The Ties That Bind. Cliff Ryder

looked just as good leaving as she had coming in, Jason found himself a bit flabbergasted. He hadn’t made a pass or suggested they go upstairs for a slow tango between the sheets. But it was rare that he got the rough brush-off just like that.

      “I just asked what she wanted to eat,” he muttered to himself.

      “I’m sorry, sir?” the waitress asked.

      He looked up, realized that she’d been standing there waiting.

      “Nothing,” he said. “Never mind.”

      “The lady won’t be staying for dinner?”

      “Apparently not,” he said. He glanced at the menu again, then said, “I’ll have the burger, please.”

      “Struck out, huh?” the waitress asked, a grin forming on her features. “Don’t worry. It happens to the best of them.”

      “Not to me,” he muttered again, then forestalled her asking what he’d said by adding, “I’d also like a salad, but after the main course.”

      “Yes, sir,” she said. “Can I get you anything else?”

      “No, thank you,” he replied.

      “Save room for dessert,” she suggested. “Our espresso torte is heavenly.”

      “I’ll keep it in mind,” he said. The waitress walked away and Jason turned his thoughts inward once more.

      He had a guide, but she was also more than a little uptight. And automatically suspicious. He’d have to be careful to keep her focused on what she believed he was here for. That she was protective of her people was understandable, but the woman herself seemed contradictory. One second she was nice, straightforward and engaged. The next, she was practically telling him off for asking her what she wanted to eat. There was something about her that struck him as familiar, too, but he couldn’t place what it was.

      Still, so long as he moved carefully, she would be easy to keep distracted. At least until he disappeared while looking for the sub. He would have to try to think of something to keep her from sending out search parties for him.

      He sighed. Another complication—and a female one at that—was not what this mission needed. Resigned to making the best of it, he settled in to wait for his meal.

      4

      The road out of Nome was little better than a rutted concrete path, but Tina quickly proved herself competent. Using a large SUV and a trailer with two ATVs, she guided their vehicle around the worst of the potholes and hazards, while simultaneously pointing out sites of interest along the way. She was a good guide, Jason realized, knowledgeable about the area, its history, people and animals. She didn’t talk too much, but kept the conversation light and interesting. And completely impersonal.

      The landscape itself was one of harsh beauty. Dark-brown-and-green tundra grasses dominated the view, with distant snowcapped mountains. Birds and rabbits were plentiful, and when he rolled down the window, the wind from the ocean was crisp and cold and hinted of the coming winter. This was not a place for the weak, and those who survived here—in the city or in the surrounding areas—had a good reason to be proud.

      Several hours after leaving the small town, the road wasn’t even a pretense anymore, but simply a wide gravel trail. Not long after, Tina pulled the SUV off to the side and said, “This is where the going gets rough. We’ll leave the truck here and take the ATVs the rest of the way.”

      “You just leave your truck?” he asked, surprised.

      She shrugged. “Why not? It’s not like anyone is likely to steal it. Where would they go?” She gestured at the empty scene around them. “Even if they went into Nome, someone would recognize it. Theft isn’t very common up here. Everyone knows everyone else.”

      “Makes sense,” he said. He opened his door and climbed out of the truck, stretching his legs. “Can I help you unload everything?”

      “Sure,” she said. “Do you know how to drive an ATV?”

      He nodded. “I’ve used them many times.”

      “Good,” she said. “Then we can skip the lesson. I’ve already loaded all our gear onto the cargo racks, so all we have to do is back them down and we’re good to go.”

      Jason climbed up on the trailer, while Tina lowered the gate. “One word of caution,” she said. “If you haven’t driven one of these with a trailer attached, they don’t corner as tightly. Also, there’s plenty of icy patches, even some snow in places, so keep your speed down. If you hit an ice patch going too fast, we’ll have to bring in bulldozers to find your body.”

      He grinned and started the ATV’s engine. “Got it,” he said, putting the machine in gear and guiding it down the ramp. He noticed how she watched him, making sure that he wasn’t all talk and actually knew what he was doing. He pulled his ATV over to one side, and watched as she drove the second ATV off the trailer. When it was clear, he lifted the gate and shut it firmly, latching it into place.

      He crossed back over to his own machine. “Are we ready?” he asked.

      “As ready as we can be,” she said. “I’ll take the lead. Just follow my trail and we should hit the coast in about an hour. From there, we’ll go north. If you want to stop for anything, just honk the horn.”

      “You’re the boss,” he said. He slipped a pair of goggles over his eyes and pulled up his hood, fastening it with Velcro. There was no point in starting out cold.

      She set off toward the coast, keeping a steady pace, but not going too fast. Even if he’d lost sight of her, the tracks made by her ATV in the heavy tundra grass would be easy enough to follow. Aside from startling the occasional bird or rabbit, there was little to see. Once, in the far distance, he thought he saw a moose, but with the cloud cover and shadowy light, he wasn’t certain.

      According to the compass, Tina had begun bearing slightly to the north. If she was following a trail, he certainly couldn’t see it, but it was entirely possible she didn’t need one. Some people had a compass in their head, and were never truly lost. Off to his left and at quite a distance, Jason spotted what looked like some old, ruined buildings. He slowed to a stop and honked the horn.

      Ahead of him, Tina slowly circled back, then pulled alongside him. “What’s up?” she asked.

      He pointed at the ruins. “I’d like to take a look at those,” he said. “I find such places interesting.”

      “There’s not much to see there,” she said. “It’s an abandoned Inuit summer village from a long time ago. They left when the waters near here were fished out by nonnatives.”

      “Still,” he said. “I’d like to see it, if you don’t mind stopping.”

      She shrugged. “You’re the client.” Turning her ATV in that direction, she set a somewhat slower pace toward the abandoned village. Jason followed in her wake, thinking about what it must be like for people to have to move their homes because others had destroyed their way of life.

      Just as they reached the copse of trees that sheltered the buildings, Tina jammed on her brakes and abruptly turned around. Her eyes were wide. “No questions,” she snapped. “We’ve got to get out of here right now!”

      Startled, Jason stopped his ATV completely. “Wha—” he began to ask, even as she motored by him, going as fast as she could, the trailer bouncing wildly behind her.

      He turned to look at the buildings, wondering what could have possibly set her off like that, when he realized that there were several men coming out of the trees. Dressed in winter camouflage, they were heavily armed and already moving into position to open fire. “Not the friendliest natives,” he said, diving off the ATV to use it for cover as the first shots rang out.

      Bullets dug up the turf near his ATV. Jason slipped off his goggles and put on the shooting glasses. Now was as good