Betrayed at Forty Below

Melvin stepped in close, towering over me, face twisted with disgust.

"Why is everyone else fine, but YOU'RE the one with frostbite? You just HAD to show off—dressing like that, pushing ahead. Now something goes wrong and you're blaming us?"

I wanted to argue—I was wearing top-tier gear—but the cold had sucked the strength right out of me.

My body kept crashing. The world spun, vision going fuzzy.

If I hadn't called Hugh when I did, I would've died up here—quiet and frozen.

I thought Melvin would tell the team to reinforce the tent and wait it out.

Instead, he barked, "Pack up. We're heading down while the storm's letting up. No way we're letting the rescue team laugh at us."

I forced myself upright, swaying. "You're kidding. Now?!"

That cold smirk slid in. "I'm the leader. My call. Not letting one selfish hiker wreck my career."

His eyes were locked—wild. No getting through to him.

"If you wanna rush down, fine. But I've got frostbite. I CAN'T move. I'm waiting for my brother."

Before he could speak, Sally shrieked, "No!"

She shot daggers at me, then spun to the others. "If we leave her, she'll blab about the sleeping bag. If we're clearing this, we HAVE to drag her with us. And if she talks? We say she's hallucinating from altitude sickness."

***

The rest of the team, all hyped up on Melvin and Sally's fake "team spirit," nodded like sheep.

I stared at Melvin's frozen expression, heart sinking. Still, I had to say it. "Melvin, fourth time I've saved your butt out here.

"Remember Raventon? You tried some dumb shortcut, slipped off a slope. I dragged you back from a mudslide, patched you up, sat with you till help came. You cried, held my hand like I was your hero. Swore you'd never turn on me.

"I know I'm nothing to you now... but please—after everything—just let me live."

For a second, guilt flickered in Melvin's eyes. He almost looked human.

Then Sally pinched his arm and hissed, "Don't go soft. If we leave her and anything happens, we're toast. One word from her and your promotion's toast too."

Whatever was left of his conscience? Gone. He stared me down, ice-cold.

"Quit guilt-tripping me. People move on. You're the only one who knows the way down. If you don't lead, we're screwed in this blizzard."

Sally jumped in. "Exactly. Don't even think about playing dead."

Watching their pathetic little performance, I knew appeals to the past were pointless. Time to throw my last card.

"Don't push me. Hugh Powell—captain of the Stormfang Rescue—is my brother. Lay a finger on me, and he'll bury you."

Sally cackled. "Oh please. Making up some brother to get out of walking? You're seriously a joke."