Riley's Journey (5 page)

She snorted. “Give me a break. Do I look stupid to you?”

“No,” he conceded, amused, “just really, really confused.”

“There’s no way in hell I’m going to believe that this is 40,000 years ago. Just help me find the rest of the research team and I won’t bother you any further.”

Nathan continued his cross-examination. “How did you get here?”

Riley mentally went back over the steps that led her to this place. “I got a job which was supposed to be an on-site research project and then this morning, Dr. Collins had me dress in this outfit, and then I walked through this door, and here I am. Sounds stupid, but believe me, that’s what happened.”

“Dr. Collins? Do you mean Dr. Bethany Collins?”

“Exactly. By the way, who are you?”

“I’m Nathan Collins.”

Riley jumped on the information. “
The
Nathan Collins? Nephew to Dr. Collins! The one who disappeared five years ago?”

He grinned, those full lips curving sensuously. “So you know about me? Who spilled the beans?”

“Jonas—you know, your good old buddy! But what are you doing here? I’m getting more confused by the minute,” she growled in exasperation.

Nathan turned away, unable to prevent the frown spreading across his face and not willing to alarm her. “I’m here because I chose to be. But why are you here?”

“I told you already. I’m part of a research team good old Aunt Bethany was putting together,” she snapped, beginning to believe she had been scammed.

He looked back. “And I told
you—
there is no research team here and there won’t be one!” He enunciated clearly.

The dog growled, empathetic to his emotions.

Frustration caused Riley to snap further. “So what you’re telling me is that somehow, someway, I’m back in time 40,000 years ago, in the middle of nowhere and my only company is you?”

“Afraid so. Better get used to me. I don’t suppose Aunt Bethany told you there’s no going back?” He bluntly stated.

Riley froze. “What do you mean—there’s no going back?”

“Just what I said, there’s no going back. The door only swings one way.” He stood up and walked over to the fire.

“Good old Aunt Bethany only told me that I would be away for an extended period. She never said anything about forever.” Really angry now, Riley jumped up and paced the floor. “I want to leave now. I’m going back and you’d better call Dr. Collins to come and get me!” She stomped her feet, like a child she thought.

His voice softened. “I wish I could—I wish you could go back, but I wasn’t kidding. The door only opens one direction, and that’s on the other end. You can’t go back home.”

“We’ll just see about that! I’m going back out there and I’m going home. You can’t keep me here. It isn’t legal. Open this door!” She stormed to the moveable rock wall and waited for him to open it.

“Whatever you want,” he said as he slid the door open, “it’s your funeral.”

Faltering, she stopped, “Wha…what do you mean?”

“I mean if you go out there after dark, and it’s after dark now, you could run into a cave bear, or if you get really lucky, you might even run into a saber toothed cat. There’s still a few of those running around.”

“That’s ridiculous! And if you think I’m going to believe all this garbage you’ve been handing me, you’re crazy!”

“Think what you want, but before you step outside, consider that I might be telling the truth.” He rolled the huge rock aside, motioning for her to go.

It was dark outside, the moon reflecting off the snow, but not bright enough for her to be able to see anything clearly, let alone the approach of a wild animal. Nervously, she perused the landscape. On the small chance that he might just be telling the truth, she hesitated. “Maybe it would be better if I waited until morning.”

“Suit yourself,” he said, rolling the rock back into place, “but that’s the last time tonight I push that rock back.” He turned and re-entered the living area of the cave. Riley waited for a few minutes, unsure what to do.

“You might as well come on back in here,” he called, “it’s going to get cold out there.”

Bemused and disgruntled, Riley followed him in. “Fine, but I expect you to help me find the research team in the morning.”

Shaking his head in frustration, he began pulling out plates, cups and eating utensils and then started to prepare a meal. “Take off your coat and stay awhile,” he instructed. “You’ll roast if you don’t.”

She thankfully shrugged off the heavy outer coat, relieved to be free of it for awhile.

“I hate to ask this,” she said hesitantly, “but I need to go to the bathroom. Where do I go?”

Motioning her to the far room, he pulled the skin aside and held it for her to enter. A bed covered by skins nestled against one wall of the cave along with a small log table holding a number of personal items and pegs on the walls for clothing. The cave stretched further back and she could hear running water. In a smaller enclave, a spring emptied into a clear pool, draining down through a hole in the rock wall. On the other side of the rock wall, Nathan had fashioned a toilet, complete with running water. “Uh, sorry, but no toilet paper. There is a good selection of leaves in the box to the right,” he apologized.

“No, that’s okay. I’m not complaining. This is so impressive,” she exclaimed, surprised by his ingenuity. “What gave you the idea?”

“Didn’t take much to figure it out and the stream ran out of here anyway, so it just seemed like the perfect answer. I even have a shower over here,” he said, motioning to an area by the pool. “You have to heat water though, and then pour it into the recess above. Works pretty good but you have to shower fast.”

“Aren’t you polluting the environment?”

He laughed. “It’s an underground stream, doesn’t seem to ever run to the surface, not anywhere close that is. By the time it does reach the surface, I’m sure natural filters have cleansed it completely.”

Riley nodded, impressed in spite of herself, almost all the comforts of home. “You’ve done well.”

He returned to the outer area, allowing her some privacy.

Food was on the table by the time she re-entered the living area. The dog was stretched out by the fireplace and barely acknowledged her as she entered. That was a positive sign—not being bitten was a good thing. Nathan ladled out stew and poured some sort of hot tea, both of which tasted wonderful. They ate in companionable silence, the dog interested but his manners were impeccable. After they were finished, Nathan scooped a bowl out and gave it to the dog, who made short work of it, then licked his chops, his eyes hoping for more.

Riley moved to give him the rest of hers, but Nathan stopped her. “Don’t over-feed him or he won’t hunt, and I need him to hunt. Half the food we eat is from his efforts.”

Respect for the dog slowly dawned. He might appear to be the demon from hell but she had to give it to him, he was her first defender and if he was also a provider, he obviously deserved some consideration. As if sensing her mental acceptance, Demon again growled at her, reiterating his dislike, she was just sure.

“Fine,” she said, deciding to ignore the dog. “I don’t like dogs anyway—they usually stink.” Demon growled again, laying back his ears.

Nathan laughed. “Sometimes, I actually think he understands everything that is said, so be careful.”

Riley huffed rudely; he was just a dog after all. “So tell me again, and please try to be more realistic. What is this place and how do I go home?”

Nathan ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, maybe if I start from the beginning, you’ll understand better.”

Riley nodded, settling down to listen.

“As you know, my aunt is Dr. Collins. She and Miles were working on a project that involved, not really time travel, but bending time.” Riley nodded, she had heard of this theory, but it was pure speculation. “Anyway, from all accounts, they succeeded, at least succeeded in going one direction. As far as I know, they haven’t figured out how to bend it from this end. But let me get back. They had reached a point where they decided it was time to try a human volunteer, but they needed a specific type; one who was mentally able to handle the change, physically capable, intelligent and eager for a change, that sort of thing.” He paused. “Enter me. Before I came here, I was a member of a Black Ops team for the Government.”

Riley nodded. “Jonas told me that much.”

“Yeah. Jonas was also part of that team. I’ve known him all my life. Anyway, I need to back up a bit. I was married then. I had a beautiful, loving young wife, Emily, who just happened to be Jonas’ younger sister. The team had gone on a mission and when we got back, I learned that Emily had been raped and murdered. She had been dead for two weeks before I even knew about it.” His voice roughened and he turned away, stopping the recital.

A lump grew in Riley’s throat, but she couldn’t think of anything sympathetic to say but, “I’m so sorry.”

He nodded, clearing his throat. “Anyway, it took me awhile, but I found the murderer and I executed him.”

Startled, Riley stared at his back, nervous again.

“You executed someone? What do you mean, you executed him?”

“I mean, I found the bastard and I became his judge, jury and executioner. I gave him the same chance he gave my Emily.” His face hardened, remembered pain reflecting in his tortured eyes.

Riley chose her words carefully. “Well, I can’t say that I disagree with what you did, but what does that have to do with you being here?”

“Unfortunately, Emily’s murderer was the son and grandson of some pretty important people, Senators, Congressmen, that sort of thing. I found out that he had seen Emily at some high ranking party, she was a Congressional Aide. He followed her home and did the deed. I wouldn’t have had a chance in any court of law and Aunt Bethany knew that. She offered me this chance, and I took it. I’ve been here since.”

“Surely, the law would have been on your side. He murdered your wife, after all.”

His words came bitterly. “He was the son and grandson of
very
important people. The law wouldn’t have even entered the picture. If he had actually gone to trial, he would have gotten off on some technicality. If I had been tried, I would have gotten the death penalty, if I lasted long enough to get to trial.”

She couldn’t think of anything to say again but, “I’m sorry.”

He nodded. “Bethany offered me the chance to come here. She knew I needed to hide and I had nothing to lose, so she sent me through.”

“But why am I here?” Riley waited for an answer.

He paced the room, his face unreadable. “I think that’s partly my fault.”

“Your fault! How could it be your fault?”

“Sometimes, if Aunt Bethany happens to be monitoring from that end, and I’m down by the drop point, she must be able to hear me, because equipment, food, that sort of thing will be waiting,” he paused, drawing a breath. “It’s lonely here, no one to talk to. You’ve seen the others, they’re the only other humanoids in the area. They don’t like me and I don’t like them. We keep away from each other as much as possible. I had to teach them a lesson a time or two, but they respect me. They leave me alone and I return the favor.”

“Okay, so we’ve established why you’re here. Now, what about me?” Riley waited, fearful of his response.

He fidgeted, seemingly uneasy about answering. “I think Aunt Bethany sent you here for me. I think she sent you here to be my mate.”

Stunned, Riley stared blankly at him for what seemed like hours, her mind refusing to accept what he had said. She was here in this God-forsaken wilderness because he needed a
girlfriend
? What kind of crap was that?

Finally, he broke the silence. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“What do you expect me to say? Thank you? If even a small part of what you say is true, then I’m stuck here for eternity with a guy I don’t even know, in a place I hate and with no future. Yeah, I guess that comes under ‘thank you!’” She rubbed her hands across her face. This was a nightmare! And not for a minute did she believe what he told her, at least not most of it. The guy was probably crazy, but if he was crazy, she must be too, because she had seen that bunch of strange looking humans and they didn’t look like any people existing in her world.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t know Bethany would go this far. I made the mistake of saying at the drop point that I didn’t think I would be able to last here alone much longer. She must have heard it.” His face was a mask of regret.

“And that’s supposed to make it all better?”

“I don’t know what else to say. I’m sorry. I wish I could change the outcome, but there’s nothing I can do. Maybe, if nothing else, they’ll be able to figure out a way to bend time back so we can go home.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of the things I noticed while I was at the facility was that it was really understaffed and it looked like it was being closed down. At the time, Dr. Collins said they keep a small staff until a new research team came on board, but now I’m beginning to believe that’s not the case. I think they are shutting down.” Suddenly remembering, “Wait a minute, I have something for you.” Rummaging around in her pack, she found the envelope Dr. Collins had instructed she give to the research team. Nathan took the envelope and opened it, his eyes scanning the contents.