Chapter 15: The Final Ascent
The red-and-white Cessna 185 bounced violently as Jimmy Vance brought the landing gear down through the thick, low-hanging cloud cover that clung to the jagged spine of Bald Mountain. Below us, the jagged timberline gave way to the isolated stone structure of the old fire watchtower. Even from the air, I could see the distinct shape of two black SUVs parked near the perimeter fence, their headlights cutting harsh beams through the swirling mist. Elena’s men had already reached the mountain via the old logging trails on the eastern slope.
"I can't land on the ridge, Daniel!" Jimmy shouted over the deafening whine of the radial engine. "The wind shear off the gorge is blowing forty knots! I can drop you and the Sheriff via static line near the tree line, but that's as close as I get!"
"Do it!" I yelled back, checking the heavy web straps of the parachute harness Tom had managed to scrounge from the back of the bush plane.
Beside me, Tom Miller checked his sidearm, his face pale from the violent turbulence but entirely resolved. "When we hit the ground, we move fast. Elena is down there, and she’s running out of options. That makes her dangerous."
"She should be," I muttered, pulling my protective goggles down over my eyes as the rear cargo door swung open, letting in a blinding rush of freezing mountain air and driving rain.
The green jump light flashed on the bulkhead. Without hesitation, I threw myself out into the roaring void, the cold wind whipping around my jacket as I fell into the gray abyss. The parachute deployed with a sharp, heavy jerk that rattled my collarbone, slowing my descent just as the dark canopy of pine trees rushed up to meet me.
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I hit the muddy slope hard, rolling expertly to absorb the impact, and quickly unbuckled the harness. Tom landed thirty yards away in a dense patch of ferns, struggling to untangle his lines from a low-hanging branch. I jogged over, grabbed his arm, and helped him free himself.
Together, we drew our weapons and started running up the narrow, winding foot trail toward the glowing windows of the watchtower. The final confrontation was waiting at the summit, and this time, there was nowhere left to run.
