Page 72 of Mountain Security

And there, right at the bottom of the steep slope, Alex saw a gap between the trees.

He squinted, staring at the slight indentation in the snow.

Fuck.

It’s a hole.

“I think there’s a tree missing,” Alex said.

“Let’s check it out,” Beau commanded. A sea of moguls, some of them the size of cars, separated them from the tree-line. They zoomed through and around the moguls at high speed. Unlike Beau and Ry, Alex wasn’t the most graceful skier, but he could ski hard and fast, and he did both now.

They reached the bottom of the slope at the same time and took off their skis, growing more cautious as they approached the area.

“There it is,” Alex said, looking at the outline of a mostly covered tree trunk. “The tree.”

“Fuck. You’re right.” Beau was already on his headset, communicating with Tristan and the other teams. His boss was cautious about this new development, but also clear about the potential implications of their find, and the resulting urgency. “Alex is sharing out exact coordinates,” Beau finished.

Alex nodded, already clicking away on his phone.

Shit.

If the boy had fallen into the hole left behind by the tree, there was a high chance he wasn’t alive anymore.

Alex felt his heart sink, then pulled himself back.

There was always hope.

They had to work as if there was always hope.

“I found some tracks,” Ry said. Alex heard the medic’s sharp intake of breath. “And a pole.”

Shit.

He’s there.

The boy is there.

Beau shone a strong light into the hole, revealing a space much larger than Alex had expected. The roots of the tree must have been pulled clear out of the ground, creating this space.

“I’ll go in,” Ry said, already pulling ropes out of his backpack.

Alex shook his head. “Let me get him out. You need to be here to provide …”

He couldn’t finish the sentence.

If the boy was gone, he wouldn’t be needing Ry. He wouldn’t be needing anything anymore.

Tears prickled at the back of Alex’s eyes.

But if he wasn’t …

If he wasn’t, he would need Ry up here.

And even now, bulked up by the constant exercise and stronger than he’d ever been before, Alex’s shoulders weren’t as wide as Beau’s.

It made more sense for him to be the one to climb inside.

Alex stepped into the light harness they all carried with them.

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