Page 96 of Sawyer

“Nope.” I reach down, pull up my pack, and set it on the table. Unzipping it, I show him what I’ve been carrying.

Bryn looks into the pack and whistles before looking back at me. “How much C-4 did you think we’d need?”

“I wanted to be prepared.”

“Don’t fall.”

“I don’t plan on it.” I finish rolling the map up and close my pack just as Sin and Sawyer walk out with their packs on. “Same formation. We’ll camp at nightfall.”

“We are going to have to find something with coverage,” Sawyer says, glancing at the gray sky. “It smells like snow.”

“What does snow smell like, princess?” Sin asks.

“Ozone.”

“I expected something more eloquent from a journalist.”

“Well, you get ozone today.” She looks around the clearing. “Lead the way, Boss.”

“Come on, baby girl.” I flip up my compass and focus on heading east.

“What are the rules on talking?” she asks. “Do I have to keep an internal dialogue again? Or can I chat?”

“Internal dialogue,” I whisper over my shoulder.

“I’d never make it as an enforcer.”

The delta agency doesn’t allow women to enlist as enforcers, usually because no women present as deltas. I don’t say that out loud, though, because I disagree with it. I think women would be a great asset.

“Aww, princess, you’d be just fine,” Sin tells her. “You just need to work on your stamina, and luckily for you, I can help with that.” There’s a moment before Sin grunts. “Ow.”

“Hush,” I tell them and slow my steps.

We are only about a half hour in, but the wind changed. I’ve been heading in a straight line due east on a slight incline up yet another mountain. I hold up a hand and pause.

These forests are tricky. Though the scenery might look the same, it can be exceedingly deceiving. Ahead, the trees stand close together, with some pines hiding the way forward, and to the left and right is much of the same.

What isn’t the same is the breeze picking up. This means the terrain is changing, and I need to figure out where. Pocketing my compass, I focus on the ground beneath my feet. Frozen mud slowly thaws as I move forward. I test each step with my weight before moving on.

I take one step to the left to move around a tree, only I don’t test the step, and the ground gives way. There isn’t much I can do except protect my limbs. I tuck down, careful not to let my pack get smashed, and turn on my side.

Someone covers Sawyer’s scream as I go tumbling down the side of a damn mountain.

I try not to close my eyes, except branches slap my face and rocks slam into my body. I free-fall before slamming onto the ground and rolling right into the side of a tree.

Adrenaline spikes in my veins, canceling out any pain, and I breathe hard. My breath fogs before me, and for a long, quiet moment, that is all I see or hear.

I don’t focus on what’s around me because I need to know if I’m okay.

I assess all my limbs, feeling a slight twitch in my forearm. That’s all, but my adrenaline could hide other injuries.

I turn to peer behind me. My heart hammers when I see a cliff about ten feet away. I don’t bother creeping forward because I can hear rushing water.

I knew this existed, but I wasn’t sure where since we came into the mountain range from a different side. “Thanks, tree.” I pat the bark at my back and finally look up and up.

There’s no going up that cliff.

A rope lands at my feet, and when I see Sawyer descend, my life flashes before my fucking eyes.

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