more fun we could have had if we had an internet connection and access to weird inspirational porn.”
She put out the coal fire while Oscar and Luca attempted to put the place somewhat back to rights. There was no way the owners wouldn’t realize someone had been there, considering the broken window, the garbage in the kitchen, and the sheets they’d stripped from the bed, but there wasn’t time to do more.
As Oscar said, they were in for an uncomfortable, cold hike to the helicopter landing site.
And forty-five minutes later, Luca had decided uncomfortable was an understatement.
They’d found a pair of relatively thick coveralls, something Oscar referred to as Car Hearts, that they’d put Selene in. Oscar had managed to scrounge up a second pair of gloves and another cappello—toboggan, according to Oscar—in addition to the gloves and silly hunter’s cap he’d been shoveling snow in earlier. Both were thin, better suited to a chilly fall day than a frigid winter one, but Luca was still grateful for the extra layer of warmth they provided.
As it was, he was concerned they might all be flirting with hypothermia. Trudging through the deep snow was strenuous and exhausting, and his pants, socks, and shoes were soaked through. Luca clearly spent too much time sitting at his station in the lab and not enough time working out. Though he was certain they hadn’t walked more than two kilometers, he felt as if he’d run two consecutive marathons.
It offered him a small amount of comfort that Oscar and Selene, who were both in good shape, didn’t appear to be faring much better.
They reached the clearing, but all that meant was they were now standing still in the snow.
“Jesus. If that helicopter doesn’t show up soon, my nads are going to break off,” Oscar grumbled.
Selene nodded, her teeth chattering loudly enough that Luca could tell speaking was beyond her at the moment.
Mercifully, Luca heard the buzz of a helicopter approaching.
“Thank g-goodness,” Selene stuttered. She was currently stomping her feet, bouncing in an attempt to keep warm.
Oscar held his hand over his eyes, shielding them. It was amazing to Luca how absolutely blinding all this white snow could be. “I hope the pilot thought to pack us some dry clothes and blankets.”
They huddled closer, watching as the helicopter hovered overhead. Oscar waved his arms, though Luca figured the action was unnecessary. They were the only spots of color in a sea of white.
The helicopter descended slowly, so slowly Luca began to fear the pilot wasn’t going to be able to set the vehicle down. Apparently, whoever Oscar had spoken to on the phone this morning assured him landing in deep snow was possible. Luca prayed that was correct because he wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to make a return trip to the cabin, if not. His legs had gone completely numb.
As it got closer to the ground, the whirling blades kicked up the snow, producing white-out conditions. Luca closed his eyes and lowered his head against the freezing bits of ice pelting him all over.
Finally, after what felt like a year and a half, the helicopter landed, the blades slowing, then halting. The helicopter sank until the belly of the vehicle nearly touched the snow, particularly the underside of the nose.
As the snow began to settle, Luca looked up and saw the pilot open the side door, gesture for them to approach, then jump back into his seat.
Somehow, Luca managed to make it the last twenty-five meters to the vehicle. Oscar helped Selene and then him inside, before climbing in himself and closing the door. The second they were sealed up in the helicopter, Luca felt the hot blast of air coming from a heater at the front of the vehicle. He’d never been so grateful for warmth.
There was a bench seat with room for three. Selene had claimed the spot directly behind the pilot, Luca the center, and Oscar, the place on Luca’s right.
The pilot gestured to the headphones tucked into the back of the cockpit seats, then to his own headset.
They put them on as the pilot worked his magic and the blades began to rotate once more, kicking up a mist of snow all around them.
Once they all had the headphones on, the pilot twisted around to look at them once more, pointing to bags on the floor at their feet.
“Dry clothes,” the pilot said. “And blankets. We aren’t cocked, so change now.” The pilot seemed to realize they were freezing and