Elysium Dreams

Seven

Two hours later, the search team had come up with nothing.  Only our tracks and a few animal prints.  My feet were wrapped in fleece and Xavier had them against his chest.  Everyone else had gotten hot and climbed out of the SUV.  Xavier was shirtless and the entire thing probably looked ridiculous.  However, it turned out he was right.  I was not built for cold weather.  He was demanding a circulation test when we got back to Missouri.  My feet had started turning colors by the time we reached the SUV.  They were now warm and no longer weirdly shaded, but that didn't seem to stop Xavier from keeping them elevated and pressed, soles first, into his chest.

"Talk to me some more about getting the women in the woods," he said after he checked my toes again.

"I do not think I can help there.  You are right, I could not run through this snow any more than I could fly," I said.

"But you aren't a native," Xavier said.

"Does that matter?"  I asked.

"Yes, a native, even a city girl, would be more acclimated to the climate.  They would have more practical snow boots, for a start.  Be him, how do you do it?"

"Honestly?"  I frowned at him, uncomfortable lying down in the back of the SUV with my feet on his chest.  "I tie them to me.  It keeps them from getting away and it helps them keep their balance.  I do not drag them that would be ineffective in such weather conditions.  I keep pace with them.  If they start to stumble, I can grab them.  I do not want them face-planting in this stuff.  The cold comes later."

"How?"  Lucas opened the door and stuck his head in.

"What do you mean how?"  I looked at him as he let some of the heat escape.

"What you said just now, you tie them to you?  Do you tie their hands?"  He looked at me.  I could tell he knew the answer, he was testing me.  He did this from time to time.

"No, that would result in jerky movements.  I tie the rope at their waist and put them in front of me, especially if I have a gun.  If I'm using a knife as my threatening weapon, I have to keep them pinned to my side.  That seems impractical."

"What other weapons could you have?"  Xavier asked.

"Beats me.  We know he uses a knife, but what do you threaten a person with to get them to go with you?  You use a gun, because in theory, it is scarier.  They do not have to be close to kill you," I said.

"True, but there has to be other weapons that would be as effective," Xavier said.

"How about a crossbow?"  Lucas asked.

"Uh," I gave him a look.  As a medievalist, I found crossbows to be great for hunting, not so great at directing people.

"He marks his kills with a bow," Xavier agreed.

"Why not a harpoon then?"  I asked.

"You think a crossbow is unlikely?"  Lucas asked.

"I don't think it works, the arrow tip in my back sucks and it's scary, but he better have great reflexes because if I can run in this shit, I'm taking my chances with the crossbow.  He has to reload and it is a lot harder to fire on the run."

"You've fired a crossbow?"  Xavier asked.

"Hello, history degree," I reminded him.

"I don't know a lot of historians that have fired crossbows just because they have a history degree," Lucas frowned at me.

"Well, now you know one," I told him.

"Gun, knife, crossbow, what are we not thinking of?"  Gabriel finally ducked into the car and joined the conversation.