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“So, we set up a bivouac? Wait for Bjørn to get his chopper?” Sadie wiped the rain from her face.
“No. The bird is toast.” Gunnar leaned back, looking up the cliff. “We need to haul him up and get him to camp. Get him dried and warm. No telling how long rescue will be.”
She questioned if they should move Dexter, but Gunnar was the expert. She did what she could to help, praying the entire time she wouldn’t freak out on the way up like she had going down. After bracing Dexter’s leg and neck, they put him in a sleeping bag. Gunnar rigged up a cradle of sorts that would haul Dexter up. While he did that, Bjørn tossed down two more ropes for the climb up.
“I’ll go ahead and guide him. You stay here and belay.” Gunnar checked her gear. “When we get to the top, you climb up.”
“Got it.” Sadie nodded.
She watched, barely breathing, as the two got farther away. Gunnar’s skill in maneuvering Dexter through the crack was poetic in its fluidity. Every move rolled into the next without hesitation. Before she knew it, the two crested the ridge, and it was her turn to go. With numb fingers, she reached for the first handhold, then the second, pushing herself to not think and just move. She glanced up, then right back down. Big mistake. Her head spun and her grip loosened.
Bjørn gripped his fingers around the cliff’s edge as Sadie swayed against the rope. Hollering at her wouldn’t help. Maybe he needed to strap in and rappel down.
He glanced back at Gunnar and the others, getting Dexter secured to the backboard. The Miller kid looked freaked, his wide-eyed gaze darting from Dexter to the edge like he couldn’t believe his friend had actually survived. His stare landed on the edge where Sadie’s rope went over and hardened.
Nope. Bjørn wouldn’t do the hero bit unless absolutely necessary. For one, Miller’s kid would probably make a big deal about it to anyone who wanted to hear about the rescuer needing saved. And two, Sadie would hate it if he stepped in. She knew how to climb. She just needed to focus through the fear.
He peered down the cliff, his mouth dry, though the rain still pounded around them. She’d steadied herself and had made it to the tight spot. He held his breath, willing her through. It whooshed out with a laugh as she slid up the crack without hesitation.
“Good job, babe,” he yelled down at her.
Within no time, she pulled herself over the ledge. Her wide smile had warmth spreading through his muscles and seeping into his bones. The chill from the downpour was forgotten. He pulled her to him and kissed her quickly.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered in her ear before he pulled back and helped her unhook.
She put her hands on her cheeks, her lips still wide with joy. Her eyes moved to Dexter, and all the joy vanished. He’d find a way to celebrate her win over fear when they got home. Now, they needed all their focus on getting Dexter safe.
They packed up the gear and made it back to camp in half the time it took them to get to Dexter. Bjørn let Drew and Sadie help Gunnar settle Dexter into a tent. Drew hadn’t been able to get the SAT phone to work, so it was up to Bjørn to get them out of there. With the winds still blowing, it was unlikely the coast guard or anyone else could fly out.
As he emerged from the trees where his chopper sat, he stopped on the rocks and stared at his Annie. His head shook in disbelief, and his heart thudded dully in his chest. The lightning strike had sheered off the back rotor blade. They wouldn’t be flying anywhere.
Couldn’t he catch a break? He stomped to the bird. Psychotic terrorists had blown up his first chopper. Now this one had thousands of dollars worth of damage. That was just what he saw on the outside. There was no telling what kind of damage he’d find once he started digging.
He huffed out his anger. At least they’d survived. A busted bird was better than being dead.
He climbed inside and flipped on the radio. Nothing. Growling, he made his way through the electrical system. His ribs grew tighter around his lungs with each check he did. Not only were they not flying out of there, but he doubted he could get the radios working to call in a rescue. They were stuck with a dying kid and no way to get help.
