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Foxxy chuckles. “You getting tired, old man?”

I scoff. “Fuck off, you’re the same age as me. I just want to go home and warm up.”

“You and me both. Okay, let’s do this.”

“Go slow,” I instruct needlessly. “Don’t rush it.” I hear Foxxy click off his radio, and then, all I can do is watch and hope my best friend doesn’t decide now is the time to pull some dramatic hero shit.

7

FOXXY

I breathe in and out slowly twice before replacing the radio into the dry bag strapped to my shoulder. Frustrating as it is when things don’t go according to plan, it’s part of the job. And I love a challenge.

But there’s a difference between facing bad odds when it’s just me I have to worry about, and when there’s someone else involved. Especially when I’m here to do a job, and that job entails keeping someone else safe.

Now’s not the time to be crazy. Now’s the time to act quickly, but smartly.

Moving back over to the guy huddled against a tree, I clap my hands together. “Alright bud, here’s what we’re gonna do,” I say, pasting a confident smile on my face. “I’m gonna get you strapped to me in the harness, and we’ll go over together. Okay? I’ll keep you distracted the whole way, and you’re not gonna fall because I don’t feel like getting wet.”

“Y-you’re…already…w-wet from coming across to g-get us,” he says through chattering teeth.

I just toss a casual smirk back at him, even though inside, I’m getting impatient. We’re losing light, and even I’m not enough of a risk-taker to want to make this rescue in the dark. I hate that shit. “Good point. But see, I went to all the trouble to set up a cool tightrope, so we’re gonna get our circus on. C’mon. You can do this.” I keep things light and joking with my words and my tone. I don’t need this guy freaking out anymore than he already is.

I get the guy to stand. We’re roughly the same size, he’s maybe a touch leaner. But it should make things easier. I can hear my dad’s voice in my head when he taught me how to rock climb, talking about weight differentials and belaying techniques. Not that this is anywhere close to the same thing, but at a basic level, it’s easier to do a solo rescue on someone your size or smaller. If this guy had been a bodybuilder, I’d have needed Griff to lend a hand.

Dad’s voice is still in my head as I get him strapped into his harness and then attach him to me using a rope tether. Double check your connections, then when you think you’re good, check them again. Got it, Dad. Then, using a sturdy, locking carabiner, I clip us onto the pulley that’s attached to the highline.

Once I’ve got us all hooked up, I slap my hand on the guy’s shoulder. “Alright. You ready? Just remember to hold on to my waist, and stare into my beautiful brown eyes.”

That gets me a tight laugh.

“Let’s do this.”

I keep up a steady stream of chatter as we line up our feet on the highline and start to shuffle across.

“That’s it, just slide your feet over.” We take our first step, and I let out a whoop. “There you go, see, it's not so bad. C’mon, let’s do another. It’s like we’re dancing.”

I give my hips a small shimmy, then stop as soon as the guy gives me a panicked look at the movement in the line.

“Okay, no dancing. We got this.” Another cautious step. Goddamn it, at this rate, it’ll take us forever to get across. But I bank my impatience and focus on the man in front of me. Who chooses that second to glance down.

Bad idea.

“Nah, man, don’t look down, look at me.” When I get his gaze trained back on mine, I give him an encouraging smile. “Hey, what are you gonna eat for dinner? After this madness, I’d say you’ve earned something good. There’s an awesome restaurant called the Creekside Pub, best fish tacos around.”

He lets out a shaky breath. “I dunno, I just want to go home.”

I glance to the other side. “Well, good news. We’re halfway across. Told you I wouldn’t let you fall.”

Of course, the second I say that, his foot slips. He lets go of my waist, but this is why we’re attached securely. I tighten my grip, ignoring the bite of the line in my hand, and grab him with my other hand, yanking him back into my body.

“Steady there, man. You good?”

“No, not at all. I’m fucking freaking out. Holy shit!” He’s starting to panic, and that, combined with how cold he already is, spells disaster. The last thing I need is him shutting down and immobile in the middle of a fucking river.

“Okay. Take a deep breath for me.” I wait until I see him draw in a shaky breath. “There you go. And another.” I nod. “Good. Now, let’s get the fuck off this river.”

I take a step and almost have to drag him to move his feet to match mine. But it works, and he starts to move again.