Wading out of the stream she quickly untied the rope and threw it back into the truck without taking the time to coil it. Shivering from the time she’d had her feet and lower legs in the icy water she stood next to the Ford and compared its clearance to where the deepest water had reached to the bottom of her knees. The lowest part of the truck’s body was level with the middle of her knees. Nothing other than the tires would be in the stream for the water to push on.
Feeling more confident, Katie climbed back into the cab and shifted into drive. Switching to four wheel low, she let the truck idle forward into the water. It moved easily, the current pushing against the wheels and splashing water into the air where it created a small rainbow. Approaching the middle of the crossing, the truck began slipping sideways from the force of the water against the tires, but Katie steered against the current and gave the engine more gas.
The tires slipped some, the truck shifting sideways more, but Katie kept the momentum on and moments later drove onto dry land. Stopping long enough to shift back into four wheel high, she continued on and was soon climbing the next ridge. She reached the top, crossed the crest and descended into the next canyon without any further drama.
The trail was just starting to rise for the next climb when the sat phone rang on the seat next to her. Stopping before leaving the canyon floor, Katie answered the phone; afraid Steve was calling with another warning.
“One of the Jeeps didn’t make it across the stream,” he said. “Current took it a hundred yards down the canyon and it’s wedged against a boulder. Don’t think you need to worry about them anymore. They can’t all fit in one Jeep.”
“That is good news,” Katie breathed a sigh of relief. “Is the Jeep that made it across still following?”
“No, he’s stopped. Looks like families in each Jeep. Right now there’s adults and a couple of kids on foot.”
This caught Katie by surprise. She hadn’t even considered any possibility other than the Jeeps were loaded down with men who were best avoided.
“What are they doing now?” She asked after a moment.
“Just standing there looking at the wrecked Jeep.”
“Will they be able to get it out?” She asked.
“Wouldn’t do them any good. It’s nose down and the whole engine is under water. No way with today’s electronics that thing will ever run again without a long visit to a repair shop.” Steve answered.
Katie thanked him for the update and ended the call. Stepping on the gas she started up the incline for the next ridge, the tallest so far, but only went a few feet before stopping. She sat thinking for a moment, then with a sigh put the truck in reverse and backed up until she came to a wide enough spot in the trail to turn around. A minute later the phone rang again.
“What are you doing?” Steve asked, sounding irritated that she had reversed course.
“I can’t leave them out here.” Katie answered. “Not if they’ve got kids with them. They’re stranded and there will probably be more people along that might not have the best of intentions.”
“Are you crazy? Just because they have kids with them doesn’t mean they won’t shoot you and take your truck. Turn around and keep going and let them worry about themselves.”
Katie knew that Steve was most likely right. She also knew that John would probably give her the same advice. But she had to live with herself and if she drove away and didn’t at least try to help these people, the idea of leaving children stranded in the wilderness would haunt her. Telling Steve her mind was made up she ended the call.
11
The Jeeps had been carrying two families, one with parents and three children, the other parents and two children. Katie had experienced some tense moments as she approached them. The people had heard her coming well before she got there and the two fathers had hidden their wives and kids behind a jumble of large boulders. One of them had stayed nearby while the other stood waiting for her, blocking the trail.
He was armed with a semi-automatic assault rifle, and as she approached him Katie scrutinized how he was handling the weapon. The muzzle was in front of him, pointed at the ground as she came to a stop fifty