Page 39 of Mountain Challenge

Balls of fucking steel.

“I’m a medic. We’ll take a look in a minute,” Ry said. He kept up the narrative at every stage, for the benefit of Terence and of his colleagues up there. Finally, he deemed it safe to get onto the ledge with Terence. As badly as he wanted to examine the man, Ry wasted—no,invested—a minute changing the batteries in his hand drill, then quickly secured Terence to the ice wall as well. He also set up two lights beside them, so he could turn off his head lamp and look at Terence without blinding him.

“You’re just like MacGyver,” Terence whispered. From up close, his eyes looked glassy.Could be shock, pain or both.

“MacGyver. Aren’t you a bit young to know that show?”

Terence shrugged, then gasped in pain, his face going a shade paler. “I used to watch it with my grandmother all the time,” he ground out.

“So did I. You remember Samantha Cage?” Ry placed a cervical spine protection, then pulled out a small knife and cut through the man’s snowsuit, working quickly but carefully. The pelvis was associated with multiple vascular structures, and pelvic injuries could easily become life threatening. Or lead to lifelong disability. But he wasn’t going to think of that.

“Former CIA agent and member of The Phoenix Foundation. Of course I remember her. Why?”

“Ah, you’re a real fan, I see. She’s Australian, like me.”

Terence frowned. “I didn’t know that.”

“Indeed. Well, the character is Australian. I don’t think the actress is.” Ry’s voice remained steady as he uncovered what had to be a grade II or III pelvic fracture.

“She was hot,” Terence said through clenched teeth.

“She sure was. Okay, you’re doing great,” Ry told him. Then more quietly, “We’ve got a pelvic fracture for sure, and there could be associated lesions. I’m going to need a board and help bringing him up.” This kind of injury had to be treated by atrauma surgeon. The most they could do for him here was keep him as still as possible.

It didn’t surprise Ry that his boss was the one to respond first. “Wait for me. I’m on my way down.”

“This is going to hurt, Terence. I need to apply a pelvic binder.”

“Do what you need to do, man. I know you didn’t come into this hole to talk MacGyver with me.”

Ry slid the belt into position under the pelvis, applying the Velcro tension straps and slowly drawing tension.

“Fuck, that hurts,” Terence hissed.

Ry recorded the time, knowing the hospital staff would need that information. A mere moment later, Beau was with them. He screwed himself into the wall, then joined them on the ledge, going on his knees to pull out the board. “Terence, this is Beau. We’re going to get you out of here.”

Terence’s smile was wobbly now. He was suffering, and Ry hated that there was nothing he could give him for the pain, not until he’d been checked for internal bleeding. Together, he and Beau worked to secure the man onto the board. The ride up wasn’t going to be comfortable, but it would be safe for him.

“Here,” Ry told Terence. “I’ve got your backpack, but I’m afraid your snowboard’s gone.”

“Fuck the snowboard,” Terence said, then scrunched his face up in pain. “Though I think it may have saved my life.”

Ry thought back to the tracks he’d seen on the side of the crevasse. “I thinkyousaved your life, Terence.” He turned to Beau. “I need to go up with him to make sure he’s not jostled on the way up.”

Beau nodded. “Okay. Hugo, Alex, Ry and the patient will come up together. Pull on?—“

And then their world exploded into motion. Or at least that’s what it seemed like, as the left side of the ledge, where Beauwas standing, collapsed, and the lights Ry had placed flew off into the abyss. One moment the ledge was there, the next Beau was hanging from the ice screw they’d drilled into the wall. Momentum had his large body slamming into the wall—hard.

“Fuck!” One more slam, until Beau was able to get his movement back under control. “I’m okay.”

Ry turned on his head lamp and checked on Terence, who was still clipped to the rescue line, unconscious but safe on the board they’d strapped him to.Good. Alex and Hugo wouldn’t let him fall.

“What happened?” Alex asked, his voice worried.

“We just lost a piece of the ledge. But we’re all okay.”

The words were barely out before Ry realized how wrong he was. Because he could now see more of the screw than he had before, which meant the outer layers of ice had fractured. “Stay still, Beau,” Ry said, knowing Beau would see right through his calm, professional tone. “There’s something wrong with your ice screw.”

“Get him out of here,” Beau said.

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