Contracts, Matt Rogers [phonics reading books TXT] 📗

with all these people, but it’s him. I think he needed to string the porter along as a guide with knowledge of the region until he could meet with the Maoists and wave money in their faces.’

‘That doesn’t make any sense if you think about it for longer than five minutes.’

‘None of this makes any sense,’ King sighed.

‘Are you going to do it?’

‘I think so.’

‘You’ll die.’

‘That’s always been a risk. Figured nothing would change on this trip either.’

‘I’m telling you not to.’

‘And I’m refusing to listen to you. What other chance are we going to get to resolve this?’

‘You’re being boneheaded,’ Slater said. ‘You’re really going to do exactly what they ask?’

‘I have to. And I have to do it alone. You can’t even get out of bed.’

‘And I’m not going to try to. You know why? Because I can accept when shit’s hit the fan. You can’t seem to.’

‘They don’t know who we are.’

‘What?’

‘They know we’re operatives, and I’m sure they’re assuming we’re elite. But they don’t know the details. Even if it’s Perry — he’s still just a bodyguard. He wouldn’t know about any of it — the history of Black Force, the genetic reflexes, what we’ve collectively been through. I can still get the jump on them. I’m sure of it.’

Slater practically rolled his eyes. ‘Call your girlfriend, then. Tell her what you just told me. See how she reacts.’

‘I’m going to do it regardless of what she says.’

‘Leave now, then. Take them by surprise.’

‘No,’ King hissed. ‘Don’t you understand why this needs to play out the way they want?’

‘Maybe I’m slipping,’ Slater muttered, adjusting himself in bed. ‘Maybe I’m missing the point. To me it all sounds insane.’

‘They’re telling the truth about having the terrain advantage. It’d only take a couple of sentries scattered about to see me coming from miles away. That’s the advantage of a peak. There’s only one way to get to it. If neither of us do this, they’ll get angry, and she’ll probably die. I need to play along and hope like hell that my reflexes hold up to the test when it’s time to go for the draw.’

‘And if they strip you of all weapons before they let you meet with whoever’s orchestrating this?’

‘Then I’ll just have to shoot it out when they try to take my gun off me.’

‘Let’s see how I am in the morning,’ Slater mumbled. ‘I might be able to join you.’

King stared at him. ‘No. You won’t.’

Slater made to respond, but didn’t.

He just quietly nodded his agreement.

Then he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

King stayed perched on the edge of the bed, struggling to muster the courage to call Violetta back.

Then she called.

He stepped outside, picked it up and said, ‘I’m going tomorrow morning. I don’t care what my orders are. That’s what I’m doing.’

61

Slater didn’t dream.

He entered a sleep so deep and undisturbed that when he finally came out of it he thought, That’s what it might feel like to die. It took him minutes to worm his way out of the fogginess. He rolled onto his side — painfully, laboriously.

King was watching him.

Clearly concerned.

Slater mumbled, ‘What time is it?’

‘Nearly midnight.’

‘Have you slept?’

‘Not yet.’

‘You need to.’

‘You need it more.’

Slater figured he’d give himself a test. He sat up, and his muscles throbbed. It took everything he had just to lever his torso off the mattress. He put his feet on the floor, rocked back and forth a couple of times, and stood up.

His heart rate shot through the roof.

He could feel it smashing against his chest wall, pumping two times a second, then three. Somewhere close to 180bpm.

At his age, practically his max heart rate.

He sat back down, collapsing on the bed. Lowered his head back to the pillow and tried to breathe as deeply as possible. When his heart settled, he said, ‘I hate to break it to you, but I’m not going anywhere.’

‘I can see that,’ King said.

‘My chest…’

‘I know. I was watching the vein in your neck. Counting the beats per minute. You’re not in good shape.’

‘To say the least.’

‘You’ll be okay,’ King said. ‘Your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen. You just need to stop moving for a day or so, and then get to a lower altitude.’

‘You’re twenty pounds heavier than me. Why aren’t you in this state too?’

‘It’s genetic. Can happen to anyone. Be grateful you don’t have any of the other altitude symptoms.’

‘So you’re still going through with this?’

‘I have to. It’s the only way it ends.’

‘It could end with you helping me back down the mountain. It could end with us both living to fight another day.’

‘There’s no difference between that outcome and giving up.’

‘It wouldn’t be giving up. It would be making the tactical decision.’

‘The right tactical decision is to make that climb. Sure, they want me tired, but don’t think they’re not feeling it too. They could go anywhere from here if we retreat. It wouldn’t take much for them to bunker down somewhere along the Cho-La Pass. Then they can negotiate for as long as they want. No-one’s mounting an effective rescue operation at that altitude. They know we’re down here, so they came up with a plan to get us where they want us, but it’s not smart for them. This is my chance to capitalise on that.’

‘It’s not smart.’

‘Nothing in this game is.’

‘And what do I do when you’re gone? Lie here and hope I don’t get shot?’

‘Point your weapon at that door for eight hours and wait for me to come back. You don’t even have to move.’

‘You don’t get it,’ Slater said. ‘I can’t move. Even if my life depended on it. My heart would explode if I tried to muscle my way out of here. If you leave, I’m a sitting duck.’

‘They promised they wouldn’t come for us. I believe them. They think we’re valuable. They think we’re their chance to negotiate.’

‘And what will happen when they see you heading up Gokyo Ri alone?’

King didn’t answer.

‘Well?’ Slater said.

‘Then you