Ariadne

Chapter 1

Daylen arrives in the parking lot of the rescue station, and maneuvers his Grand Cherokee into the spot next to his sister’s Honda, throws the gear into park and huffs loudly.  As he sits and stares at the mountains rising in the distance, his mind races to find the most appropriate way to face the coming week.  Unsuccessfully formulating a plan of verbal attack, he bangs his head on his steering wheel several times before making a grumbling exit of his vehicle.

He slams the door, stomps to the rear hatch, retrieves his backpack and gear, proceeds to slam the hatch, and then stomps across the parking lot and into the rescue station.

With an unceremonious drop of essential mountaineering items in the foyer, Daylen shakes his full head of brown waves and sets out to find the woman who has tormented him since her birth twenty-three years ago.

“Suzy?”

“In here gathering weather reports ad checking hiking logs.”  He spots her at her computer, hunched over the screen in concentration.  Her green eyes meet his browns from across the room, her matching hair spilling down her back.  “Well look at you.  Don’t you look all grown up this morning, big brother.”

“I see the leg is still broken.  Where is your healthier half?”

“He’ll be here shortly.  Don’t get your knickers in a twist.  Had to stop and pick up those freeze-dried meals he loves so much.”

“I thought you planned on living off the land on these trips.  What’s with the space bags?”

“Just in case.  And we do haul basic nonperishable items along.  Hope you don’t mind lugging some cans in your pack.”

Flopping down at his desk, he scrutinizes the only family he has left in the world.  Times like this, he wishes his parents had let him get a dog instead of giving him the eternal pain in the ass.  After a spin around in his chair he resorts to studying the Cascades, perfectly framed by the large bay windows along the far wall of the main room.

“So are you looking forward to babysitting duties with my hubby?”  Suzy’s gleefully evil expression brightens the room as she hobbles around her desk to sit on his, her broken leg in the ‘damn florescent pink’ cast.

“What?”

“Wake up, Daylen.  Your eager students will be arriving shortly.  They will not be lulled into a false sense of security if you maintain this scowl.”

“Yeah…I think you broke your leg on purpose after that last batch of ‘eager students’.”

“Well, what can I say?  The lack of a job market has all types applying for rescue positions.  Not all of these are heading into the field, some of them are weekend warrior pencil pushers.  They are going to be especially whiny.”

“What time are they arriving?”

A shiver moves through his body as she finger combs his hair soothingly, bemusement all over her.  “Ten, so you better finish the pot of coffee Charlie made, or find some happy pills.  You are going to depress them.” 

“Chelsea moved her stuff out last week.”

Daylen sighs as he push away from his desk, messing up the coifing Suzy attempted moments earlier by running his hands across his head.  She sits silently, watching him struggle through the pent up emotions he usually keeps hidden from world.  Most of the time he successfully keeps them hidden from her.

“She didn’t come get her shit personally, she sent the sex-crazed gorilla.”

“Dude.  That is crazy cruel.  What did you say to him?”

“I told him she prefers it from behind, and the reason why she calls him ‘baby’ is so she won’t accidentally call out the wrong name.”  A smile breaks part way across his lips, a glint of satisfaction twinkling his eyes.

She high fives him and then gives him a bear hug.  “Good for you.  Now take out all that pent up rage out on the city slickers.  Show them what the mountains are really like so they never make the mistake of trying to hike on their own, forcing us to rescue their asses.  At least keep Toby out of jail by preventing him from killing them.”

“Ugh.  If you weren’t my only surviving relative…finishing the coffee as we speak.”

Suzy giggles as Daylen wanders to the coffee station.  Looking out over the mountain-scape before him, he smiles.  ‘Maybe it won’t be that bad, spending time with Toby, making sure hikers don’t die.  Getting away from the soul sucking bitch from hell…also known as Chelsea.  I can do this.’

Toby dances into the room with a loud operatic rendition of some production Daylen has never heard of playing loudly from his earbuds.  His endless enthusiasm and constant good nature are what garnered his position on these training trips.  The bonus of usually being able to drag his wife along now sidelined with her injury. 

After a twirl and deep bow, Toby presents his hand to his best friend.  “Daylen…my favorite brother-in-law.  Let us lead the people to mountain greatness.”

“You are such an ass.”

“Yep.  Watch the bad dancing.”  Toby’s six foot five frame gyrates obscenely, bouncing between kissing Suzy passionately and mocking his brother-in-law.  “Completely bummed my wonderful wife will be homebound and I am stuck with your sorry ass.  You are not as much fun to spoon with.  And you snore like a grizzly.”

“You don’t do a hell of a lot for me either, stud.  Come to think about it, you snore louder than me.  I slept with a pillow over my head for most of college because of your bear noises.”

Charlie enters the main room and laughs.  “Well, you don’t have time to ponder sleeping arrangements.  They are arriving, start doing your damn jobs, and actually search their packs this time.”

Toby turns and stares at their boss for a second, his eyebrow cocked over a curious gray eye.  “We always search the packs.  What’s up?”

“Ah, my concern for my underlings is in question.  Did I show you the latest pictures from my trout fishing trip?”

Daylen holds both hands up and cringes.  “Dude.  We will search packs, pockets, and x-ray them if we have too.  Don’t threaten such torture.”

“Oh, look.  Your clients are arriving, go be nice.  We need the money, and you two need jobs.”

As their boss retreats to his haven of an office, the guides crane their necks to see two bouncy women in the parking lot with their back packs at their feet.

Suzy hops to them while holding her crutches.  “Ah.  They look sweet.  Be good.  Both of you.  And brother of mine, keep him away from any hot women out there.”

“He loves you to the point of blindness.  You have nothing to fear, even if a Playboy centerfold showed up, he wouldn’t even notice.”  As Toby kisses Suzy, wrapping around her body like a man going to war, Daylen moves to the entrance to meet their clients.  Under his breath, his words reach no ears but his own, “Only reason why I stood up for him to our parents.”

Daylen lets his feet carry him to the parking lot, greeting the two enthusiastic women waiting.  They are initially oblivious to his presence, teasing each other about what they packed and why.  He overhears that one is undergoing a divorce and cringes.  ‘Great.  Spontaneous crying alert.’

The petite blond notices him and startles.  “Oh, sorry.  Hi.  We are here for the mountaineering class.”

“You are in the right place.  We’ll start checking people in when the rest arrive.”  Uncomfortably he pushes both hands into his jeans’ pockets and asks, “Any questions or worries?  Major concerns?”

“Nothing yet.  I’m Alicia, and damn you are polite…and cute.  Are you single?”

“Thank you.  That’s sweet, but I’m your instructor.  Just here to make sure you are safe on this trip.  And FYI, the other instructor is married to my sister.”

“Double damn.  I was hoping for a fairytale romance.  Will have to do with nature’s beauty then, right Paulina?”

Daylen cuts off the conversation, “Yes you will.”

The leggy brunette with the pixie haircut next to her giggles.  “It’s not a dating game, Alicia.  This is you helping me deal with the fact my husband is fucking his secretary.”

Alicia’s arms go out wide for a squealing hug that includes jumping and more giggling.  “Beautiful mountains it is.  Love you, Paulina!”

“Love you too, Alicia!”

Daylen nods and turns before they see him roll his eyes.  At that exact moment his meets Toby’s gaze, eyebrow raised at the ready.  His voice projects the low warning to his best friend, “No way, and don’t even try.”

“Not going to.  Too much baggage and anger from both of them.”  When Daylen double takes to the girls, Toby explains, “You learn the signs.  This hysterical happiness hides a sea of anger.  And you need a woman who compliments you.  Not seeing it here.”

“No dating of the clients…big rule, Toby.”

**

When the rest of the clients join them, Toby goes into host mode.  Daylen stands back and observes, ticking off the key speaking points as they go in order to ensure all pertinent information is covered. 

Within a half hour, their group stands set and ready.  Watching over the odd band of trainees he makes note of the ones who appear to have hit the gym five times a day, but don’t have enough common sense to break in their boots.  There are a few who seem better adapted to the outdoors, but he can tell their stamina will be pushed today. 

One stands out for the way she looks around.  It is subtle, but she observes everyone…intently… almost studying them.  He also notices the way she moves, not wasting a single ounce of energy or time.  While the rest of the group nervously chats, she stands calmly with her arms crossed, her pack at her feet.  At least she looks dressed for the extremes, layered well worn clothing, and her boots are broken in.  When her bright blue eyes catch him staring, he feels the heat build in his cheeks and looks away, asking everyone to gather around.

Unfortunately, Toby has honed in on Daylen’s reaction.  “She’s cute.  And by all appearances may know what the hell she’s doing out here.”

“It’s a job, Tobe.  Stop with the match making persona.  You are not old, ethnic, or female.  You can’t pull of the whole wizened sage thing either.”

“Relax, not setting you up, just observing.  She’s looking at you, don’t blush.”

“God I wish your wife was healthy.”

“Suzy would find her as attractive as I do.”

“You suck, go to hell, and suck it all the way.”

“Very eloquent.  That poetry class from freshmen year is finally paying off.”

With a devilish grin on his face, Toby jumps away as Daylen swats at him.  Daylen stands and goes about his business, but ignoring her proves nearly impossible.  Her dark curly hair and blue eyes sing a siren song at the moment, and he finds it horribly difficult to concentrate on introductions and pack checking. 

During his ill-fated avoidance he notices the quiet guy who appears competently dressed and packed, but wary of anyone touching his gear.  As a master climber, Daylen understands the protectiveness over gear.  You can only trust yourself to check it, but this guy seems especially jumpy.  The girl, Daylen recalls her name to be Adrienne, clues in as well and assures jumpy man the checks are for his safety as well as the group’s.  He eyes her suspiciously, but relents to have his gear checked.

Six-foot-three Daylen towers over Mr. Exton by at least four inches, but an eerie fear climbs up the guides spine.  The smaller guy is twitchy…Daylen hates twitchy guys.  They usually end up hurt, and then complain the entire trip down the mountain.  ‘It’s so hard to not strap them to a sleeping bag and bang their heads on the rocks during descent,’ float through Daylen’s mind.

After a completely bland series of pack checks, Daylen stands up and meets Adrienne’s inquisitive gaze.  She almost seems entertained.  At least Toby was nice enough to check over her gear.  When Day spies him standing behind her, two thumbs enthusiastically up in approval, he flushes to an even deeper red.

Sucking in his breath he addresses the group, “Ok, we are set.  Let’s load the van.”

**

Adrienne watches Daylen as he packs the back seats of the van, studying his muscles as he moves, taking in the brown hair with matching eyes.  Then she shucks off the stirrings with a bet that he’s gay.  All the hot men she’s attracted to turn out to be gay.  ‘It would be nice to eat something off him though, like angel food cake with strawberries and chocolate syrup.’