Vivian Arend - High Risk

She held up a hand to interrupt, head shaking slightly as she blinked back tears. “But Marcus . . . what I know is I did it. That’s what’s killing me. That’s what makes it impossible to join a team. Because when someone doubted me before, yeah, I did toss their opinion out the window. I knew I was qualified. Now? If someone looks at me and doubts? I can’t throw it off. I can’t say fuck them because . . . they could be right.”

Her words had dropped to a whisper, but she kept going. Maintained eye contact as if willing him to understand.

Even in the middle of her confusion and sadness, she had no idea how strong she was. Something inside Marcus turned and settled. She would get past this, and he’d do anything to make sure she got that chance.

“Then take a hiatus until you feel you’re back to speed. Train. Work in positions that build that trust again. I’m willing to take you on, Becki. I know it’s not as glamorous a position, working the call centre, but your skills would be useful there. Don’t give it all up when you don’t have to.”

* * *

Becki forced herself to look away and stare at the wall behind his shoulder, slowing her breathing. What he’d suggested made her ache—she wanted it so badly, but it wouldn’t be right.

How could she deliberately allow her now-tarnished reputation to destroy what he’d worked so hard to build? She wouldn’t dream of causing trouble to even a casual co-worker, let alone a compatriot she respected.

She definitely couldn’t do it to the man she loved.

“I don’t want to leave, but I can’t stay. I can’t ask you and Lifeline to make that kind of sacrifice for me.”

Marcus caught her hand. “You’ve trusted me over the past couple of weeks. You put yourself into my hands on the wall and in my bed. Has that stopped? Do you not think you can depend on me anymore?”

Another shock raced through her as she shook her head in denial. “I trust you, but I don’t see how that matters. My having faith in you doesn’t change the facts.”

“It matters because I don’t think you need to leave, and if you trust me, you’ll let me find a way to help you get through this temporary situation.”

She collapsed into the cushions a little harder. It was useless. He wasn’t giving up the fight, and she couldn’t understand why he was being so stubborn. “And here’s where we go back to fighting, because I doubt what I’ve got is a short-term issue.”

“You’re blinded by emotion right now. The situation will change. Don’t leave me when a little time—”

He snapped to a stop.

The buzzing in her ears made her doubt she’d heard him correctly, but his shocked expression was a dead giveaway. Was that why he’d come away with her in the first place—the reason he’d refused to share? Was it possible he’d actually come to care for her as well?

“Marcus?”

He took a deep breath as he lifted her knuckles to his lips. “Don’t leave me.”

Her throat tightened and her heart raced, this time with a strange mixture of hope and lingering sadness. “I don’t want to leave, either,” she confessed.

“Then don’t.” He made it sound so simple. “I want you around. I want you in my house, and down at the gym, shouting at me to train harder. I want you working with my team, however you and they feel comfortable, because I’m one hundred percent sure there’s a place for you.”

Having a total change in her circumstances seemed impossible. Becki stared at his eyes. Anchoring herself in what she saw there. It was the best of both worlds, if she was willing to take the chance.

Loud ringing tore them both from the moment, the metallic sound echoing strangely in the rustic setting.

“Sat phone.” He rushed to the case that held it, snapped open the lid, and pulled it free. He lifted it to his ear.

“Marcus Landers.” He frowned, and her stomach fell.

She wasn’t ready to deal with a reporter yet. Becki wished she could crawl back into bed and hide for a while. The only thing keeping her from running in terror was the knowledge that Marcus wouldn’t force her to handle this alone.

But he wasn’t slamming down the receiver, either, which was what she’d have expected if it were something she could ignore. She stepped closer, a familiar masculine voice carrying over the line.

There was another short burst of words. Even at a distance she heard the fear. Marcus responded soothingly. “Hang on. She’s right here. You’re going to be fine. Just talk to Becki, and we’ll come as quick as we can.”

Marcus held out the phone. “It’s your brother. He’s in trouble.”

Her brother?

Becki snatched the phone from Marcus. “Colin?”

A slight static buzz echoed over the line. “Bec. I need help. I called Mr. Landers from the school and he put me through to you. He’s sending a team to pick you up. We’re trapped, and Rob’s hurt.”

Confusion rushed her. Last she’d heard, her brother was back home in Saskatchewan. “Where are you? Why are you calling me?”

“It was a surprise—I’m coming to SAR school this summer. My buddy and I figured we’d get in a climb before we have to settle in. It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, just a lark, but it’s socked in so hard I can’t see a thing. Rob slipped and fell—I think his leg is broken.”

The confusion was still there, but Becki pulled herself back into routine. Somewhere in the background Marcus was moving, but all her focus was on the phone call and what they needed here and now. “Colin, I need you to give me short answers. Are you hurt?”

“No. Rob is.”

“Where are you?” How he’d tracked her down didn’t matter at this point.

“In the Needles. I told Mr. Landers that, and I gave him our GPS location. You brought me here, remember? The summer after you graduated?”

Oh God. That area was fabulous on a clear day, a hellish maze when the weather turned. Becki swallowed her fears, strode to the door, and jerked it open. Here in the cabin they were above the clouds, the peaks opposite them clearly visible, but everything below them was shrouded in thick cloud cover. It must have crept in over the past hour.

“Is Rob okay?”

“I made him as comfortable as I can, but I don’t want to move him too much. We’re on a narrow lip, Bec. He was heading out on second lead and slipped before he set his first anchor.”

“Enough. Is your platform solid?”

He hesitated, and her heart tightened. “I think so.”

If David was sending the chopper, the soonest it could arrive at the cabin was thirty minutes. Adding travel time to the drop site, and hiking in? “Colin, you’ve got at least a two-hour wait for us to come get you.”

She didn’t even mention the trouble they might have finding the boys. In the distance the wind stirred the clouds like some witches’ brew and she shivered, terror creeping up her spine.

“We’ll wait. Anything else I should do?”

Becki wanted to tell him something to reassure him, but she was losing control. Standard rescue responses—those she could do. Thinking this was her kid brother buried in the fog on the side of a mountain? That was enough to make her nauseated.

Focus on facts. “Set a couple of anchors. Rope both you and Rob up tight.”

“I can try to lower him—”

“No,” she shouted. Oh my God, no. She forced herself to dial her panic down a notch. “Don’t try to climb up or down, just tie yourself to the rock right where you are. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise. Becki? Thank you.” All his usual cocky arrogance had vanished.

Sheer panic loomed, but she didn’t let any of it sound in her voice. “You’re so much trouble, brat. Now give me your number, then stay off the line. We’ll call you when we get close enough that you can guide us in.”

She hung up the phone and twirled to face Marcus. “How much did you catch?”

“Your brother is lost somewhere in the Palliser Range and David’s contacted my team. They’re on their way here.”

Becki swallowed hard. “Erin won’t be able to fly them directly to the site, not with these conditions. How well does the squad know the Needles?”

“Shit.” He obviously knew the issues with the area, as his face tightened with concern. “Some. Not that well.”

Family rescuing family was a recipe for disaster at the best of times, and this was far from an ideal situation. “Then I’m going to have to lead them in.”

* * *

The minute the phone had gone off, Marcus had snapped into prepared mode. No one that keen to get in touch with them could possibly have a good reason. Out of all the possible people who could have phoned, though, her brother wasn’t even on the radar. Now they had a situation going from bad to worse fast.

Because she was right. If she knew the climbing area, she had to go along—a guide would get his team there as quickly as possible. They could do the rescue without her, but if one of the climbers was hurt, time counted.

He stopped her for a moment, though, hand resting on her shoulder. “You can do this. I know you can.”

Her face was still far paler than it should be, but she nodded. “I have no choice.”

“Get dressed. I’ll contact the team and check their ETA. Did you bring your harness?”

“Full gear. We were going to train, remember?” Becki glanced out the window, and her entire body quaked. “What if . . .”

“No ‘what if.’ You will do this. You are capable,” Marcus insisted.

She shook her head. “I don’t care if I get sick in the chopper. What if I freeze, though? What if I black out and end up doing something that endangers my brother, or your team?” Becki caught him by the arms, her fingers going white as she clutched him tight. “Please. Come with me. I . . . I need you.”

As if he had ever intended to do anything else. Marcus dragged her against him and hugged her tightly. “I’ll be there.”

They met for a brief, desperate kiss before splitting apart and heading into their separate preparations. Marcus pulled on his prosthesis, going for the claw end—chances were the first thing they’d be doing would be going down, not up.

Fifteen minutes and he was dressed, call through to his team.

Erin answered. “Roger base. You ready for a splash and dash?”

“As ready as we can be. Who’s on board?”

“Nearly full crew. We’re missing Tripp.”

Winch and paramedic, though, two less things to worry about. “What’s the airspace look like on the satellite?”

“Choices are a kilometer up or three more on level. We’ll do a flyby, but that’s my best guess.”

Becki was back at his side, pulling her coat over her long-sleeved shirt. Marcus flipped the phone to speaker. “Becki and I are on the line—we’ll wait for pickup and discuss the rest on approach. Any questions right now?”

“It’s Devon. No questions, but hey, Becki? It’ll be okay. I met your bro a couple of nights ago. He’s a great kid. Good head on his shoulders. We’ll get him out.”

She had her fingers over her mouth, nodding slowly as she pulled them away. “Thanks for that. Over and out.”

The radio went silent and she blinked hard, reaching for her pack that lay on the floor. Silently, as a team they gathered the rest of their things from the truck before walking a few meters down the road to the clearing in the trees. They turned to face the mountains.

He grabbed her hand with his. She didn’t change her focus, but she held on, wrapping her fingers around his tightly.

“Give me the rundown,” Becki breathed out slowly. “I’ll have to lead on the ground once we hit the maze, but keep your team consistent until then.”

“I’m along for the ride. I won’t be in charge. Anders calls the shots in the bay.” A faint rumble in the air warned that the chopper was approaching. “We’ll see who’s calling ground when we crawl in. Tripp usually does, and since he’s not there, it’s a potshot. They’re all qualified.”

“They’re the best,” she stated firmly.

“They are, and so are you.”

She nodded, concentration focused forward.

Time slipped into that eerie blend between going far too quick and far too slow that was so common during a rescue.

The chopper was down, wind batting them as they ran with heads lowered across the field to the door. Hands reached to pull them in, Becki first, Marcus caught up behind. Both of them settled into the nearest seats. They hadn’t even buckled in before Erin lifted off.

Becki fought with the top snap, all her concentration on the webbing. Ignoring the air passing the windows as the helicopter tilted, Erin pivoted tight to head over the Kananaskis Range into the second ridge of mountains and their destination.