Max opens his eyes. “Uh, fixed?”
“Are you asking me or are you telling me? Wake up!” he commands.
Max shakes the cobwebs in a quick side-to-side jerk of the head, before slowly straightening his spine. “I’m awake,” he snaps.
Noah knows the danger ahead and that everyone’s concerted efforts will be required to get through it without harm. He decides to keep the teams the same as the day before; it will only be a short march until they reach their first maneuver. He is concerned about the challenges that the others will have to overcome. Knowing that they are inexperienced and, worse, unpredictable when faced with adversity has him on edge.
When Noah informed the group that he and Hiroshi had found a passage that could cut their travel time by a day or more, they had unanimously agreed to go forth. Even after he warned them — several times — that the endeavor would be loaded with risks with no room for error, they remained firm.
As Noah wraps up his briefing, Evelyn enters the campsite with Luna by her side. Her face is pale and gaunt, her eyes glassy. Noah stops in mid-sentence. “Are you alright, Eve?”
“I’m fine,” she dismisses, offering a weak smile. She sits near the fire and inspects the skillet filled with dehydrated eggs and potted ham, her lips pressed tightly together.
Noah’s gaze lingers for a moment, sensing something isn’t right, but shrugs it off and finishes his instruction before breaking for breakfast. Hank has stepped out of the tent and appears to be ready for the day ahead of him, having regained some color in his mostly grey skin. He will be fed a hearty breakfast, including Noah’s ration, before they set off. The others in the camp are just waking to Day Five on the island. Conversation is scarce and the mood is tense while they eat their carefully portioned breakfasts. Several of the castaways ask Hank how he’s faring and he assures them that he is ready and feeling much better. He blames the altitude for his sickness, and says that he has adjusted to it and is ready to go.
The morning is brisk and the sun is rising as the thirteen castaways prepare for a short hike. With the exception of the Lockhearts, everyone is clad in mismatched layers and various hats plundered from the luggage. The crew’s whimsical appearance belies their status as a band of weary travelers fighting to stay alive. Luna takes a moment to chuckle as she watches her fellow gypsies snake through the grey starkness of their surroundings in a curious contrast of color and shape.
Noah and Mia once again lead the pack, heading southeast. They keep closer to the others and exchange no confidences, as Noah seems preoccupied with the task at hand. The early morning sun burns bright over the misty mountaintops, drenching the landscape in a golden glow. After more than an hour of walking the hike comes to an abrupt end when the mountain trail disappears into thin air. Mia walks to the edge of the cliff and, standing on her toes, peers over the sheer drop into a bottomless pit, continuing on and on, ending in nothing but a murky pool of black.
“Whoa, we’re not climbing down this are we?” Mia asks, her eyes big and doe-like.
“Hardly,” he reassures. “Come on, follow me.” Noah leads her down a narrow decline that zigzags along the face of the mountain until it opens to a long flat landing. The ground beneath them rumbles with the unmistakable sound of rushing water that seemingly comes from nowhere.
Mia, visibly nervous, turns to Noah. “What’s happening?”
Noah smiles. “It’s okay, come here I’ll show you.” They walk to the edge of the cliff and he points down below. “It’s an underground waterfall!” His shout can barely be heard above the din of rushing water. “Smashing, isn’t it?”
Mia’s jaw drops as she marvels at the stream of water pouring from the cavern below as she stands on what feels like the edge of the world. “Underground waterfall? That’s so cool,” she gushes.
While Mia enjoys the spectacle, the others catch up and share her reaction. The view is breathtaking, and under different circumstances, it would be a sight to behold. But just as they grasp their new surroundings, they fall deathly silent as they realize what is coming next. As they gather around, Noah places at his feet the two harnesses that he and Hiroshi prepared and waits for the moment to settle.
“So here we are. As we discussed last night, the quickest way to civilization from this point is due east. By traversing this canyon, we will cut straight through the mountains and save ourselves a day of hiking, possibly more.” He gestures to the backdrop behind him. “As you can see, this will be a tricky undertaking, but Hiroshi and I have devised a plan that should get all of us to the other side with minimal effort. All we ask is that you trust us and go along for the ride.”
He bends down to grab one of the harnesses. “First, using this harness and a pulley, we will lower each of you about thirty meters to a flat landing. Jacob will help you into the harness, and Max and Hiroshi will greet you down below. Once you are there, stay clear as they help the others get down. The landing is narrow, so keep away from the edge of the cliff. After Max and Hiroshi set up below, the order down will be Mia, Alice, Sarah, Josette, Luna, Evelyn, Hank, Patrick, Craig, and finally Jacob. Are there any questions?”
Noah stands quietly in front of a row of apprehensive faces before continuing. “Right. So….”
“I’m terrified of heights,” interrupts Josette.
“So am I,” adds Alice.
“I understand. But all you need to do is hold on to the rope while Jacob, Hiroshi, and Max do the work of lowering you. You will be secure in this harness, I assure you. If you are scared, I suggest closing your eyes and not looking down and it will all be over soon, okay?”
“You can’t be certain of anything. What if the rope breaks?” Josette asks, growing paler.
“I inspected the rope before we left and Hiroshi will check it after every lowering to ensure that it hasn’t been compromised. Now please, time is of the essence, so let’s keep moving.” He puts down the one harness and raises the other. “After everyone has been lowered, you’ll zip-line to the other side where I will be waiting for you. Again, just hold on to the bar and your weight will carry you over. Even if you panic and let go of the bar, you will still be strapped into the harness and you’ll get to the other side regardless. But I do suggest that you hold on to the bar. And try to remain calm. It is a long way across and it will be scary, so close your eyes and in no time, it will all be over. Any questions?”
To Noah’s dismay, more than half the group raises their hands. Containing his frustration, he points to Patrick. “Yes, what is your question?”
“How are
you
getting over there?”
“Right, good question, Patrick.” He gestures behind him to a jagged peak that rests nearby. “I’ll throw a grappling hook to that mountain and then slackline across. Then I’ll hike to that clearing over there.” He points across the chasm, directly opposite from where they stand. “When I get to the other side, I will set up the zip-line and then Hiroshi and Max will secure it from here.”
His response is greeted by a series of approving nods, but their glum faces indicate extreme reluctance.
“What’s a slackline?” Josette demands in a bid for more time.
Noah smiles. “I’ll be demonstrating that shortly. Now please, we have precious little time, and we must move. Just relax and this will all be over soon.” He ends the Q&A by grabbing both harnesses and walking toward Hiroshi, Jacob, and Max, already fixing the anchors for the pulley.
Hiroshi positions the pulley a good distance from the cascading wall of water while Noah prepares to throw his grappling hook across. He anchors the end of the rope around a small boulder and examines his objective. The peak is full of nooks and crannies for the hook to take hold of. It’s the distance that troubles him, as the mountain sits at least seventy meters from where he stands. The only advantage, if there is one, is that he is perched slightly higher than the mountain he needs to get to. Even with that, it will take all of his strength to throw the hook to the other side, and even then, there is no guarantee that it will catch firmly. If this doesn’t work, the attempt may be a failure, the first step in a plan B that doesn’t exist.
He turns his back to the target and takes several steps away from the cliff; as he does, he notices everyone staring at him. Even Hiroshi, who makes eye contact with him and gives him a reassuring nod. Noah looks to the ground and refocuses. He takes a deep breath and before exhaling, he pivots, takes four quick steps, then plants and hurls the hook with all of his might, letting out a loud roar in the process that makes the hairs on the back of Evelyn’s neck stand at attention. Everyone watches the hook reach its intended target, at which they explode into cheers. But the moment is short lived, as Noah’s tug causes the hook to fall off the face of the mountain. He reels the rope back in to have another go.
He makes no adjustments in his second throw, and this time the others remain silent until he gives the nod that, indeed, the hook is grappled. Noah reels the rope until it has only a slight sag in the middle and then, with the extra slack, he creates a new Y-shaped anchor, which he fixes firmly to the rock floor. He decides to keep the original anchor wrapped around the boulder, erring on the side of caution. Noah takes a deep breath and clears his head. Slacklining, unknown to most, was common among the Phantom Nine, and considered to be among the more pedestrian maneuvers in their repertoire. However, most of their slacklines were no longer than thirty meters, and this distance was more than double that.
With most of the travelers having nothing to do but wait, they look on curiously, trying to decipher Noah’s intentions. Luna leans toward Evelyn and whispers, “What is he about to do?”
“I haven’t the foggiest,” Evelyn admits, her eyes fixed on her husband. “But I’m certain I’m not going to like it.”
Noah moves to the edge of the cliff and latches a short cable to the slackline, the other end attached to his utility belt. This cable, just a meter in length, is his only connection to the line, but it’s not the only lifeline he will have if he loses his balance. His backup is the line he will carry inside the rope feed in the shoulder strap of his backpack. He secures that line with a single anchor that will remain until Jacob is ready to join the others down below. That line will ultimately serve as the zip-line if everything goes according to plan.
He slides on his climbing gloves and walks off the edge of the cliff, his life teetering on the line. The others watch in stunned silence. Stepping more than a meter out, he bounces slightly on the slackline, his feet never leaving the rope, testing the strength of the tether. His actions elicit several gasps from the spectators and in three quick backward steps he is on solid footing once more. Feeling as confident as he can about the hold, he takes another deep breath and turns to look directly at Evelyn. He delivers a trademark wink and mouths
I love you
.
Evelyn puts on her bravest face.
I love you too.
He smiles and walks on to the line again, this time slowly placing one foot in front of the other as if walking on a narrow beam, his arms rocking slightly to the right and left. The soles of his shoes are made specifically for these types of maneuvers, ones that he performed while in the Phantom Nine, and this particular exercise is no different.
Hiroshi and Jacob are in the midst of a conversation about the mount for the pulley when Max interrupts both of them by nudging Hiroshi’s arm and pointing to the man on the wire. They stand in awe as Noah walks on air across the deep divide. “Holy shit! Did he tell you he was going to do that?”
“We never discussed it,” says Hiroshi, his gaze unwavering.
Time seems to stand still. No one dares take their eyes off Noah as he inches his way to the other side. Cast against a pale blue sky, he glides across, gravity be damned. The slack in the line actually aids Noah’s crossing, allowing him to find his center, with the sag resting in middle. The others watch with their hearts wrapped around their throats, knowing full well that without him, they would be lost.
When his feet finally reach solid ground, a collective sigh rings out across the mountains. Noah waves his arms at his fellow travelers to signal that the anchors supporting the slackline can be released. His mission only half complete, he reels the line to begin his hike across the jagged slope.
With the pulley system in place, Max expertly rappels down the side of the mountain to the narrow landing. A few minutes later, though, Hiroshi’s inexperience as a climber almost kills him. During the rappel, he descends too quickly and momentarily loses his grip on the line. He is able to recover, none the worse for wear except for a painful rope burn.
Tragedy averted, and when their pulses return to normal, Max and Jacob begin to lower the others. Mia is the first to go, and to everyone’s overwhelming relief, her descent goes perfectly. The good feelings are short-lived when Alice, who is slated to go next, refuses to budge. After a ten-minute consultation with Evelyn and Luna, she reluctantly goes through with it. Though she lands unscathed, her screams will ring in Hiroshi’s and Max’s ears for all eternity.
Meanwhile, Noah is halfway through his hike across the mountain and, feeling the effects of his rigorous activity, decides to take a break. Sleep-deprived and under-nourished, his charity has taken its toll; he will need to eat soon if he is to continue at full capacity. Positioned diagonally across the chasm from the others, he looks through his binoculars to check on their progress and promptly wishes he hadn’t. It appears they are delayed, and when he scans the landing below, he sees Hiroshi, Max, Alice, and Mia standing around and gazing upward, waiting for someone. Josette, he thinks to himself,
who else
? He knew she would be difficult and she hasn’t disappointed. From his angle he can’t see those who have yet to descend and, realizing the situation is out of his control, he picks himself up and heads toward the clearing.