Page 49 of Broken SEAL

“Now that’s embarrassing,” managed the sailor, through chattering teeth.

“Let’s get some wood together,” suggested Jenny.

In a matter of minutes, they had a pile of driftwood gathered at the edge of the treeline. Jenny had stepped a few meters into the forest as Mike and Rick walked Charlie back and forth to keep him warm. She gathered a handful of moss and some twigs and set them down in the rocks. Both Maria and Ali watched, arms clasped to keep themselves warm, as she unlatched her watch and scraped the steel clasp against the built-in flint. A spark fell in the moss, and she quickly clasped it in both hands and blew on it till it flared. Inserting it into the teepee of sticks, she quickly coaxed it into a yellow flame.

“Do all rangers know how to do that?” asked Maria.

“All the good ones,” replied Jenny.

Moments later, fed by increasingly larger pieces of dried driftwood, the fire was big enough to warm the entire team.

“Is everyone OK?” asked Rick, as Mike used the satellite phone to update the coastguard.

“I am th-th-th-th thanks to you,” Charlie chattered, after the women had confirmed they were fine. “That’s t-t-two I owe you, frogman.”

“No one’s keeping count, Skipper.”

“Right,” said Mike as he returned to the fire. “Coast Guard is happy we’re safe. They’re going to send someone up when they get a chance. Most likely a road crew now that we’re off the water. They’re currently dealing with a pleasure cruiser that collided with a barge.”

“If I had reception, I’d book an Uber,” said Maria. Her phone was still functioning, despite the swim.

“There are no towers out here,” said Charlie, his teeth had finally stopped chattering.

“Babe, where are Axe and Saber?” Ali asked.

“Axe,” Mike called into the darkness.

There was a distant bark.

“Axe, come,” Mike yelled.

Minutes passed before the dog appeared from the darkness.

“Where’s Saber?” asked Mike.

Axe turned and faced back up the beach, whining loudly and then barking. Mike thought he heard a faint bark in response.

“Mike, she’s gone to the camp,” said Ali.

He turned to Rick. “If the puppies are there, she’s going to find them.”

“We need to follow her,” the SEAL replied.

“Go,” said Jenny. “We’ll be safe here by the fire, and the coastguard will be here soon.”

Mike handed Ali the satellite phone. “If anything happens, call the authorities. Get the Mounties and the coastguard out here ASAP.”

“You go find Saber and the puppies. We’ll be fine. I’ll call TJ and give him an update.”

“OK.” Mike kissed her. “I love you.”

Rick kissed Jenny, and then the two men set off up the beach with Axe by their side.

“Whoever runs into those three is going to have a bad day,” said Charlie as they disappeared into the darkness.

TJ’s eyes snapped open when he heard the ringtone he’d assigned to the boys’ satellite phone. He grabbed it from his nightstand, checked the time, 0137, and answered the call.

“You guys OK?’ he asked. According to their SOPs, the satellite phone was for emergency use only.