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They huddled together well back from the edge. Joe had Buzz between his legs, stroking his head.
“I can’t get a clean shot without hitting Piper,” Fin said.
“They could go over the edge at any time, so I’m going down there,” Dylan said. “It’s me Zander wants, so if he sees that I’m close, he might let her go.”
“His father will have told him failure is not an option, Dylan. You know how Field works; he won’t care if his son dies for the greater cause. No way in hell is he letting her go, or you for that matter,” Mickey said.
“I have to try.”
“Okay, so we send him down as a decoy, and I climb down further along,” Joe said. “Luke and Jack can lower me, and you three have got Dylan. I’ll grab Pip, and you go for Zander, who probably has another name, but is Field’s son.”
“We got enough ropes?” Fin asked Cubby, who was busy unpacking his backpack.
“Two.” He handed one to the Trainers and the other to Dylan. “We send you over, but you don’t tell them you’re there until we know Joe’s in place.”
“How the hell do we do that without alerting Zander?” Dylan said.
Luke cupped his mouth and made a bird call that was so lifelike that if Dylan hadn’t seen him do it, he’d believe it was a bird.
“Do they do that at night?”
Luke shrugged. “You got another idea?”
“Okay, so that’s the signal. Now move it, she can’t stay down there much longer. That ledge is narrow, and it’s dark and cold,” Jack said.
“Shit.” The breath hissed out of Fin’s mouth. “I’m nervous because we haven’t planned for eventualities and don’t even know what’s waiting for you two over that edge. Hell, we’re not even sure we can hold you!”
“No time for nerves now, ranger boy, Pip could fall at any time,” Joe said. “Keep Buzz from following me.”
Everyone moved into position, and Dylan tied the rope securely around his waist. Mickey wrapped it around a tree, then he and the others took the other end. He lowered himself over the edge to the right of the ledge Piper and Zander were on.
“What now, Zander?”
Piper’s voice sounded husky, like she was in pain. Was she hurt?
“Shut up, I’m thinking.”
“I don’t want to die, but I don’t want to stay here either.”
“I said shut up!”
Dylan gritted his teeth as Piper moaned in pain. That bastard had hurt her. The rope jolted, and he went down hard, his feet scrambling to find a foothold.
“What was that?”
“Bats,” Piper hissed. “Big ones.”
Dylan eased down a few more feet until he was level with where they were. They couldn’t see him, as he was pressed to the edge and they weren’t looking. It was hell knowing he was this close to her and he couldn’t tell her.
“We need to climb out.”
“You climb out, I can’t. Let’s face it, Zander, you’re screwed. Your plan is toast, and the only place you’re going is to jail—or plunging to your death.”
“No! I can adjust.”
He heard her snort, then the call from Luke.
“What was that?”
