Page 11 of High Seduction
“Can do,” Devon responded.
Picking up three additional members wasn’t a chore since the chopper was rated for more. Tripp watched over his shoulder as the SAR climbed on board before giving Erin the thumbs-up.
Additional voices cut in as the new riders slipped on headsets so they could hear over the loud rotor noises.
“Dan reporting in. Tell us where you want us.”
Tripp turned to the back. “Welcome aboard. You have any preferences for belaying up or down?”
“No—we’re trained in both.”
Erin breathed a sigh of relief. It was one thing to take on other rescuers—their job at the ski hill meant they should have some skills. She just hoped they had enough.
Five minutes later, icy-cold wind blasted through the chopper as she hovered over the first inaccessible gondola, the first between towers connecting an extremely steep cliff.
Erin pointed to the side. “Access road. You want to see if we can lower them to there?”
“Get Alisha and her partner in place.” Tripp held up a hand. “I’ll contact base.”
This part was when she got to play games. Very little wind, nothing but keeping level as a goal. It was all about Anders’s skill with the winch, and the ability of the team member who was being lowered to deal with any spin.
Erin eyed the horizon and kept them steady as Anders counted out distance. Alisha shouted, and there was a slight bounce as the winch adjusted to keep Alisha level with the gondola door.
“Lovely,” Alisha complained over the portable microphone she wore. “The locking gate on the door is frozen shut. Excuse me, cold and frightened people, while I bang loudly on the handle and freak you out even more.”
Tripp cut in. “Erin, the access road is a possibility. They’ve got Ski-Doos on the way. Alisha, you and Dan belt them in for a transfer. There’s SAR on the ground waiting to take off the harnesses.”
“Roger. I’m in.”
The small camera mounted on the undercarriage of the chopper allowed Erin to watch Alisha disappear into the gondola, the heavy globelike carrier swaying as the weight redistributed.
It was one moment after another of waiting during the next thirty minutes as she maintained the chopper at level and dropped off three teams. Only once was she required to take civilians from point A to point B, moving carefully as Tripp stared out the window to offer additional guidance.
Perfect visibility, easy weather conditions. It felt good to work without her heart pounding through her throat.
They’d finished transporting the last of the gondola passengers Alisha was evacuating when Erin got a message.
“Uphill. Medical emergency—someone’s having a heart attack.”
“Dammit.” And they had no paramedic onboard. Guilt struck at tossing the last candidate around. “Do we have someone to pick up?”
“Yes. Head to the village.”
Erin lifted higher with Anders and Alisha the only other Lifeline members back on board. “How are you guys doing?” she asked.
“Drop me in the hot springs when we’re done, okay?” Alisha’s teeth rattled as she spoke. “God, those poor people. That was brutally cold, and I was only out in it for a short while.”
“Only a little longer,” Erin encouraged her. “Shove your hands under Anders’s arms, he doesn’t mind.”
“Ha. Thanks.”
Moments of lightness in the middle of the serious. Erin once again was thankful that she’d picked a job so full of rewards.
***
Tim’s hands were numb, but he wasn’t about to stop. “Where’s the next fire to put out?” he asked.
The SAR next to him pointed. “You are a glutton for punishment. I thought you came out to ski for the day.”
