Page 78 of Cole

"Right now. This is our only window." Cheryl glanced over her shoulder nervously. "I told them I was checking to make sure you were secured. We have maybe five minutes before someone comes looking for me."

She thrust the coat at Janice. "Put this on. Fast."

Janice shoved her arms into the sleeves, her cold-numbed fingers fumbling with the zipper. The coat was too large, hanging past her hips, but it was warm, and that was all that mattered.

"Boots," Cheryl said. "These are an extra pair I grabbed from the supply building. They'll be too big but better than those sneakers.

"I figure you need all the warmth you can get. Now move. We go out the back, between the storage buildings, and into the tree line. Then we run to the creek you must have crossed the other day. If we can cross it, then it’ll keep them from following in a vehicle.” She heaved a sigh and shook her head. “I have no idea what to do then, but we’ll figure it out. Now, stay low, stay quiet, and for God's sake, don't look back."

Janice's hands shook as she pulled on the boots, shoving her feet into warmth that felt like heaven after the cold that had been seeping into her bones. They were too big, but she didn’t care. As long as her feet were warm and protected, they would work. And if they could make it to the creek and cross, then she would be on familiar territory. She knew a few places they could hide until help arrived. And she was sure Cole would arrive.

"Why are you doing this?" Janice asked, needing to understand even as Cheryl pulled her toward the door.

She cracked the door open, peering out. "Because what they're doing here is wrong. I hate it. I've hated it from the beginning. But I needed the paycheck, and I told myself I was gathering evidence, that eventually I'd find a way to stop them." Her voice cracked slightly. "And then they brought you here, and I realized if I didn't act now, I'd be complicit in more than just illegal mining."

Janice's throat tightened. "Thank you."

"Thank me when we're out of here." Cheryl checked outside again. "Okay. The commotion at the tank is still going strong. Everyone's over there. This is our shot. Stay close to the buildings, move fast but quietly. Ready?"

Janice nodded even though she wasn't sure she’d ever be ready for this.

They slipped out of the hut into the cold afternoon air. The coat helped, but Janice could still feel the temperature biting at her exposed face and could feel her breath forming clouds in front of her. The boots were awkward, too large, but she focused on moving as quietly as possible despite them.

Cheryl led the way, pressed against the wall of the nearest outbuilding. Janice followed, her heart hammering so hard it seemed impossible that no one could hear it. Voices carried from the main site. Men shouted instructions about containment, about shutting down the flow, and about getting more equipment. The voices blended into one loud cacophony, but as long as no one was shouting that they saw the two women leaving, Janice didn’t care.

They rounded the corner of the building, and suddenly they were more exposed. An open stretch of maybe thirty feet between them and the next structure, with nothing to hide behind if someone looked their way.

"Now," Cheryl whispered, and they ran.

Janice's boots crunched through the packed snow, each step feeling impossibly loud. The distance seemed to stretch forever, thirty feet becoming thirty miles. Every second she expected a shout or worse.

But they made it and pressed themselves against the next building, breathing hard, hearts racing. Two more buildings to pass. Then the tree line. Then the forest and whatever slim chance at survival it offered.

Cheryl peeked around the corner, checking their next route. "One more sprint, then we can move more carefully through the equipment storage area. That'll give us cover almost to the trees."

Janice nodded, not wanting to speak unnecessarily.

They moved again, this time making it between two pieces of heavy machinery. Darting around a bulldozer, Janice didn't recognize the next piece of equipment, but it also looked like it was designed for digging. The equipment provided blessed cover, and they paused there to catch their breath.

"Almost there," Cheryl breathed. "See that gap between the supply shed and the generator building? That's our path to the trees. Once we're in the forest, we make it to the creek. Then maybe you can show us the way out."

Janice looked at the tree line that was behind fifty feet of open ground. Safety was so close, if they could just reach it.

"On three," Cheryl said. "One, two⁠—"

A door slammed somewhere behind them, and a male voice called out, "Hey! Where's Cheryl? Someone check on the prisoner!"

Janice's blood turned to ice.

"Run!" Cheryl grabbed her hand, and they bolted for the trees.

No more stealth, no more careful movement. Just desperate flight toward the forest, toward cover, toward any chance at survival.

Janice's too-large boots slipped in the snow. She stumbled and nearly went down, but Cheryl's grip on her hand kept her upright. They crashed through the first line of trees, branches whipping at their faces, snow cascading down from disturbed branches.

Behind them, shouts erupted. "They're running! Stop them!"

Janice didn't look back. She focused on moving forward, following Cheryl through the darkening forest, on putting distance between themselves and the men who would kill them if they caught them.