Page 55 of Ranger Belief
Jonah positioned himself in the belaying stance, wrapping the line around his body in the proper configuration. Their eyes met briefly, and a world of unspoken emotion passed between them.
“Be careful,” he said.
“Always am.”
She gave him a quick smile before leaning back into empty air, her weight transferring to the rope. Jonah felt the tension as she began her descent, feeding the rope through his hands with controlled precision. Laney walked her feet down the rock face, pushing off slightly to control her descent. The rain made the limestone dangerously slick, but she moved with confidence, testing each foothold before committing her weight.
“About five feet to your right,” Jonah called down, keeping the flashlight trained on Alli's small form.
Laney adjusted her trajectory, working her way across the face of the bluff. She had to pause twice to clear the rope when it caught on jutting rock, each time hanging suspended by the harness while she worked the line free. When she reached Alli, she braced her feet against the rock and reached out, touching the child's neck. Even from above, Jonah could see her shoulders sag with relief.
“She's alive,” Laney called up. “Pulse is weak but steady. She's caught in some branches, and her jacket is snagged. I need both hands free to work her loose.”
“I’ve got you,” he called back, locking the rope to hold Laney's position. His muscles flexed with the effort. The rain picked up from a drizzle to a light downpour. It soaked his hair and dripped down his face.
Carefully, using both hands, Laney examined Alli before lifting her into her arms. She secured her to the harness with another rope before lifting her face up to Jonah. “I’m going to keep going down. It’ll be easier and safer than trying to make my way back up.”
“Got it.”
He continued to let out the line, and slowly Laney and Alli descended. He monitored their progress with the flashlight beam, his chest tight with every inch they moved. His muscles strained from the effort of holding the brake rope.
A sudden shout from Tate cut through the night.
Jonah whipped his head around.
A burst of gunfire came from the trees.
TWENTY-SIX
A sudden jerk of the rope sent Laney into momentary freefall.
Her stomach bottomed out, and the rock face loomed. Acting on instinct, she twisted to shield Alli with her body as they crashed into the bluff. Sharp pain shot through her forearm as the rough limestone sliced through her jacket and into her skin.
The sound of gunfire erupted above her. Multiple shots—not just one—from automatic rifles.
Terror gripped her heart. Jonah. He’d been exposed at the edge, holding her line. Had he been hit? Was he?—
No. She couldn't let herself think that way. Not now.
Alli needed her to keep it together and get them off this bluff.
Laney assessed their position. The rope was now dangerously slack. Whatever was happening at the top, Jonah could no longer safely control her descent. Warm blood trickled down her arm from her wound. Alli’s lifeless form rested against her, but the faint puff of her breath against Laney’s neck reassured her that the child was still alive.
She glanced down. Maybe ten feet to the ground now. A risky fall, but survivable. Especially compared to the danger of hanging here while a gunfight raged above.
Making a split-second decision, she shifted Alli's weight, securing the child tightly against her with her injured arm. With her good hand, she reached for the quick-release mechanism on her harness. “Hold on, sweetheart,” she whispered to the unconscious child. “This is going to be rough.”
Laney took a deep breath, said a quick prayer, and hit the release.
For a moment, they were in free fall, the world reduced to wind and rain and the weight of Alli against her chest. She bent her knees to absorb the impact, rolling to her side as they hit the ground to protect Alli from the brunt of the fall.
Pain exploded through her ankle and hip as they tumbled onto the rocky shore. Laney landed on her back, the wind knocked out of her. Her chest felt like it would explode. Stars danced across her vision. She groaned and forced herself to roll to the side. Little Alli had stayed safe in her arms. Laney deposited the child onto the ground and focused on trying to deepen her breathing. Slowly, the pain in her chest faded.
The rain was relentless. It soaked Laney’s hair and pelted her face. The sound of gunfire was still echoing above her. Her friends were in danger, and she was helpless to assist them. Every instinct screamed at her to find a way back up that bluff, to join the fight, to protect her team. But the unconscious child beside her changed everything.
Laney forced herself onto her knees, wincing as her injured ankle protested. She gently examined Alli, checking for broken bones or head trauma. The girl's breathing was shallow but steady. Her pulse was weak but regular. She was alive, but needed medical attention soon. Laney reached for her radio but found only a shattered casing. It’d broken when she slammed into the limestone.
She pulled her cell phone from her pocket. The glow of the screen confirmed her worst fear. No cell service.
