Chasing Fate (Sentinel & Guide)

Chapter 5

It was nearly 9 pm and Jack was ready to vibrate right out of his skin. the guides had been lead out nearly four hours past when the sun was still peeking over the horizon. Now the moon was high in the sky and the wind was howling across the mountainside. According to the weather app, it was dropping towards 15℉ and snow was expected to start within the next few hours.

As a strong sentinel, he was in one of the last groups to go out. The guides were all scattered about within a five-mile radius from the main cabins. The guides were all outfitted with proper hiking equipment, maps to nearby safe cabins and flares for the most immediate of dangers, but try telling that to the ten remaining sentinels who were pacing the holding room.

His guide was out there! She (he just knew it was a she) was stuck out in the cold in unfamiliar territory. It was of the utmost importance that he got to her and brought her to the safety of one of the nearby cabins.

Once she was safe they could bond. He hadn't met her, hadn't even seen her face but knew already that he'd do anything to protect her. Was this what his father felt when he found his mother? What Erwin felt when he found his guide? Was this it?

It was exhilarating, painful, rapturous, distressing. He paced like a caged animal. The rational part of him knew he should be conserving his energy. He had a pack to carry across who-knows how much icy terrain. Every sentinel was given an emergency pack, a pop-up tent, some high-calorie protein bars, a medkit, thick bedrolls, fire starters, flares and a two-way radio to call back to "base".

He'd used the pack before and was familiar with it and various other survival tactics from his childhood with a very military father. He could survive and protect his guide in the wilderness even if they managed to get snowed under. There was only one hitch in his plans.

Pacing some distance away in a very smartly separated holding room was "Peter". He wasn't as strong as far as his senses were concerned, but he made up for it in spades with raw physical prowess. During the hours of downtime, they'd engaged in a "friendly" push up competition with the rest of the sentinels, both of them refusing to back down until a coordinator had come in to relay some information.

The man was built like the Navy SEAL that he'd come across in one of his excursions. He had the same style of walking, the same bearing. The only difference was the look in his eyes. While the SEAL was calm and collected confidence, there was something wild and dangerous in this man's gaze.

If it came down to a fight, he wasn't sure the rules of engagement would be followed. Still, he wasn't worried. They may be a match for stamina and fight, but he still had the upper hand. He was a Senior Alpha Prime.

The designation didn't mean much to normal people. A sentinel was a sentinel in comparison to a regular null. Between those who knew a senior alpha prime had the very strongest senses, the very best abilities, and the ultimate drive to protect an entire region, not just a pack.

He was interrupted from his pacing when the telltale crinkle of static alerted him that the intercom was activating.

"Alpha-Prime sentinels," Hunter's voice came clear through the speakers. Even as a strong well built sentinel he knew better than to get anywhere near a prime on the hunt.

"We will be releasing you in T-60 seconds. Please tune your radio frequencies to channel 4. You will use the exit doors marked 'TRAILWAY'. Please return or radio in by 0:00 hours or we will send out search teams."

Three hours. He had three hours to find and retrieve his guide. It would be a piece of cake. He swore he could already feel her pull from the east.

"As a reminder, the perimeter is marked with white-red-white blazes on the tree lines. Please remain within the established perimeter. The NOGS cannot condone any bond that is established outside of the excursion parameters. T-10 until your release sentinels. Best of luck to you all."

As the counter over the door ticked down towards zero, Jack readied himself.

He would find his guide, and Peter would do best to stay out of his way.