Vivian Arend - High Risk

Marcus checked his team. Alert faces stared back, waiting in expectation. He tugged on his headset, then paused until Becki had done the same.

“Good job. Ready for this?”

Four heads nodded. Becki’s jaw was locked firmly shut as she stared at the floor. He ignored her for the moment. Everyone’s coping strategies were different, and he wasn’t about to tell her to try something new. Not when she was clinging to her control.

Devon clicked on. “Erin said she’d fly by the Needles, but with the cloud cover, chances are we’ll be coming in from the north or the east. I vote for the north—it’s a shorter land approach, only it calls for a long rappel to the trails. Becki, any idea where in the maze they might be?”

“If they went to where I brought Colin before, yes. About twenty minutes from the entrance to the canyon. Three short climbs—none more technical than a 5.7—will get us to the main wall.”

“We can do those in our sleep,” Xavier offered. “I want to know which way we’re coming out. Any way to send someone on a climb and get a drop line from Erin to avoid the long haul with a stretcher?”

Becki shook her head, then squeezed her eyes shut as the chopper wiggled in the changing air currents. Marcus held his breath for her, but she managed to pull herself back under control. “In and out, the only possibility unless the clouds clear.”

Marcus cut in. “Colin’s got a phone. We can call him as we get into the canyon to get him making noise. He’ll have a whistle or something, right, Becki?”

“If he doesn’t, I’m going to kick his ass once we find it.”

Grins appeared around him, tension settling into that peak range for an operation. Too much adrenaline and things went to hell fast. It was impossible to maintain a high for hours, especially when they needed to do the actual grunt work to get in and out.

Marcus checked his team one by one as the buzz over the headset went back to random discussion, just keeping loose as they moved closer to the drop point. He saved Becki for the last, even though he was completely aware of her the entire time.

She was staring past him wearing a do-or-die expression. Her lips moved, only he missed the words. He switched to channel two and her voice cut in.

“. . . trust your team. Give one hundred percent. Be patient until it’s time to move, then move decisively. Trust your team. . . .”

She was repeating it like a mantra.

He nodded and flipped his speaker on. “One hundred percent. Give it all you’ve got and even a little more.”

Her focus changed off the wall and onto his face, and a tentative smile appeared. Her expression was still serious, still scared, but there was something extra she gave just for him. “Thank you. For everything.”

They were surrounded by his team, dropping toward a rescue, and all he could think about was her. “Together. We’ll do it together.”

What he wanted to say was he never intended to let her go.

A trickle of sweat ran between her breasts as Becki strode after Devon. The weight of the emergency supplies on her back was familiar, and the burn of lactic acid in her thighs as well. They’d already dropped into the clouds, and the trail was visible for maybe twenty feet before the thick grey masked everything from them.

Gear rattled behind her—probably Xavier and Anders with the portable stretcher. Ropes and carabiners clicked softly, the occasional heavier gasp for a breath. No one wasted energy talking right now. As socked in as they were, the path forward remained amazingly clear. Well worn, although most people who traveled this section were on their way upward before returning in a loop to their base camps.

Becki focused on her feet as she tried to avoid the wettest sections. She stepped over fallen limbs and the occasional lingering snowdrift. They were at a low enough elevation that the trail was down to mud and rotting leaves instead of the thigh-deep frozen mess they could have been slogging through.

What was Colin thinking, going for a climb so early in the season? Reckless, impulsive, stupid fool.

Kind of like you at that age, her mental voice taunted.

Still, planning to give her brother hell was a good distraction from the next challenge on the way there. The last time she’d been on a rope without freaking, she’d been blindfolded, letting Marcus talk her through the climb. Wasn’t going to happen this time. This time she was on her own.

Only she wasn’t. . . .

Marcus walked behind her. Far enough to avoid the branches that snapped back at him when she brushed past, close enough she knew he was there. Felt his presence. It comforted her in a way that might have bothered her if she didn’t know he wanted only the best for her.

He’d said she was strong, and she was. She’d find the power needed to rescue Colin. When they got this mess of a day done with, she’d be strong for herself and face the media, and whatever else waited ahead.

And then she’d be strong enough to take Marcus up on his offer and see what they could build together. Doors might have closed, but the one that had opened seemed better than what she’d had before.

Devon held up his hand to signal a stop, slipping his pack off and reaching for a rope. “Gear up here. Anders, set your anchor. We’ll drop one at a time.”

The team gathered around, everyone moving with the skill of familiar experience. Becki avoided looking at the edge of the cliff only a few paces away to their right. Instead, she focused on the ropes being looped into a triangle at the base of the two nearest trees.

A hand touched her arm and she snapped her head up to discover Devon checking her over carefully.

He cleared his throat. “I might not be the most eloquent on the team, so if I say this wrong, take it the positive way I intend. We need you to lead once we hit the Needles. There’s a chance you could freeze on this descent, and I want to avoid that. You need to be at one hundred percent at the canyon. There’s no reason for you to do this drop alone. In fact, it’s better if you don’t, so I want to harness you to Anders. That way you don’t have to look, you don’t have to worry. Save your strength for when we need you on the next section.”

She’d expected this idea to come up, only it was nice how he focused on what she could do for the team more than the fact that someone had to babysit her right now. “Damn, you’re good.”

Devon tossed her a grin.

Becki nodded. “I get it. Well advised. Only may I request one change?” Devon was already moving away, and she hated to be demanding things like a rookie, but even the sight of the ropes being prepped made her skin crawl.

Devon paused. “What’s up?”

“I’ve done something like this before with Marcus.” Marcus stood at the sound of his name, and she tilted her head toward him. “I know I can deal with the descent if he’s my guide. Request to change partners.”

“I should have thought of that.” Devon called and waited for Marcus to join them before continuing. “Your decision, Marcus. Either you or Anders guides Becki. Whoever it is, she’s going down third. Get ready.”

She turned and found him standing there. The tall muscular length of him, addictive smile and all the rest. “You want me to anchor you?” he asked.

“I want you.”

That was all she said, and yet it was everything.

It was like a flashback to being in the cabin before all this started, Marcus’s expression a repeat of the one that had returned her hope. Connection, companionship. Understanding.

Maybe more.

The area became a flurry of activity. Ropes. Carabiners buckled and locked, packs in position. Alisha disappeared over the edge. Devon.

Then it was their turn, hers and Marcus’s, Xavier holding their backup.

Marcus leaned away and, using the rope as a counterbalance, walked off the ledge. Becki stepped closer, trying desperately to stay vertical, but it was a useless attempt. Instead, she went to her knees and rotated until her butt hit the ground. Only then could she force herself to crawl backward off the flat surface of the mountaintop until she was nestled into his arms.

The thick fog masked just how far up they were, but the memories of climbing the ridge years ago told her all she needed to know. It was far.

It was far enough to kill them if anything went wrong.

“How are you doing?” Marcus asked.

Speaking and breathing at the same time shouldn’t be this difficult. “I’ll be fine.”

“Ready?”

“Lower.”

Marcus tucked his left arm around her, his right on the main line. She had her own rope to cling to as well, and the twisted fibers pulled through her fingertips, the harshness a blessing. The rough texture gave her something else to focus on as they descended the cliff face.

“Still good?” His breath fanned past her cheek, and she nodded. She was surrounded by him, but the rope setup allowed her to control herself, or at least gave the illusion of control.

Damn her breathing, though. She couldn’t get it to calm down. “I’m not going to lie. If the angle changes and we end up dangling in midair, you’ll have me in your lap for real.”

Marcus chuckled. “As if I’d mind.”

So normal, all their responses. Teasing about their attraction, laughing and panting with effort. Her brother was still out there, but if she could get past this point, past her heart in her throat, she could be ready to lead the team to him.

She had to trust that Colin would be in one piece when they arrived.

One foot caught on a rock. Becki stumbled, biting back a scream.

“Don’t rush,” Marcus warned. “We’ll get down soon enough. Once we’re on the trail again you can go as fast as you want, well, as long as we can keep up.”

“My nerves are on edge. He’s going to be okay, isn’t he?”

“He’s going to be fine,” Marcus assured her. “Bonus? He’ll get razzed all summer for being the first of the class that needed rescuing. I thought getting into trouble didn’t start until they’d officially checked in.”

“Colin always was precocious.”

“He’s following after his sister,” Marcus teased. He squeezed her. “I mean it, I’m sure he’s fine. You warned him to stay put. We need you to find him for us. I’ll call him once we hit the canyon opening. It’ll all work out.”

Distraction. The entire conversation was nothing but distraction, but the diversion of the banter worked. The cliff wall in front of them passed by steadily as they walked their way down it. Ropes above fed smoothly. Marcus’s warmth cradled her. “I feel stupid saying thank you so much, but it’s needed. You’ve been a rock.”

“That’s not always a good thing,” he pointed out. “But I get it. You’re welcome. A little more and we’re done. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“I’m too freaked out over Colin to be worried about me,” Becki admitted. “Although I don’t know that I suggest this as a cure for everyone’s acrophobia.”

They finally hit bottom, and Becki’s stomach unknotted from the tight ball it had formed while they’d descended. They stepped out of the way, but when Becki would have headed to prepare for the next part of the rescue, Marcus stopped her. Pulled her to him and crushed their lips together.

She kissed him back frantically. Feeling alive, feeling everything that they had between them in that moment. She trusted him with her life. With her brother’s life. All the stolen moments up to now faded her fears.

She just needed him.

Someone wolf-whistled, and they separated reluctantly, Marcus cupping her face before he set her free. “You did wonderfully. You are an amazing woman.”

Becki grinned back. “You help. You help so much.”

“I can see why it’s not good to date people on your squad. Enough with the kissing business.” Alisha pushed Becki away from Marcus. “And you.” She gave him a dirty look. “You should know better. Focus.”

“I was focusing,” Marcus stated. “But yes, full steam ahead.”

Alisha smiled at Becki as she handed over a pack. “Come on, let’s go get your brother.”

* * *

The entrance to the canyon stood like twin sentinels before her. The twisted myriad of paths beyond the gateway stretched gnarled fingers toward the sharp cliffs that should have been visible in the not-too-far distance. Becki didn’t pause to admire the towering pillars, their heads hidden in the fog, just headed straight in, determined to find Colin as quickly as possible.