte here to help us. Now is a good time to get your family out of here and for you to have your arm looked at. We still don't know what kind of poison was in that bullet."

"I feel fine, Jethro. Much better since arriving here. The herbs Hetty placed on the wound have done their job."

Jethro understood where Stephen was coming from, but he still worried about his friend, and would continue to argue with him. "You have your wife and children who depend on you surviving this. Once we get out of here, we can interrogate those we've taken captive, and hopefully the answers to who is behind the search for you and your father."