Page 95 of The Mechanics of Lust

I watched the sting of my words hit home and instantly regretted them. “Shit. I’m sorry. That was a crappy thing to say.”

He raised his hand. “Maybe, but you’re not wrong. Still, we’ve got more important things to do right now than argue, yeah?”

Something we could agree on.

I called the dogs from where they’d been sleeping in a large, multi-legged furry ball, wrapped around each other to keep the cold at bay, and we started the long and precarious downward trek back to the helicopter.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

Luke

Makingour way down through the pea-soup cloud with only our headlamps to guide the way took almost twice as long as it had to climb up. But we finally took those last few steps off Halifax beat onto the Yellow Tarn plateau and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, no one more so than me.

Zach’s father had, thankfully, spent most of the seemingly endless descent asleep, or at least lying there with his eyes closed and his teeth gritted. Most likely the latter. Paddy Lane was made of piss, steel, and determination. I figured he’d have sooner bitten his arm off than complain, and for once, that stubborn, stalwart, crabby attitude was exactly what was needed.

The three of us had tag-teamed bearing the stretcher—the weight, the tricky descent, and the absolute concentration needed proved quickly exhausting. By the time we put the stretcher next to the chopper, every muscle and joint in my body was screaming, hot, and angry. The grimace on Jules’ face and the set of Zach’s jaw told me they were suffering just as much. It had been hell, but we were safely down, and as I looked up into the drizzling rain and thick dark night, I felt an immense sense of gratitude to the man who’d led us.

The thought of being stuck camped under a rocky ledge in the freezing cold, waiting for morning with no guarantee we’d have been able to get down any easier, was quite frankly, terrifying. I’d have rather landed an Airbus in a lightning storm than spend the night on that mountain. And judging by the grey pallid cast to Paddy’s face, I wasn’t at all sure Zach’s father would’ve made it.

Jules grabbed his brother and pulled him into a bear hug. “We did it.Youdid it. I’m so fucking glad you didn’t listen to me.”

Zach slapped his brother’s back. “Like that was ever gonna happen. I love you, bro, but you don’t know everything, shocking as that must be to you. Now get off me.”

While they settled Paddy onto the back seat of the chopper, I gave the machine a once-over and then updated a pissy, fretful Holden. God love the man, but he could be a right pain in the butt, but he promised to update Lane Station and then get back to me.

Five minutes later, he called back to let us know Blue and the team had arrived at Lane Station and were ready to make their way up at first light if the cloud cover didn’t lift. But if it did and I could fly the chopper, my instructions were to get Paddy straight to Christchurch Hospital.

We were almost out of the woods. All we had to do was get Zach’s father through the night.

Next on the list was Gary who, judging by his grumpy demeanour, had been up all night.

“The helicopter is fine,” were the first words out of my mouth.

“Oh, super,” he huffed with a distinct edge of sarcasm to that Irish lilt. “Because that’s exactly what I’ve been worried out of my tree about, of course.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Aw, so youdolove me.”

“In your dreams, boyo.” But there was a smile in his voice.

I gave Gary a quick update on Paddy and the plan to get him off the hill since the final call on the use of the chopper was down to him. He agreed immediately, adding that he’d check whether the rescue chopper could maybe meet us at the station.

By the time I stowed the phone, Jules and Zach had managed to get a bottle of water and half an energy bar into their father—no easy feat with half his mouth not cooperating. They then helped him pee into an empty plastic bottle cut in half and then Zach checked him over once again.

When he was done, Zach joined the two of us standing by the tarn and handed out water bottles and more energy bars. “His heart rate’s still too high for my liking,” he said with an anxious look back to the chopper. “He looks like a ghost, his skin is clammy, and I’m sure he wasn’t always with us on the way down. And I don’t mean asleep. He’s in shock, obviously, but who knows what else is going on.”

I squeezed his shoulder. “Is there anything more we can do?”

Zach shook his head.

I cast an eye over Jules who looked equally worried. “Then I suggest we bunk down and try and get some sleep. One way or another, it’s gonna be a big day tomorrow. Let’s hope the weather plays ball because as far as I can tell, the best option is for me to fly us all to Christchurch, minus the dogs.” I caught Zach’s gaze and held it. “And since the flying bit ismyarea of expertise, I’ll need a baton change on the decision-making regarding if and when it’s safe to get us off here. Okay with you?”

Zach’s cheeks pinked a little in my headlamp. “Of course.”

Excellent news. The last thing we needed was a fight about whether it was safe to fly or not. “Then let’s get the dogs sorted and then grab some shut-eye.”

We used the tarps to form a shelter over the open equipment carriers so the dogs could sleep protected from the weather, and then Jules took the back floor of the chopper while Zach and I tried to get comfortable in the front. With the headlamps out, the cockpit was plunged into darkness.

Uncomfortable or not, it wasn’t long before Jules’ snores filled the cockpit.

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