The bear bared its teeth as one of the poachers raised a gun. A second figure grabbed Nicole by the arm, pulling her toward the tents. The man with the knife forced Mike to stand by the cage, towering behind him, blade pressed close.
Mike struggled to think of a plan. He knew the authorities were on their way—Nicole had mentioned alerting the rangers. But how long would it take them to arrive? He had to stall, keep them alive. The mother bear was cornered, her cub imprisoned.