![happy :flowers:](./images/smilies/icon_flowers.gif)
Previously on Savannah Returns...
[Josef] picked up the unconscious guide and stashed him under the stairway, out of sight. Then he turned to the group. “Okay, we have a limited amount of time; let’s go. Mick, my man… lead on.”
Chapter 9
“The strongest scent is this way,” Mick said as he headed for a passage with the others following.
“Is the kidnapper down here, too?” Beth asked. She was using the guard’s flashlight for herself, Savannah and Kylie. Josef was bringing up the rear.
Mick shook his head. “His scent is strong, but it’s old.”
Josef checked the time on his phone. “He should be miles away from here by now, waiting for me to show up with a shitload of money he thinks I’m just going to hand over.”
After walking for quite a while the passage opened up into a small room of sorts with multiple passages branching off from there. The women sat down to rest and sipped some water while Mick and Josef searched the passages.
“It’s this one,” Josef said confidently. Mick went over to him and a minute later confirmed it.
“Let’s go. I don’t think it’s much farther.” They all followed Mick down the passage leading deeper into the mine.
After about 10 more minutes, Josef’s head snapped up. “He’s just ahead,” he told Mick, who nodded.
“I smell him, too.” The passage again opened up into a small room and there was Jason, slumped on the floor against the wall.
“Jason!” Savannah yelled as she pushed past the others and ran to his side. “Jason! Can you hear me? It’s Savannah.” She held his head in her hands, but he didn’t respond.
“Is he alive?” Beth asked. “So to speak,” she added after Mick gave her a look.
“I can’t tell,” Savannah said with worry. “Mick?”
Mick and Josef were kneeling next to Jason by now, looking him over. “He was staked,” Josef said as he pointed to the still unhealed wound on his chest.
“Why hasn’t it healed?” Kylie asked from behind the others. She was trying not to be in the way.
“Because he hasn’t been given blood, and he’s wrapped in silver chains,” Mick explained as he pulled out his lock picking kit. “We have to get those off.”
“Here, let me,” Beth said taking the lock pick from Mick. In a few minutes she had all the padlocks opened and she and Savannah pulled the chains off.
“Oh my god, look at his skin!” Savannah cried as she saw the raw, open wounds where the silver had been against Jason’s bare skin on his wrists and ankles.
“He needs blood and he needs it now,” Josef said. “I was hoping we could get him out first, but he’s too far gone.”
Jason slowly opened his eyes and blinked a few times. “Savannah?” he said hoarsely.
“I’m here, Jason,” she said, as she removed her coat and pushed up her sleeves. “Can you bite?” She saw his fangs were extended and the whites of his eyes were yellow.
He didn’t even have the strength to shake his head, let alone feed. Savannah looked up at Mick, panic-stricken. “Mick?”
“I’ll do it,” Josef said taking charge. He took Savannah’s arm before Mick or anyone else could protest. Whatever his feelings were towards Savannah, he pushed them aside and gave her a quick, but gentle bite. “Now put that up to his mouth. Yes, like that.” He helped hold Savannah’s arm in the perfect place to make it easiest for Jason to drink.
After five minutes he pried Jason’s mouth away. Jason didn’t want to let go, but a warning growl from Josef put him in his place. “Mick, bind off Savannah’s arm. Kylie, you’re next.”
Kylie stepped forward, her arm already exposed. Again Josef made the initial bite then guided her arm to Jason’s waiting mouth, but this time Jason was able to hold it in place himself.
Josef tapped Jason on the shoulder after another five minutes. “Okay pal, let go now.” Jason obediently let go, giving the wounds a feeble lick before Josef handed Kylie off to Mick. “Mick, check that those bite marks are closed.”
Mick inspected Kylie’s arm. “Not perfect, but close. I’ll bandage them to be sure,” Mick reported.
“Does he need more blood still?” Beth offered.
Josef helped Jason to sit up against the wall. “I don’t know. How do you feel, Jason? Can you travel or do you need more blood right now? Because we are in a bit of a time crunch here.”
Jason put his hand on Josef’s shoulder. “Josef, my old friend. You came.”
“Of course I came. Now, can you stand?”
“Yes, yes I think so.” He got up slowly and tested his legs. “Yes, I feel good enough for the moment.” He held out his arms. “And my wrists are starting heal.”
Savannah rushed into his open arms. “Oh Jason! I was so worried about you!”
“I am alright, my pet,” he said as he hugged her back. “But Josef is right; we must leave immediately before Aaron returns.”
Mick looked at his watch. “I’m sure he’s figured out by now that Josef is a no-show.” He pulled Jason’s corduroy jacket out of his backpack and began to put it on.
“My coat!” Jason cried.
“I’m going to be you,” Mick said. “Beth, try to arrange those chains around my arms and legs to look like Jason did when we arrived. But don’t let them touch my skin.”
“Wait! Here, take this coat, too,” Jason said as he removed his bloodstained coat and handed it to Mick. “My scent will be strongest with it.” Mick nodded and slipped on the dirty coat. Then he sat on the ground where Jason had been laying and slumped himself over.
Beth took the chains and laid them loosely on top of Mick’s ankles and across his chest and arms. “How is that? Is anything touching you? I kind of doubled them on top to make it look like they have been wrapped around your legs, without actually doing it. They need to be able to fall away as soon as you jump up.”
“That’s fine; I’m okay. How do I look, Josef?”
“I think you’ll pass for what we need.”
Jason stood watching the activity with his arm around Savannah. “Can I ask who you people are?”
“They’re friends,” Josef said curtly. “Introductions will have to wait until later. Now we need to get you and the humans out of here.”
Beth spoke to Jason. “How did Aaron get you in here?”
“From the outside emergency exit.”
“We thought that’s probably what he did,” Mick said from his place on the ground. “Josef, take them back to the stairs and make sure they get out. Then hide in one of the other passages in that first room we came to. After Aaron passes through, follow him.”
“No. I’ll hide here with you,” Josef replied. “Jason can take the women out.”
“But won’t Aaron smell Josef? Or us, for that matter?” Beth asked.
“I think he’ll be too pissed to realize it,” Josef answered. “And he’s never scented me before anyway.”
“I’ve been talking to Aaron down here,” Jason added. “He’s a hot head with a chip on his shoulder. If you stood him up when he thought he was going to get money, he’s not going to be thinking of anything else.”
“Exactly. Now, get going.”
Beth ran over to Mick and bent down to give him a kiss. “Be careful. I love you.”
“I will. Now hurry.”
MLMLMLML
Aaron Walker’s speeding car was sending gravel flying on the deserted rural roads and he was spitting mad. Foster stood me up! How did I fall for that? It seemed so straight forward. He brings me money; I show him Booth; he gives me more money; I kill off both of them; I keep money; no witnesses. He slowed down as he approached the area behind the mine. He parked and got out of the car, going the last couple of miles on foot. Foster must think he can rescue Booth by himself. Hah. He probably can’t even figure out where he’s hidden. But… what if – somehow - he has figured out where Booth is? I’ve got to get there first and move him someplace else. Lying down on a hill top, he peeked over the edge and saw the emergency exit for the mine. He didn’t detect anyone near, so he quickly scrambled down the slope and slipped into the mine with only one thought on his mind: I have to get to Booth first.
MLMLMLML
The group set off down the passage. “I’m Beth, by the way,” Beth said as they followed along. “And that’s Kylie. The man impersonating you is Mick. We know Savannah from L.A. and Mick is Josef’s best friend.”
“Thank you for coming,” Jason said. “But we really have to hurry.”
They soon reached the open room with the multiple passages. Beth looked around, bewildered.
“It’s this one,” Jason said as headed towards it. He stopped suddenly and scented the air. “Walker,” he whispered. “He’s in the tunnel.” He turned to Beth and pointed to her and Kylie. “Quickly!” he urged. “In there.” He pushed Beth and Kylie into one of the passages, then grabbed Savannah’s hand and disappeared down another one.
MLMLMLML
Once through the emergency exit Aaron Walker leapt down each set of stairs until he was at the bottom. Knowing exactly where he was headed he used as much vamp speed as the conditions would allow. He came to the room with the different passages and didn’t even hesitate. I still smell Jeremiah; I think he’s still here. He was so excited to think that Isaac Foster hadn’t gotten to Jeremiah first that he didn’t even notice the other scents in the room and in a few seconds he had run right through and was headed down the tunnel to where he had left Jeremiah lying bound on the floor.
Jason and the women came out of their hiding places. “Look, I’m going back to help Mick and Josef,” Jason announced. “You all stay here. Stay hidden in the passageways and don’t come out until we come for you. It’s too dangerous for you to be wandering around these tunnels on your own.” And before any of them could protest, he took off running after Aaron.
They all stood looking at the now empty passage down which Jason had disappeared. “Well girls?” Beth asked as she shined her flashlight at them. “Do we stay or do we follow?”
To be continued...