Zero Visibility by Sharon Dunn

permeated her skin as he wound the fabric around her toes.
    “Snow usually is cold,” Merci joked.
    His finger grazed her ankle when he braided the fabric up her leg. “My super special weave should make a good sock.” He bent his head sideways and offered her a crooked smile.
    Merci’s heart warmed toward this man who was so willing to sacrifice everything for someone he barely knew. Even in the most dangerous of circumstances, they had found a light moment. “I’m sure your super special weave will work just fine.”
    * * *
    Nathan was surprised how little Merci had complained about her wet foot. She must have been freezing. His finger glided over her smooth cold skin until he completed a sock that went up to her calf. “All done.” He looked a little closer to assess his handiwork but was unable to see much in the moonlight. “Is it comfortable?”
    Merci flexed her foot. “It’s not too tight or anything. I’ll get my boot on.”
    Nathan glanced up at the windows thinking he’d seen movement. But it was only the shadow of the trees close to the building.
    Merci slipped into her boot. “So now we go to the cafeteria to get your father’s rifle.”
    He wrestled with their plan and wondered if there was a better way to do it. They had to get to his father’s office and find that rifle. Without that, they were no match for the thieves at all. Even once they got Lorelei free, they would have to contend with returning to the cabin or somewhere else until law enforcement could arrive. Had they been foolhardy in choosing to come up here?
    He shook off the uncertainty as quickly as it had come into his head. Merci had been right. They didn’t have a choice in waiting for the authorities where a human life was concerned. He stood up. “We can’t waste any more time.”
    Merci rose to her feet. “Lead the way.”
    He’d never met someone as trusting as Merci. He had come up with a plan that maybe had a fifty percent chance of working, but she had backed him and endured the physical struggle of getting here. He admired her positive outlook and tenacity. She’d done all of it without complaint or questioning.
    He patted her back. There was a lot to admire about Merci Carson. If they made it through the next twenty-four hours, it might be nice to take her out to coffee where they could get to know each other under less traumatic circumstances.
    A rattling sound caused both of them to jump and turn.
    “What’s that noise?” Merci’s voice filled with panic.
    Nathan’s muscles tensed as adrenaline surged through his body. “It’s the door handle. Someone’s trying to break in.”

FIVE
    A s a precaution, Nathan had bolted the door when they came inside. He hoped the thieves wouldn’t be able to break the lock.
    Merci wrapped her arm through Nathan’s. “How did they find us?”
    “I don’t know. Maybe they saw our tracks or the lights as we were coming in,” he said.
    “Is there a back way out?” she said in a frantic whisper.
    Nathan shook his head. The rattling grew more intense and persistent. One of the men said something in a harsh tone. An object thudded against the door.
    Nathan took a step back and stood between Merci and the intruders. The thieves were going to break the door down.
    He grabbed her hand. “Get your stuff. Come with me.” After gathering up backpacks and kicking the snowshoes under a table, he pulled her toward the ladder of the loft.
    Merci scampered up the ladder. Nathan put his foot on the first rung.
    The banging noises increased. He climbed the ladder and swung into the loft. “Help me pull it up.” He leaned down through the loft opening.
    The banging continued. An ax sliced through the door. The hole grew bigger with each blow.
    Merci crawled to the other side of the loft and reached down. The ladder pulled up in three sections that folded on top of each other.
    They folded the final section. The man in the orange coat came into the building, holding an ax. The loft