Read Online Alaska Republik-ARC by Stoney Compton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stoney Compton
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face.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked in a low voice.
She blinked and looked away. “Sorry, just edgy I guess. I didn’t mean to upset you. Let’s go.”
She followed the game trail and he followed her. For a moment he considered kissing her, and the sudden realization that, more than anything else, he wanted to do just that jarred him. He dwelt on what that would mean.
At any other point in his life he would have taken the chance of getting his face slapped. There was always another girl around the corner in California. But this girl, no, he corrected himself, this woman was different. Not to mention there weren’t many corners out here.
Alaska was so different from California he didn’t bother with comparisons. They came from different cultures, but both had completed college. Her calling seemed to be education, he wasn’t sure of his.
Casual pairings didn’t seem to be the norm here, but then his contact with locals and local mores could only be described as limited. Did he find her attractive enough to marry her? He mulled that: maybe .
“You hungry?” she said over her shoulder without looking at him.
“A little.”
She twisted and tossed him the ubiquitous strand of squaw candy. He wondered if it were possible to get tired of it. As he chewed, he thought about being married to Magda.
He bit the side of his mouth and yelped.
She whirled and was in front of him in an instant. “What’s wrong? Are you choking? Are you okay?”
Jerry held his cheek and explored the spot with his tongue, staring intently at her. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just bit the side of my mouth.”
“Oh.” She seemed disappointed, started to turn away.
“Magda, you are unlike any woman I’ve ever met and I am overwhelmingly attracted to you. I don’t know if the intensity I feel is part of the situation we’re in,” he waved his hand toward the distant forest, “or exactly what I would feel if we met in San Francisco. I just know that it’s there.”
She stared at him with her lovely deep blue eyes and listened intently as he spoke.
“You’re an honest man, Lieutenant Jerry Yamato, and I appreciate that and what you just said. I can’t even think about you and me in that way until we get help at Delta. Once my father and mother are safe, I’ll consider you again, I promise.”
“Deal. Lead on.”
“Listen,” she said and her eyes lost focus. “That’s an engine.”
Jerry cocked his head to the side and instantly heard the metallic grinding of a tank. He turned and peered toward the sound. Both dogs stared intently in the same direction. Jerry wondered if they could actually see something.
“They’re off to our left, so they’re not following our tracks. Is that where the highway is?”
“Yes,” her brow furrowed, “they’ll always be ahead of us.”
“How far away is Delta?”
“Fifty, maybe fifty-five kilometers. A couple of long days of hiking no matter how you look at it.”
He glanced at his watch. Six hours had passed since they started. Quickly he did a self survey and decided he felt pretty good.
“Can we pick up the pace and make it by morning after tomorrow?”
She smiled. “I’ve been holding back for you.” Magda turned and charged down the trail.
Jerry worked to match her pace. Did she take every question as a challenge? As they moved, he kept one ear on the engine noises.
If the machines got any nearer, he had to have a plan. Mosquitoes buzzed past but Magda’s pace gave them the added bonus of moving faster than the insects could fly. Jerry swatted one off his face.
Of course you could still run into them.
14
63 miles south of Delta
Moving silently through undergrowth choked with decades of dead leaves and branches taxed Rudi’s skills and current physical abilities. Every few steps he stopped to listen intently and rest.
Nothing moved save for the constant whisper of wind across the willows and black spruce. The susurration filled the silence at the edge of
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked in a low voice.
She blinked and looked away. “Sorry, just edgy I guess. I didn’t mean to upset you. Let’s go.”
She followed the game trail and he followed her. For a moment he considered kissing her, and the sudden realization that, more than anything else, he wanted to do just that jarred him. He dwelt on what that would mean.
At any other point in his life he would have taken the chance of getting his face slapped. There was always another girl around the corner in California. But this girl, no, he corrected himself, this woman was different. Not to mention there weren’t many corners out here.
Alaska was so different from California he didn’t bother with comparisons. They came from different cultures, but both had completed college. Her calling seemed to be education, he wasn’t sure of his.
Casual pairings didn’t seem to be the norm here, but then his contact with locals and local mores could only be described as limited. Did he find her attractive enough to marry her? He mulled that: maybe .
“You hungry?” she said over her shoulder without looking at him.
“A little.”
She twisted and tossed him the ubiquitous strand of squaw candy. He wondered if it were possible to get tired of it. As he chewed, he thought about being married to Magda.
He bit the side of his mouth and yelped.
She whirled and was in front of him in an instant. “What’s wrong? Are you choking? Are you okay?”
Jerry held his cheek and explored the spot with his tongue, staring intently at her. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just bit the side of my mouth.”
“Oh.” She seemed disappointed, started to turn away.
“Magda, you are unlike any woman I’ve ever met and I am overwhelmingly attracted to you. I don’t know if the intensity I feel is part of the situation we’re in,” he waved his hand toward the distant forest, “or exactly what I would feel if we met in San Francisco. I just know that it’s there.”
She stared at him with her lovely deep blue eyes and listened intently as he spoke.
“You’re an honest man, Lieutenant Jerry Yamato, and I appreciate that and what you just said. I can’t even think about you and me in that way until we get help at Delta. Once my father and mother are safe, I’ll consider you again, I promise.”
“Deal. Lead on.”
“Listen,” she said and her eyes lost focus. “That’s an engine.”
Jerry cocked his head to the side and instantly heard the metallic grinding of a tank. He turned and peered toward the sound. Both dogs stared intently in the same direction. Jerry wondered if they could actually see something.
“They’re off to our left, so they’re not following our tracks. Is that where the highway is?”
“Yes,” her brow furrowed, “they’ll always be ahead of us.”
“How far away is Delta?”
“Fifty, maybe fifty-five kilometers. A couple of long days of hiking no matter how you look at it.”
He glanced at his watch. Six hours had passed since they started. Quickly he did a self survey and decided he felt pretty good.
“Can we pick up the pace and make it by morning after tomorrow?”
She smiled. “I’ve been holding back for you.” Magda turned and charged down the trail.
Jerry worked to match her pace. Did she take every question as a challenge? As they moved, he kept one ear on the engine noises.
If the machines got any nearer, he had to have a plan. Mosquitoes buzzed past but Magda’s pace gave them the added bonus of moving faster than the insects could fly. Jerry swatted one off his face.
Of course you could still run into them.
14
63 miles south of Delta
Moving silently through undergrowth choked with decades of dead leaves and branches taxed Rudi’s skills and current physical abilities. Every few steps he stopped to listen intently and rest.
Nothing moved save for the constant whisper of wind across the willows and black spruce. The susurration filled the silence at the edge of
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