The Survivor - Page 70

“He didn’t go into a lot of detail. Either he didn’t want to take the time, or he was afraid Nadim was intercepting and listening in on our call. He said we’d be okay as long as we get ourselves to the other side of the ridge.” He pointed to her phone. “Call Maya. Tell her that she and Bailey need to get the hell away from that cave.”

Cade readied his and Riley’s snowmobiles while she tried to call Maya. After a moment, she put down her phone. “No go. They may be getting too much interference from the storm.”

“We’ll pass that cave on the way over the ridge.” He set a timer on his wristwatch. “We’ll have to pick them up on the way out.”

She looked at Nadim’s helicopters hovering in the distance. “Reinforcements. How in the hell will we get past those?”

“I have it on good authority those won’t be a problem by the time we get there.”

She smiled. “You have a lot of faith in Kagan and his friends.”

“They’ve earned it. Those Ice Rangers are legendary, but from what I’ve seen, they’re even more amazing than their reputation.”

She walked toward her snowmobile and flipped up her thermal hood. “Then let’s get a move on. We only have fifteen minutes and thirty seconds left.”

Nadim looked up at the four helicopters rocking violently in the high winds and heavy snow. Large cargo containers swung on steel cables, further destabilizing the craft. One banked right and dipped low toward the ground, sending his men scattering before the helicopter righted itself and soared overhead.

“It’s only going to get worse,” Bevan said. “We need to start loading the deer into the containers, but the copters are scaring them.”

“We can use that,” Nadim said. “We’ll load them one container at a time. The other helicopters will pull back and coordinate with our men on the ground to corral the unicorns and guide them where we need them.”

Bevan nodded. “Okay. We can probably get one or two containers loaded before we need to pull out.”

“No!” Nadim shouted. “We’re taking them all.”

Bevan looked up at the buffeting helicopters. “It’s your show. I just don’t want to be anywhere near those things if this storm gets any worse.”

“Fortune rewards the brave, my friend. Each one of these creatures will be worth a fortune. Each one we leave will be the same as leaving millions behind.”

“Then we better get going. I’ll radio the lead copter and tell them to—”

A high-pitched wail sounded from a nearby mountain peak.

The two men glanced around them, trying to locate the source of the sound.

The wail came again, this time louder.

“What the hell was that?” Nadim said.

The wail sounded again.

“I think it’s some kind of… horn,” Bevan said uncertainly.

The deer were reacting to the sound, all looking up in the same direction. They began to call out in response.

Nadim’s men stopped their vehicles and just watched as the animals’ calls grew louder. Their sound was eerily beautiful, creating ethereal harmonies that cut through the roaring winds.

“Incredible,” Bevan said. “It almost sounds…”

“… magical. More unicorn proof,” Nadim finished for him. “We’re going to be very rich men.”

Then, almost in perfect synchronization, the deer moved toward the ridge. Slowly at first, but in a matter of seconds they were sprinting at breakneck speed.

“After them!” Nadim shouted into his radio. “Don’t let them get away!”

Another wail sounded from the peak, and the deer responded with another beautiful call even as they picked up speed.

“Go!” Nadim screamed into his radio.