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.
They were trails she hadn’t seen for years, but the familiarity was there. Scrambling over sections where flash floods or new growth had changed the course was far simpler than she’d expected. Grey and washed out, the scenery gave her nothing to admire as she raced them all forward. Ten minutes brought them to another junction, and she chose the left path without a qualm.
“Becki, this trail backtracks,” Devon pointed out.
“It’s the right route,” she insisted. “Trust me.”
Saying the words made her heart quiver. What if she was wrong? What if she made a mistake and her brother was the one who would pay this time?
The vision of the cut rope in her fingers danced in front of her eyes, the strands rapidly unraveling, no longer a lifesaving device, but one that stole life away.
She stepped faster, thighs burning as she pushed herself into a run in spite of the weight on her back. Ten more minutes. Five. There was no use in stopping before they’d gotten close enough to the rock face to hear a response.
When she finally figured they had to be near the cliffs even though the sky was no more visible than before, Becki pulled to a halt and waited for the team to catch up.
Devon leaned on a tree. Alisha paced slowly, hands on her hips as her chest moved rapidly. Anders dropped to one knee and shook his head as he gasped for breath. “Holy. Shit. You want to go a little faster next time, Becki? I don’t need my lungs.”
“Blistering. Pace. Awesome,” Alisha managed to pant.
Marcus pulled out the satellite phone and put through the call.
“Colin. Still good?” Marcus made eye connection with her and nodded. “Right on. Okay, we’re ready for you to signal us. Single blast to start.”
He pulled the phone away from his ear at the same moment the shrill cry of a whistle rang from high and off to their left.
Becki had to squat, her head between her knees to stop the spinning relief from knocking her completely to her back. Thank God.
“We’re close,” Alisha said, staring into the clouds.
Devon nodded. “Spread out in a line. Marcus, get him to signal again. Everyone raise your arm high for me and point. Let’s see if we can use triangulation to narrow our choices.”
The team moved into position smoothly, no questions, no hesitation.
“Colin, we heard you.” The calmness in Marcus’s voice as he spoke to her brother spread over Becki like balm. They were getting close, and everything was going to be okay. That was what his mannerisms said, that was what she’d believe. She closed her eyes to block out distractions, and when the next shrill whistle rang in response to Marcus’s command, she pointed.
While she waited, she focused on her hand, bringing the tremor in her fingers under control. They were nearly there. Nearly there.
The thought echoed like a drumbeat.
Devon gave a shout. “Hold. One minute . . . and got it. Compass reading set for now. Marcus, have him signal every sixty count if he’s able.” Devon turned to the rest of the team and pointed. “Alisha, Xavier. You’ll be climbing when we get there. Set back a little if you want, slow your heart rates. We’ll get the gear in place for you. Just don’t lose sight of us in the fog, got it?”
The two of them nodded, Alisha sipping from her water bottle, Xavier stooped over, hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath.
Becki stretched her legs and got herself ready for the final sprint. Marcus stepped beside her, and she checked him over in a glance, making sure he was okay.
She laughed when she realized he was doing the same thing in return.
His gaze snapped to hers. “Ready to go again?”
Becki nodded.
This was when the team walked the fine line between being primed or falling over the limit into enough adrenaline to make them crash. The hard labour of the run helped as Becki followed Devon this time. He had his compass out, all of them alert for the steady stream of whistles drawing them closer to the wall.
Suddenly they were there, the base of the cliffs appearing out of the grey like a curtain being pulled aside at a theater.
“Colin,” Becki shouted.
Instant response. “Yes. God, you guys are fast.”
Devon and Marcus had their packs off, ropes being arranged in loops, helmets snapped into position.