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It was now six thirty in the evening and dark after a long slow journey home from the field hospital. Renee was worried as they approached East Ridge in the tractor for the place was in darkness without even a flicker of light in the house or sheds.
"Perhaps they couldn't get the generator going," Tyler suggested.
"But there would be some lights even if it's from a kerosene lantern."
Tyler nodded as he slowed yet again to allow the front bucket to scoop away snow and turned up the driveway.
He pulled in beside the house and Renee climbed down. It was cold but not snowing as she took the few steps to the veranda while Tyler left the tractor lights on to show the way. She heard barking and turned to find Sam the dog almost leaping in delight at seeing her. She bent down and patted him.
"You all alone, Sam?" she asked.
His wagging tail drooped as looked at her and gave a soft bark.
"Where are Ian and Aza, Boy?" Tyler asked when he arrived.
Sam whined and ran along the veranda, stopped and returned. He sat down, held a paw up and his ears drooped.
"It's okay, Sam," Renee said." Is Apricot here?"
Sam woofed and wagged his tail.
"I'll take the tractor over to the shed and get the generator going," Tyler said.
Renee switched on her torch and found the door locked. She found her keys and unlocked it, walked inside, just about tripped over the ginger cat inside and found a kerosene lamp. It was slightly warmer than outside but still cold so she set about to light the pot-bellied stove. She heard the distant chug of the generator and the lights came on. Tyler appeared and glanced around.
"Any note or anything?" he asked.
"Not that I could see," Renee replied. "They must have stayed up at the top tank for the night."
"Guess so. The snowfall up there could he heavier than even here. I hope they were prepared. It's damn cold tonight."
Sam ran to the now closed door, scratched at it and barked.
Renee opened it and turned on the veranda light. Sam ran out and again along to the far end of the veranda, stopped and glanced back. He gave a woof and came halfway back before stopping and sitting down.
"You want us to go somewhere with you, Boy?" Tyler asked.
Sam woofed and ran back to the veranda end again. Renee and Tyler both followed as Sam jumped out to follow paw prints he must have made previously in the snow.
"Wait Boy," Tyler said. "We'll get our coats."
A moment later Renee and Tyler both with dry outdoor clothing on, followed Sam across towards the big shed. About three quarters of the way there Sam stopped and whined as he glanced though the darkness where she knew Tank Hill was.
She turned off her torch and asked Tyler to do the same.
"Why?" he asked.
"We can't see anything with the lights from the house and the torches," she replied. "Sam thinks something is out there."
Now in semidarkness as trees hid most of the house lights, she peered through the darkness. At first she saw nothing but her eyes became used to the lack of light so the silhouette of the hill appeared as a darker blob against the blackness beyond. Halfway up and to the left a tiny light flickered off and on.
"Tyler!" she gasped.
"I see it," he replied. He turned his torch in the direction and flicked a button so it gave out a flashing red light.
"Look?" Renee gasped for the light in the distance changed from white to red and also pulsed before going out for a second. It came on again and repeated the signal.
Tyler changed his torchlight to blue, the third colour available and flashed out a signal.
The distant light also changed to blue before changing back to a pulsing red.
"It must be Ian and Aza in trouble," Renee said.
"And Sam saw the light earlier." Tyler patted the dog's ears. "Good boy, Sam. I'd say it's about halfway up the hill. We need to get a few things then head out."
*
AS WELL AS A COIL OF rope, first aid box, extra clothes and other tramping gear, Tyler slung his rifle over his shoulders.
"Why do you need that?" Renee asked.
"Just being cautious. There could be more gunmen out there."
Renee glanced around but could see little except the house lights below them as they tackled the first section of the tank track. Here, there were a series of gravel steps encased in a wooden frame. Once her feet found the surface beneath the snow, it wasn't too difficult to walk up them. Sam bounded ahead to plunge in snow up to his tummy followed by another leap, two steps at a time. Every couple of minutes or so, he'd stop and glance back in the torchlight and give a small woof as if to tell them to hurry.
"Okay," Renee muttered. "You've got four legs and no backpack to carry." Except for her freezing face, she was quite warm beneath her jacket, gloves and thick socks, though some snow had seeped into her boots and turned to water. Once she stopped walking she'd probably have freezing toes.
"You okay?" Tyler asked from behind her. "Stop and rest if you wish."
"No, it's better to keep going." Renee was fit but did feel somewhat puffed on this steep section.
They reached the top of the steps and around a corner so the house lights disappeared from sight. Now though, the snow was deeper and even Sam dropped back to follow her footsteps after she had crunched through the snow. The journey continued with another set of steps and more corners until the house lights came back into view.
Tyler touched her shoulder. "We should be in their view from here."
He switched his torch to the flashing red mode and flicked it off and on several times. Ahead but below them a red light flashed back.
"It's wrong!" Renee said. "Shouldn't they be above us?"
"I know. They must have slipped down the hillside." Tyler sounded grim. He placed his hands around his mouth and shouted out but there was no reply. "Still too far to hear us."
Renee stared at the flashing light that made three rapid flashes followed by three slower ones. This was repeated several times. "Isn't that a signal for danger?"
Tyler nodded. "But from what? Is there a slip, dangerous snow or something more sinister?"
Renee shuddered as Tyler took the rifle from where it was slung over his shoulder and held it ready to fire. "Turn off your torch, Renee."
She did and with Tyler's torch already off, they were plunged into darkness.
"Get down!" Tyler screamed and pushed her forward so she plunged into the snow.
After landing flat in the snow she glanced around and saw it. A tiny red circle of light moved along a bank where she had been standing mere seconds before. She heard a whizzing sound followed by a distant report of a weapon being fired.
"Stay down!" Tyler gasped
She heard rather than saw him swing around, a click of a cartridge being brought into his rifle's chamber and three almighty bangs as he fired into the darkness. Her ears were ringing.
The red circle of light disappeared and total darkness enveloped her.
"Stay down but creep forward," Tyler hissed.
She wiggled forward for several metres using a hand to slide along the bank to her left, before stopping. Sam was there beside her but where was Tyler? She called for him and gasped in relief when he crawled in beside her.
"Could have winged him for I aimed at the flash from his rifle. The bastard didn't expect return fire. I think it was a long range shot from somewhere."
"And that red spot we saw it's target?"
"Exactly. It was aimed right at you. I saw it on the back of your jacket."
"Oh hell!" Renee began to shake as her body reacted to the situation. "What now?"
"Leave our torches off but it should be safe to stand. Move forward slowly and I'll be right behind."
*
THE ALMOST PLEASANT tramp had turned into a terrifying nightmare as she moved on. Her eyes were next to useless in the total darkness but gradually she saw a faint outline of the light grey snow compared with the intense blackness everywhere else. Her clothes were saturated and now both her toes and fingers began to freeze. She continued on in numbed silence but was aware of Sam beside her and heard Tyler puffing behind. It made her grin for he seemed to be less fit than herself.
Suddenly a red light flashed below her on the right and Sam gave a tiny bark. Tyler turned his torch to flashing red and the light below turned to a constant blue to probably indicate that they were safe.
"Hello!" screamed Renee. "Tyler and myself are here." Her voice sort of echoed in the still surroundings.
"Hello... hello ...hello," echoed a faint reply. The voice was difficult to understand but she could piece together most of the conversation. She realised that Aza and Ian were down the hillside, cold but unhurt. Having heard the rifles fire, Aza was concerned about them and called out something about having similar problems.
Guided by their friend's blue light and an excited Sam, Renee moved forward while Tyler dropped back with his rifle ready in case they had been followed. Now closer, she could hear the pair quite easily and soon came to an area where there were footprints ahead and a huge snow slide showed where the pair had slipped. She moved cautiously forward and peered over a bank. Looking up at her from about ten metres below were two faces.
"We tried to get up but it's too slippery," Aza called up. "We are on a sort of ledge behind a rock and are scared that we'd slip further down if we attempted a climb."
"The guy taking pot shots at us didn't help either," Ian added.
"Either of you hurt?" Renee called down.
"Only freezing and a few scratches," Aza replied.
"Tyler's watching out for that gunman. We've got a rope so I'll swap places with him and get him to help you out. Okay?"
"Just be careful," warned Ian. "It was the bank that crumbled under us."
*
TYLER WAS WORRIED ABOUT leaving Renee down the track but knew she was quite accurate with the rifle and his strength was needed to help haul the pair up.
"It's pitch black so use your ears. If someone approaches you may hear the snow crunching. Don't turn on your torch," he suggested.
"Just go," Renee whispered.
Tyler found Sam had followed Renee back but now accompanied him as he moved forward in a low crouch. He doubted if he could be seen from below but it was not worth taking the risk of turning the torch on. He reached the place closest to the spot above where Aza and Ian were. After a brief discussion about the best tactics to use, he tied the rope around his stomach and threw the other end down. Soon he took the strain of Aza climbing up. She was the lightest of the pair and it was reasoned that their combined weights at his end would help when Ian followed.
Tyler placed his torch on the ground and used both hands to help haul Aza up. It worked and, after one brief moment of anxiety when she almost slipped, she appeared below him and he reached for her hand.
"Thanks," she gasped as she stood and brushed snow off her jacket and pants.
"If your hands aren't too frozen, can you help hold the rope?"
"Yes."
"If it begins to slip be careful you aren't pulled back down..." Tyler issued more instructions and sat with his legs wide and Aza in front of him so she could also grip the rope.
Ian was definitely heavier and appeared to be more of a dead weight as he floundered around below trying to find places to place his feet. At one point he slipped back a little and the strain on the rope was all that prevented him from falling all the way down.
"Sorry," he shouted out from the darkness below. "Damn piece of tussock gave way."
"Take it slowly," Aza called back. "Tyler's like a rock behind me."
"Sort of," Tyler muttered for he felt his bottom slide slightly forward but managed to dig his boots into the snow and stop the movement. Aza was doing a sterling job before him and he could see her straining to hold the rope. She twisted one section around her arm and pulled with all her strength. However, they still made no progress.
"Renee!" he shouted. "We need your help!"
"Right," came her reply. A moment later she appeared and shone her torch over the bank. "Ian's over halfway up," she said and moved in beside Aza to grip the rope.
"We're pulling on the count of three," Tyler shouted down.
"Okay," called back Ian.
It was a struggle but between the three and Ian's own efforts they managed to haul him close enough until his head hands appeared. Renee grabbed one and held on until he managed to get one knee up over the edge,
Aza grabbed his arm and Ian flopped onto the ground before them.
"Not bad for a city slicker," Tyler said with a chuckle.
"And I thought I was comparatively fit," Ian muttered. "Those city gym ropes are child's play compared with this." He also stood, brushed himself down and patted Sam before turning serious. "Where's the gunman?"
"No sign of him," Tyler said. "Perhaps I was lucky with my earlier shots." He explained what had happened earlier.
"But he could be down there waiting?" Aza asked.
"True, that's why I suggest we go up to the tank and not back to the house."
"And use our mobiles to contact authorities?" Renee added.
"That's about it," Tyler said. "Now, how about some of that coffee from the thermos before we get going?"
They leaned against the far bank with their torches turned off and sipped mugs of coffee. Renee also took two towels from her pack for Aza and Ian to wrap around their shoulders.
"Okay Sam," Tyler said. "We're going uphill to the tank. You have to make sure none of us slip. Okay?"
He could see the dog's eyes almost glowing in the dark as he acknowledged his comment with a tiny bark.
It took over forty minutes but they finally reached the tank and squeezed in the tiny pump shed. Tyler lit a small propane heater he had brought and the temperature rose a little. He placed his arm around Renee and noticed that Ian was doing the same with Aza. Perhaps they were becoming more than just casual acquaintances. With those thoughts he dozed off and drifted into a strange dream of a leering gunman holding Renee by the throat and waving a revolver in her face.
He awoke, feeling stiff and cold and realised that it was dawn and Renee stood in the doorway with a small pot of canned stew bubbling away on the camp stove that they had also brought with them. Sam sat beside her.
"The other two are asleep," she whispered. "I thought something hot in our stomachs would help us all."
"Any luck with the mobile?"
She shook her head. "We need to be on the other side of the tank before it works."
"I'll go and try," Tyler said.
He walked outside and realised how much colder it was there. The day was crisp with snow in every direction but the sky was mainly cloud free and there was no wind. He pulled his collar up, grabbed his rifle and walked out to the edge of the track. Their footprints and Sam's paw marks were frozen in the snow while far below he could see the house and outbuildings. It appeared lonely and still with nothing to indicate that anybody was there. In fact, every direction appeared as a blanket of snow with nothing to indicate the presence of the gunman or anyone else.
It appeared safe but he was cautious as he stepped around the tank. Once on the other side, his mobile indicated there was a signal so he called the police to report everything that had happened.
"Detective Sergeant Brody Cleveland wishes to speak to you," the constable he was speaking to said. "He's in charge of everything to do with your case."
The sergeant came on and Tyler repeated everything to him.
"Is this exactly what happened?" Brody asked "You saw a red target light on your partner's jacket and knocked her out of the way just in time before a bullet whistled over her. You turned, saw gunfire flash and fired back several times."
"Yes. My rifle reloads automatically."
"And you saw the flash after the bullet just missed Renee?"
"I guess I did."
"So the rifleman fired a second time?"
"He must have for I aimed at the gun flash."
"And there has been no sign of the person since then."
"It was dark, Sergeant Cleveland. Since dawn I have only had time to have a quick look around. We are at the top of what we call Tank Hill and see the house and surrounding buildings below us."
"But not all the track up to your position?"
"That's correct."
"Okay, Tyler, except for firing back, you appear to have done everything right. Please stay where you are. Is there another way up to your position?"
"No. The hill's pretty steep and would be impossible to climb especially with all the snow."
"And you can see the top of the track you came up on."
"Not from here but from the pump house where the others are, yes."
"One moment please." The mobile went quiet for a moment before Brody came back on line. "I've been in contact with Search and Rescue. Just stay where you are. A helicopter is on its way. Perhaps you could keep an eye out in case that gunman appears but no shooting or other heroics. Is that clear?"
"Yes."
*
TWENTY MINUTES LATER a red and yellow search and rescue helicopter circled around the entire area before it flew in above them. There was no room to land but it came close enough for a crewman to be lowered in a safety chair. He was very efficient and within moments both the girls were hoisted aboard, Ian followed and Tyler next with Sam on his lap. The crewman returned to the helicopter, hauled the rope up and shut the door.
"We'll take you to Christchurch Hospital," he said as the helicopter rose up above the hill. "You all look fine but after a night out in these conditions." He waved at the snow covered landscape below. "It pays to have you all checked out."
"Thanks but what about Sam, our dog?"
The crewman grinned. "Don't worry, we often have dogs brought in with wounded hunters or trampers. There are kennels at our base where he can stay while you're in hospital."
"Sam's part of our family," Renee added while Tyler patted their faithful friend.
*