Waypoint Alaska

by Shauna R. Schober[thriller]

  Luckily, Lacey hadn’t punctured a lung, the wound was superficial, so it only affected her skin and muscle, and while the gash in her side was large, it was easily fixed with stitches and staples.

  “How did you guys get into this mess?” Ben and Megan’s mom asked.

  “We are doing a multi-cache, ya know? One geocache leads to the next, anyhow we just ended up in a warehouse and uh…well Aunt Lacey kinda got hit by a forklift.” Ben explained.

  “A forklift?”

  “Yup.” Megan interjected. She then looked to Trent for further explanation.

  “Um, yes, uh Mrs. Conner…yeah, I have been flying them to some of the geocaches, it’s really pretty cool. This was, of course, a freak accident.” Trent did his best to try to convince Mrs. Conner that everything was okay. As he continued to explain things, Lacey woke up briefly.

  “Hey, Ben, did you get the next key?” She was beginning to succumb to her pain medicine once again. Her eyes drooped as she spoke.

  “Yeah, but we’re not goin’, not with you hurt.”

  “Where though?” Lacey asked again.

  “It’s a place called Pebble Beach.” Ben looked at Trent, trying to tell him not to say anything about the potential gold mine. Lacey’s eyes grew wide, suddenly she was fully awake.

  “Pebble Beach? As in the Pebble Beach gold mine?” She almost yelled.

  “Well, we don’t know, it’s just where the waypoint leads. You know how this goes, we don’t know if it will be the last geocache or what, could be nothing.” Ben responded.

  “Or it could be everything, this might be the last one, Ben. Well hey, if you don’t wanna go with me then I’ll just take Meg, you wanna go, don’t you?” She stared at Megan.

  “Well, yeah, of course.” Megan answered eagerly.

  “Okay then, it’s settled.” Lacey relaxed a little bit.

  “Forgetting something?” Mrs. Conner asked.

  “Oh, yeah, thanks sis…Trent you mind flying us?”

  “No!” Mrs. Conner interrupted, “Don’t you think you should ask her mother?!”

  “Oooooh, sorry sis, yeah, so is it okay?”

  “Only if Ben goes too.” Then she turned to Ben, “and your dad and I will stay here in Anchorage until you guys get back, then we can all head home.”

  “Yeah, okay,” he replied. “What about the RV?”

  “We’ll figure that out when the time comes. For now go to this last geocache, see what you find and we’ll decide if you want to continue after that.” Mrs. Conner smiled at Megan, she knew how important this trip was to her, there was no way she would call it quits on her daughter.

  Lacey dozed off again, this time everyone filed out the door and into the waiting room. Trent looked around the circle, “So I guess I’ll be staying too, then.”

  “Do you mind?” Megan asked.

  “Nope, not at all, but if there is gold waiting for you at Pebble Beach, I will have to increase my pilot fees,” he joked. The whole group giggled, Ben and Megan went with their parents back to the hotel, Trent followed and got a room as well.

  Trent brushed his teeth and shaved with the complimentary hotel essentials kit in the hotel bathroom. As he walked back into the main hotel room his phone was vibrating on the night table indicating a new text message had just come through. He eagerly picked up the phone and read the text,

  “what’s the status?” The message read. He hit reply and wrote,

  “convinced them 2 continu on 2 mine site, hopefully 2moro. I’ll update then. Don’t worry, u’ll get ur $$$.”

  16

  Lacey held her rib cage as the sea plane hit the water, she ached so badly, but also couldn’t wait to see what was waiting for them at Pebble Beach. Once Trent slowed the plane to a slow glide, she released her firm grip, as she did the pain shot up to her shoulder. She secretly hoped this would be the end of their trip, it would all make sense, but somewhere deep down she knew, that this was potentially just the beginning.

  “You okay back there?” Trent called out over the hum of the propellers.

  “Yup” Lacey and Megan called out. Ben continued to read the article from national Geographic on Lacey’s phone, she had located it for him in an effort to convince him that this was indeed a good idea.

  The plane slowly pulled next to the dock, Trent once again got out and secured everything as Lacey, Megan, and Ben funneled out. One thing was for sure, United Cellular was going to potentially have a fit when they got the bill for Trent’s services, Lacey thought, she couldn’t imagine how much this was gonna cost when all was said and done.

  “Well, let’s get going on this, Aunt Lacey is gonna need to rest soon.” Ben said as he herded everyone off the dock and onto the rocky beach. He eyed the slope in front of them, the hill wasn’t steep and it wasn’t huge, it wasn’t really anything but a hill, Ben could hardly see how this was going to be an interesting geocache, except for the fact that it was located on approximately two hundred billion dollars’ worth of gold and silver. The group started hiking a trail, following the GPS on Lacey’s cell phone that indicated they needed to head inland. As they walked, the wind blew the wild flowers and coastal grasses that covered the landscape, they danced in the breeze, their simplicity was breathtaking, Ben thought. There truly wasn’t a lot here. A few small shacks and cabins dotted the coastline, the hillside was very sparse, not a lot of trees or shrubbery, just a beautifully painted slope. It was what was in the distance on the top of the hill that had Ben concerned.

  Ahead of the group on the trail was a tall cyclone fence, it stretched for what seemed to be a mile in both directions. As the group approached Ben could see a large “No trespassing” sign posted high on the fence.

  Ben looked at Lacey’s cell phone, “Well, we have a problem, looks like the geocache is on the other side of the fence, about one hundred and fifty feet past it, actually.” he said solemnly.

  “So, do we climb it?” Trent asked eagerly.

  “Uh, I think I’ve learned my lesson about trespassing,” Lacey said as she protected her bandaged side once again with her hand.

  “We might not have to climb it,” Megan called out, she was walking toward something along the fence line, “Ben, get over here and give me the key!”

  Ben ran to her quickly, leaving Lacey and Trent staring at the phone. Once he caught up, he saw what Megan was headed for, it was a small entry gate, closed and secured with a thick metal chain and a pad lock. He wiggled the key out of his jeans pocket and started walking faster toward the gate. Once there he quickly put the key into the lock, turned it slowly, and it popped open. He was almost shocked at how easy that had been. Megan giggled with delight, there was no way she was letting this adventure end with a cyclone fence.

  Ben called down to Lacey and Trent, they proceeded to head toward the gate as well, being mindful to close it and lock it behind them. Ben and Megan were already pacing out the one hundred and fifty feet to where the GPS had indicated that the geocache was located. As they walked and counted steps, both couldn’t help but notice how barren this place was, besides the grasses and flowers there wasn’t a lot here, it seemed as though there should be heavy equipment moving and making noise. There should be piles of dirt and tons of smoke filling the air; but on this day the blue sky was stunning, there was no sign of mining taking place at all. This felt more like a park than a mining site.

  “One hundred forty-eight, one hundred forty-nine, one hundred fifty, okay, should be here somewhere,” Megan announced. She stared at the ground as she and Ben walked in circles looking for anything that could be the geocache.

  Trent and Lacey approached behind them and started looking as well, “The GPS says its accuracy is within five feet at this location, it can’t be far,” Lacey said.

  “Yeah, if no one else has taken it already.” Ben added.

  “Who would know about it? You are the only one with the key, Ben, remember?” Lacey sighed as she continued to look through the thick grasses and flowers. Ben
nodded and continued to look. This place almost felt wrong. It was too bare, there was nothing here.

  He turned and looked at the horizon, “Wow!” he sighed. The expanse of the view was incredible. From this vantage point there was nothing but blue skies and sea. A few fishing boats floated on the crystal waters, besides that there was nothing. It looked almost like a painting, it was just perfect. Trent’s voice interrupted Ben’s stare,

  “I think I got it!” Trent called out. He was on his knees, prying something out of the ground. Just as Ben and Megan approached him, the earth gave way around the metal box and Trent lifted it into the air. “Ben, the key, quick!” Trent yelled, his eagerness surprised Lacey, but even she was desperate to see what was in this box at such an important location.

  Ben jogged over with the key and handed it to Trent. Trent inserted it and twisted, with a pop the box opened. He lifted the lid cautiously, then sighed when he saw what it contained.

  “It’s just another key,” he groaned.

  “What is the waypoint?” Lacey asked as she readied her phone to enter the information.

  “It says, 62 degrees 26’ 43.70” North and 157 degrees 58’ 24.96” West.” Trent sat back into the grass as he waited to hear where this key would take them. Lacey entered the waypoint into her GPS app on the phone and waited.

  “We don’t have to keep going,” Ben said to Trent. “I know you want to, and thank you for all your help, but really we can stop. Aunt Lacey is hurting anyways, we should probably just call it quits.”

  “What would be the point though?” Trent closed his eyes. Ben was confused at Trent’s reaction. He shouldn’t be this upset about the geocache. Ben couldn’t figure out what was going on with Trent, but he noticed that something wasn’t right, Trent seemed stressed that the only thing in this geocache was another key. At this point, Ben wasn’t even surprised by the outcome, he was more surprised that Trent seemed irritated at the situation.

  Ben thought about it and then asked, “Ya know Trent, are you gonna be in trouble for being gone so long with the plane? Do you need to get back? Is that why you’re upset?”

  “Oh, uh…no this is fine, I just was hoping you guys would find what you we looking for, that’s all.” Trent reassured Ben.

  Lacey interrupted their conversation, “Huh, is there really a town called ‘Iditarod’?”

  “Yeah, it’s in the middle of nowhere, but yes there is, why?” Trent answered. “Gonna be snow there with how cold it’s been this year though.”

  “Well, that’s where we’re headed.” she looked at everyone, “That is if you guys want to go to the next one?”

  Megan and Ben stared at each other, Ben knew Megan wanted to go, he wasn’t so sure, but he would if his sister really wanted to, she had been talking about this trip all year after he and Lacey had won the prize the previous summer.

  Megan looked at Lacey, “What do you wanna do, Aunt Lacey?”

  “Hey you know me, I’ll go anywhere,” Lacey smiled, then looked to Trent, “Can you fly us there?”

  “No, not with this plane, and not right now. I think there’s only one way to get to it, actually most of the year there is only one way, well maybe two,” he answered.

  Lacey was confused, “Okay, how then?”

  “Well I’m not totally sure but I’m pretty sure that you could probably only get their by snow mobile, or dog sled. You know the Iditarod Dog Sledding race; it’s named after that town, obviously. One of the reasons is because of how remote the town is.”

  “So we get to dog sled?” Megan beamed with excitement.

  “Or use snow mobiles,” Trent answered.

  Ben looked at everyone, “If the dog sledding race is named after this town, I only feel it would be right for us to use that mode of transportation. I think the Cache Master would want that.”

  Lacey nodded in agreement with her nephew, “Well said, Ben. Are you uh, coming with us Trent?” Lacey blushed as she asked.

  “Uh, let me just text my boss and see what he wants me to do,” Trent answered.

  “If you’re not using the plane, why would your boss care?” Lacey asked.

  “Oh, uh…just um, you know to get time off work, that’s all, I just need to ask.” Trent pulled his phone out of his pocket, “You guys go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

  Ben and Megan turned toward the fence, Lacey paused and looked at Trent as he typed his text message, then turned to catch up to the kids. Trent looked up making sure they weren’t around, even though they couldn’t see the screen of his phone, he was anxious.

  “Nothing at the mine, but another key. What do you want me to do?” he hit send, then waited, he knew his boss was waiting at the other end and would reply as soon as he had received the message. Trent was so nervous he almost jumped when his phone vibrated.

  The reply read, “Where r they goin’ now?”

  “Iditarod” Trent replied.

  “Can’t fly into there.”

  “I know, what should I do?” Trent typed.

  “GET MY $$$!” the response made the hairs on Trent’s neck stand up.

  “I’m trying” he replied.

  “Try harder boy, you’re easy to replace.”

  Trent’s jaw dropped, he knew his boss wasn’t a patient man, but now he felt truly scared. As he slid his phone into his pocket, he glared into the distance toward Lacey, Ben, and Megan. The three of them thought this was all a game.

  “They have no idea what’s truly at stake,” he mumbled to himself.

  “You coming?” Ben yelled back to Trent.

  “Yeah,” Trent jogged up to the group.

  “No, you comin’ to the next geocache?” Ben clarified.

  “Oh, yeah, my boss was fine with me taking a few days off.”

  “Great!” Lacey said, a little too eagerly, she caught herself, then to change the subject added, “You know, we need to get the information to United Cellular to pay you for flying us everywhere.”

  “Don’t worry about that right now, we’ll get that taken care of when I bring you guys back.”

  “Bring us back?” Lacey questioned.

  Trent caught himself, he had almost said too much, “Oh yeah to your RV, remember it’s parked at my cabin.”

  “Oh! Right, I had forgotten about that.” Lacey smiled then turned and continued walking on the path, she had an uneasy feeling in her gut. She had seen a strange look on Trent’s face. Was he hiding something? She wasn’t sure, but suddenly she realized that they knew nothing about him. He was just a pilot, who worked out of a remote cabin. Then she remembered something that sent an instant jolt down her spine, when they had first flown with Trent, he had told them he worked alone, he said he owned the company. It occurred to Lacey that if Trent owned the company, he wouldn’t have a boss. He was lying to them! She turned to confront him, but stopped herself as she noticed the handgun holstered to his hip. “Hey Trent, why do you have your gun?” she asked nervously.

  Trent’s eyes looked to his hip, then back up to Lacey, there was a bit of anger there, Lacey could see, “This is Alaska, Lacey, you never know what will happen.”

  “Oh, right, yeah sorry I’m just used to only seeing cops carry guns, ya know, in Oregon,” she stumbled over her words.

  “That’s the other thing about Alaska…not a lot of cops up here,” he stared into Lacey’s eyes. “Lots of bad guys though.”

  17

  “So where’d you get this plane?” Lacey asked Trent as he was gingerly landing it on an old abandoned airstrip in Ophir, Alaska.

  “I borrowed it from a friend who owed me a favor, he’s the one who told me about this airstrip too. It’s as close as I could get you guys to Iditarod; you only have about ninety miles to travel from here.”

  “I hope this lady is for real, Ben found her on the internet, evidently she lives out here, raises her dogs and races every year in the Iditarod Race,” Lacey held her rib as the plane touched down on the bumpy airstrip. She sighed in relief as soon as Trent bro
ught it to a slow stop.

  “Well, I’ll wait here until you guys let me know if she’s legit,” Trent assured Lacey, “You okay? You’ve been acting weird ever since our last stop.”

  “I’m fine, uh…just hurting is all.” Lacey looked away from him in an effort to hide her true feelings. She was hurting, but she was also terrified that Trent was somehow connected to Henry, there was just so much that wasn’t adding up. She decided that she would play it cool for a while, not say anything until she could be sure that they were all safe.

  The rocky tundra had sparse collections of snow around tufts of grass. What wasn’t rock or snow was soggy and muddy from all the snow melt. Ben and Megan lead the way to a small hunting cabin along the tree line. The sound of the dogs helped verify they were in the right place, they could hear barking, growling, and howling. The yelps of the dogs surely were an indication of an excited sled dog team.

  “This must be it,” Ben called back to Lacey who was trailing behind.

  “What’s this lady’s name?” Lacey asked.

  “Sarah Hunter,” Ben called back as he stepped onto the small porch of the cabin. Before he could lift his hand and knock, the door opened. Heat from the small space escaped and warmed his already chilled face. A young woman stood before him in the doorway, wrapped in a thick wool sweater.

  “You must be Ben!” She beamed.

  “I am, are you Sarah…err…uh…Ms. Hunter?” He quickly corrected himself.

  “That’s me, and call me Sarah. So you need to get to Iditarod, right?”

  “Yeah, but how do we do that? There’s not a lot of snow…” Ben sighed.

  “Oh no worries, I have sleds with wheels. They won’t even get stuck in the mud out here, so we’re good to go. Why don’t you come in for a bit, while I pack some rations.” She motioned for them to enter her small dwelling.