“Could you politely ask them to hurry?” He panted. “I suspect I’m on the verge of hypothermia.”
Grunting my displeasure, I said, “If it was up to me, I’d come get you myself. They won’t let me.” I still had to stop myself from jumping down into that dank pit with him. I wanted to kiss him and hold him so much it was agony. I’d have given anything to put my arms around him and comfort him.
He frowned. “Don’t you dare come down here. How would both of us being trapped help anything?”
“It’s frustrating as hell just watching you suffer, Max,” I grumbled.
“I… I know, but I’m just happy not to be alone anymore,” he said softly, his gaze latched on mine. “You really are here? This isn’t a dream?”
Guilt ate at me because it had taken so long to find him. “I’m here.”
“Then it’ll be fine,” he murmured, glancing around and shivering. “It’ll be okay. I’ll be out of here soon.”
“Yes. Any minute now, you’ll be out, Max. I swear you’re gonna be fine.”
I could see his nervous swallow. “Okay.”
“Hey, Royce,” Jack called out. “We need you to move away from the edge. They’re ready to go in now.”
“Okay,” I called over my shoulder. I returned my gaze to Max. “It’s time, Max.”
His face visibly tensed. “God.” His voice shook.
“It’s going to be just fine. If I didn’t think you’d be safe, I wouldn’t let them do it, okay?”
He nodded. “I trust you.”
No pressure.
I gave him a reassuring smile, although my face felt like it was cracking. “I’ll be up here waiting for you.”
“Okay.” His voice was strained.
I crawled away from the edge and got to my feet. I watched as the team took their positions. They all moved with confidence, which made me feel better about the situation. It was obvious they’d done this kind of thing before, and all I could do was watch and pray Max would be safe.
So that’s what I did. I closed my eyes and whispered a heartfelt plea to the universe.
Chapter Nine
Maxwell
I watched as a man in a yellow hard hat rappelled smoothly down a rope with a small tank strapped to his back. He stopped just above the muddy slope, hovering on the end of the line. He smiled at me, his blue eyes glittering at me through thick goggles.
“How you doing, Maxwell?” he asked in a cheerful voice. “I’m Gordon.”
“Hello. I’d really like to get out of here, Gordon.” My voice wobbled. “If that’s not too much trouble.”
“Let’s do that, then.” His smile widened, and he handed me a neon orange harness. “Slip this on. Make sure the safety clips are also fastened.”
The harness was like a vest and easy to slip on. My hands shook as I fumbled to fasten the vest hooks. My fingers were cold and numb, which meant I had zero dexterity. It took way longer than it should have to get the safety hooks latched, but Gordon didn’t rush me.
“I… I think I’ve got it,” I said at long last.
He leaned forward and tugged on the vest, checking the closures. “Looks good.” He had a second line with him, and he hooked that onto the vest. Then he pulled the small green tank off his shoulder. “I’m gonna stick this metal wand into the mud next to your left leg. The compressed air will createa space between your leg and the mud. God willing, you’ll be able to pull your leg free then.”
“Okay.”
He glanced up at the top where a group of men stood, holding the ropes. “Take up the slack on Maxwell’s rope,” he yelled.