�Uh, yeah,� Nickolas said and Jenai helped him sit up. �Are you all right?�
�Yeah,� Jenai said smiling and she hugged him. �I am now.�
�I�m glad,� Nickolas said and she looked at him.
�I knew you were going to come for me,� Jenai stated. �I never doubted you.� He smiled and she hugged again whispering, �I knew it in my heart. I guess that happens when you�re in love.�
He smiled and said, �I guess so.�
They continued smiling and Marty said, �What about us?�
�Oh,� Jenai said leaving Nickolas go. �Nick, you remember Marty and Paulina.�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said. �Are you two all right?�
�We�re fine,� Paulina said.
�Of course you know Daniel,� Jenai said. Nickolas looked and then jumped up, pulling out his gun. �Nick, don�t.� She got up and stood in front of him.
�Move, JJ,� Nickolas ordered.
�Nick, what are you doing?� Marty asked. �He�s our brother.�
�And he�s the reason we�re here,� Nickolas said.
�Nick, I think you got more than a bump,� Daniel stated.
�Nick, he doesn�t remember anything,� Jenai replied.
�What are you talking about?� Nickolas questioned.
�When I was twelve,� Daniel began, �I was on my way to a California orphanage from Florida when the bus I was on wrecked. I came out of it with more than a bump on the head. I�ve had amnesia for the past 17 years. The only thing I know from my previous life is my name and my birthday. They had that in their records.�
�Today,� Nickolas said keeping the gun on Daniel.
�Yeah,� Daniel said.
�How convenient for you,� Nickolas said. �I don�t buy it.�
�He�s telling the truth, Nickolas,� Jenai said.
�How do you know?� Nickolas asked. �Ain�t it a little strange we find out he has amnesia today; the 10th anniversary of your rape.�
�Daniel, show him your hand,� Jenai said and Daniel did so. �Remember the letter opener?� Nickolas nodded. �And remember how I said I thought it was Daniel?� Nickolas nodded again still keeping his eyes on Daniel. �Well it wasn�t him, because he was bit by a dog. He has the scars.�
�Like I said, how convenient,� Nickolas said.
�Nick, please,� Jenai said. Nickolas looked at Daniel�s hand and then at Jenai. �Put the gun down. Please.� Nickolas just looked at her a minute then slowly lowered his gun. �Thank you.�
Nickolas sighed saying, �I�m watching you, Miller. You make one wrong move or do anything to piss me the fuck off I swear I will not hesitate in shooting you. Understood?�
�You�re the cop, Detective,� Daniel said and Nickolas looked at him.
�Nick,� Jenai said and he looked at her. They just looked at each other a moment then Nickolas looked up.
�How long have you guys been down here?� Nickolas asked.
�We�re not sure,� Marty said. �It could�ve been a few days.�
�Give me an estimate of when you were taken from home,� Nickolas said.
�June,� Paulina said. �I remember taking care of the little details for the wedding.�
�Well it�s October,� Nickolas said. �Where�s my radio?�
�Here,� Paulina said handing it to him.
�Thanks.� Nickolas said. �Kevin, it�s Nick.� There was only static. �Kevin.�
�Kevin,� Jenai said into the radio. �Kevin.� There was only more static.
�Damn it,� Nickolas said putting his gun away. �We have to find a way out.�
�How?� Daniel asked. �That has to be at least fifty feet.�
�I don�t know,� Nickolas said.
�Why don�t we just climb out,� Jenai suggested.
�It�s too steep,� Nickolas said. �We all won�t make it.�
�So we�re stuck here then,� Jenai said. �We�re going to die down here.�
�No we�re not,� Nickolas said. �I�m going to get us out of here.�
�How?� Marty asked.
�I�m going to climb out,� Nickolas replied.
�What?� Daniel said.
�No you�re not,� Jenai rebutted.
�It�s my job to get you all to safety,� Nickolas stated. �And that�s what I�m going to do.�
�What if you fall and hurt yourself?� Jenai asked. �Or worse? What are you going to do then?�
�I�m going to take that chance,� Nickolas said.
�I�m not letting you go,� Jenai said. �You said it yourself, it�s too steep.�
�It�s my job.�
�I don�t care about your job!� They looked at her, surprised by the tone she used. �I refuse to let you risk your life!�
�You refuse?�
�Yes.�
�Then what do you suggest, JJ? How the fuck else do you expect us to get out of here?�
�I�ll go.�
�You�ll go?�
�Yes.�
�No offense, but you won�t make it half way up before you fell back down on your ass.� She just looked at him. �I�m going and that�s that.�
�Well I�m not letting you go,� Jenai argued. �You can�t go.�
�Jenai, let him do his job,� Marty said.
�I�m going to climb to the top and find a way to get you out,� Nickolas said picking up his flashlight. He tried turning it on, but it wouldn�t work and he tapped it against his leg. After a few taps it turned on and he started searching the pit for a place to start.
�Nick, you can�t leave me alone,� Jenai said.
�You�re not going to be alone, JJ,� Nickolas reminded her still searching the pit. �You have Marty, Paulina, and Daniel with you.�
�But I want you with me,� Jenai whispered and he looked at her. �I don�t want you to risk your life for me.�
�I have to do this, Jenai,� Nickolas said turning from her. �It�s part of my job.�
�But if we die then I want to die by each others side,� Jenai stated and Nickolas stopped looking. He stood there, but didn�t say anything.
They all just stood there in silence a few minutes and then Daniel said, �I�ll go.�
�No,� Nickolas said.
�Yes,� Jenai said.
�Why the hell are you trying to stop me from doing my job, Jenai?� Nickolas questioned angrily. �I have nothing to lose.�
�Yes you do!� Jenai snapped. �Me!� Nickolas sighed and shown the flashlight on her face. He saw the tears going down her face and moved the light.
�I�m going, JJ,� Nickolas said and handed the radio to Marty. �Try reaching Kevin on that thing and let him know what�s going on.�
�Alright,� Marty said.
�Well wish me luck,� Nickolas said chuckling.
�Good luck,� Paulina, Marty, and Daniel said.
Nickolas looked at Jenai, but she didn�t say anything and he sighed saying, �This is my job and it�s the right thing.�
�If you believe risking your future is the right thing then who am I to stop you,� Jenai said. �You�re just like every other guy that comes into my life. They never want to stick around if the shit gets too deep.�
�JJ, don�t do this now,� Nickolas said. �Don�t lay on the guilt. Right now I am putting my job first and that means getting us out of here. I am not running away.�
�Well that�s what it feels like,� Jenai stated.
�I�m going to come back for you,� Nickolas assured her. �All of you. Kevin should be on his way. I got the chance to tell him where we are.� Jenai didn�t say anything and just looked at him. �I�ll get ya�s out of here.� He went to start climbing up and Jenai grab his hand. He looked at her and she hugged him.
�In case something happens and I don�t get the chance to hold you again,� Jenai whispered.
�I�m just going to climb to the top.�
�And you could fall or someone could be waiting.�
�Well then in that case, if I don�t get the chance to say this to you, I love you.�
Jenai waited a moment then said, �I love you too.�
�Maybe I should go,� Daniel said.
�Um, no,� Nickolas said leaving Jenai go. �It�s my job. I�m going.� Jenai just looked at him. �Just try getting a hold of Kevin.�
�Ok,� Marty said.
�Remember what I said,� Jenai said and Nickolas nodded. He waited a moment and then Jenai watched, as he started climbing.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�What if they�re gone by now?� Jakob asked.
�Well we�re not going to know unless we look,� Kevin replied. �They have my sister and I�m not going to let anything happen to her. She�s counting on us and I don�t plan on letting her down.�
�Neither do I,� Jakob said.
�How long until we reach the top?� Kevin asked the pilot.
�About five minutes,� the pilot said. �As long as the storm stays away.�
�That�s not good enough,� Jakob said. �Can�t you go any faster?�
�I�m going as fast as I can,� the pilot stated. �I go any faster I could kill all of us.�
�Well I�m not going to give up that chance in finding Jenai,� Kevin said. �Maintain your speed.�
�Sarge, it�s Justin,� Kevin heard through his headset. �We just got word from Jenai.�
�What?� Kevin asked.
�Is she all right?� Jakob questioned.
�She said they�re all ok,� Justin replied. �And she also said that Nick was climbing out of the pit.�
�Why didn�t he stay with Jenai?� Kevin questioned. �She�s his responsibility.�
�JJ said she protested, but Nick insisted it was his job to get them all to safety,� Justin answered.
�If I got a dollar every time I told Carter to stop playing hero,� Kevin began, �I�d be a rich man.� They laughed.
�He�s just trying to impress, JJ,� Jakob said.
�I highly doubt risking his life is impressing my sister,� Kevin stated. �I might as well talk to a brick wall when I�m talking to Carter these days.�
�He�s in love and he�s going to do anything to get Jenai to safety,� Jakob replied. �Even if it does mean risking his life.� Kevin just looked at him. �I�d do the same thing if it was Janie down in that pit.�
�Sarge, you can�t say that you wouldn�t do the same if it was Kristin in JJ�s situation,� Justin said. �If I could I�d be doing the same thing Nick is.�
�Yes I would do anything to protect, Kris,� Kevin started, �but this is about Nick not obeying orders.�
�Would you rather have him not do anything and let her mother kill them all?� Jakob asked.
�No, but he could follow orders once in his career,� Kevin stated.
�What are you talking about?� Justin wanted to know. �That guy always follows your orders, Sarge. I�m surprised he�s disobeying them now.�
�Sergeant Richardson,� the pilot began, �the storms getting too close to the cliff. You�re going to have to go now.�
�How far are we?� Kevin asked.
�Two miles,� the pilot replied.
�Can�t you get any closer?� Kevin wanted to know.
�No; this is the best I can do without getting in the storm,� the pilot answered. �And it�s really the only spot with a good opening to jump.�
�Then it�ll have to do,� Kevin said. �Gear up people!�
�Maybe I should�ve joined the army like I was going to,� Jakob said.
�Why?� Kevin asked.
�Then I�d be more prepared to jump out of a helicopter and run two miles up a mountain,� Jakob stated.
�You�re in good shape, right?� Kevin asked.
�Yeah,� Jakob replied.
�Then stop complaining,� Kevin said.
�I wasn�t,� Jakob said.
�Justin,� Kevin said.
�Yeah, Sarge,� Justin said. �I�m here.�
�Try to get a hold of Jenai and tell her we�re on our way,� Kevin ordered.
�Yes, Sir,� Justin said.
�Just think about getting to Jenai and the others,� Kevin said to Jakob.
�I will,� Jakob assured him.
�Sergeant, you�re going to have to go now,� the pilot said. �The storm�s moving faster than expected.�
�Let�s go people!� Kevin yelled his order and they started down the harness one by one, as fast as they could.
CHAPTER 26
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