Page 88 of No Going Back

Chapter 14

Ignoring any concerns for safety and his team leader, Tyler scrambled over the debris to the top of the shaft opening. Max was desperately trying to raise his men on the radio as he leaned over the hole, aiming a torch into the darkness. The pulley frame remained intact, but the rope dangled down into nothingness.

“What happened?” Tyler was frantic. All kinds of images of Mira bleeding out, buried, dead, flooded his brain. He sensed the boys behind him. Mackie gripped his arm in support.

“Honest answer, I don’t know. I can’t raise anyone. Can you reach Sam?”

As stricken as Tyler was, the fear in Max’s voice stopped him from freaking out. His men were down there, too.

“Donnie’s trying to reach him, but so far nothing,” Dex answered Max.

“My guess is one of two things happened. Either the wall collapsed, possibly bringing down more of the ceiling...”

“Or there was a secondary device,” Dex said.

Max nodded.

“What happens now?” Tyler glared at Max. Standing here talking wasn’t going to get Mira out.

“Tyler,” Dex warned.

One of Max’s team handed him a harness. “I’m going down.”

To see if there was any sign of life. No one said it, but the unspoken words hung in the air.

“Is it a good idea for you to go?” Tyler asked. “You’re the team leader here. The expert.”

“That’s exactly why I’m going. We have no idea what the situation is down there, how fragile it might be. I will not risk any more of my men.”

Max adjusted the harness and one of his guys ensured it was secure. Tyler understood and didn’t argue. Dex would do exactly the same thing. A team leader always protected their team, even if it meant sacrificing their own life.

“My man here, Rick,” Max continued, “will take over up here. I have a radio, but there’s no guarantee it will work.” He hooked himself up to the pulley rope.

“What can we do?” Dex asked.

Max climbed into the top of the hole. The pulley taking his weight, he paused, suspended in the air. He glanced up at them.

“Pray.”

Rick lowered him down slowly, talking to him every now and then on the radio. Tyler couldn’t bear it any longer; his legs gave out. Squatting down, he lowered his head and fought back tears. They should be in the ambulance now, on their way to the hospital. A hand landed on his shoulder. It was Mackie, squatting next to him. Neither of them spoke. What was there to say? Max was right, all they could do was pray.

“Radio’s out,” Rick said solemnly.

Tyler didn’t even look up. He wanted to scream, to lash out, hit someone or something. The silence was deafening, and with each passing minute, his hope faded. Why did this always happen to him? He had gotten close to Mira; now she was buried under tons of concrete. What was it about him that anyone he got close to ended up...

“He’s reached the bottom.” Rick’s announcement got Tyler’s attention and stopped him finishing that thought.

“How do you know?” Tyler looked up.

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