Higher Ground by Becky Black (notion reading list txt) 📗

“Sure. I’m done here.” He smiled at his patient. “Come see me if you need to, okay?” He cleared up his gear and stood, carrying his medical kit.

“I don’t think you need that,” Adam said.

“Never supposed to leave it alone. Some powerful drugs in here.”

They headed back over to Zach, helping each other over rough ground a couple of times. Simon had arrived and was pouring coffee as they approached. He was saying something to Zach, but Zach didn’t appear to be listening, watching Adam’s and Glyn’s approach instead. Can’t keep his eyes off me, Adam thought, grinning.

“Hi, Zach, Simon. Oh thanks,” Glyn said as Simon passed him a mug of coffee. “What’s up, guys?”

“I thought we should have a short meeting,” Zach said. “To discuss progress and make plans. Adam suggested you join us.”

“Delighted to.” Glyn raised his mug in a salute to Adam. “Something in particular you want from me?”

“A report on the injured people,” Zach said. “How well they’ll manage the rest of the climb.”

“Most of it is just cuts and bruises. As long as nobody gets an infection, they’ll be fine. I’ll keep a close eye on them for any signs. The most serious one was Jan.”

“How is she?” Zach asked. “Is her arm broken?”

“No, but it was cut open down to the bone, and she’s got muscle damage. She’ll need hospital treatment eventually. Right now she’s going to have to keep her arm in a sling, so if the climb gets steep enough, she’ll have problems. As long as we’re still walking, it’s okay. She lost blood, and that’s made her weak, but I’ve given her drugs to help and something to make sure she gets a good sleep tonight.” He grimaced. “Even on this ground.”

“Can I have some of that?” Adam said, winking at Glyn.

“Ah, drug seeking,” Glyn answered with his own wink. “I’ll make a note.”

“Would a blood transfusion help her?” Zach asked.

“Ideally, she’d have had one, and in an emergency I’ve got the equipment for a direct transfusion, but I don’t want to risk it without it being an absolute emergency.” He looked at Adam. “It’s not something to undertake lightly in the field.”

“All right, thanks,” Adam said. “Okay, there was something I wanted to talk about, something that’s worrying me. I think people are getting complacent.”

“Complacent?” Zach sounded stunned. “Are you joking? They’re too frightened, surely?”

“No, he’s right,” Simon said. “I think I know what he means. People keep talking about rescue coming back soon.”

“But it is,” Zach said.

“Which doesn’t mean we’re in less danger,” Adam said. “The quakes are worsening. We’re in more danger from rockfalls. But I think the fact people know the rescue ships are coming back makes them think they won’t need to climb all the way to the top. And it’s possible we won’t have to, but we shouldn’t let that make us move slower. We’ll be safer at the top. At least from falling rock.”

“And we saw today injuries could happen any time,” Simon said. “Maybe some bad enough to slow us down seriously. So we have to take full advantage of the fact we’re mostly still fit to cover as much ground as we can.”

“Good point,” Adam said, nodding, glad Simon agreed and backed him up. Even Zach had seemed a little complacent about the urgency of continuing the climb as fast as possible.

“Moving too fast might risk more injuries,” Zach said.

“We have to find a balance,” Simon said, and Adam nodded.

“Push, but not too hard,” he said, looking at Zach, who frowned somewhat resentfully.

“I can’t believe people would be so foolish as to be complacent. Can’t they see the water rising behind us? Don’t they remember what we saw when the basin flooded?”

“Hey, don’t snap at me about it,” Adam protested. “I’m telling you what I’ve been hearing, and I’m telling you how worried I am about it. And you were the one who wanted to stop nearly an hour before we actually did tonight.”

“And two people had falls in that hour.”

“Okay, guys,” Simon said. “That’s not helping. What’s the best way forward?”

“We have to be wary of causing people to panic,” Zach said, taking a deep breath before he spoke.

“But we have to keep them keen,” Adam said. “Zach, can’t you make some kind of prediction about how fast the island will sink?”

“No. The sinking isn’t predictable.”

“But we have at least some idea of how far it’s sunk already and how long it took; can’t you work it out?”

“No. There’s no way to know if it will accelerate, slow down, remain steady or not move another millimeter. I don’t have a crystal ball.”

“You could try—”

“I thought you were a scientist.”

Adam scowled. Dammit, did Zach have to act as if Adam was asking him to sell his scientific soul? He just wanted to help motivate people. A rough prediction even based on minimal evidence would help. But if Dr. Principled was too stubborn…

“Time for bed,” Simon said, ever the diplomat. “Long day tomorrow.”

“I’m going to take a walk.” Adam stood, ignoring anyone attempting to speak to him. He clicked on his flashlight and strode off into the darkness. Right now their shared tent would be too small for him and Zach.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Adam found a place to sit in the shelter of some rocks—ready to run like hell away from them if another quake happened. He turned off his flashlight, preferring the darkness to get a better sulk going. No, he wasn’t sulking. He was brooding. Not much better. What the hell was wrong with him? He didn’t brood, though he’d admit to sulking sometimes. But it had been a while since he’d felt as strongly for someone as he did for Zach. And a long time since anyone had gotten on his nerves the way Zach had started to.

Zach’s fault or his own? Or a combination of the two? All this time forced into each other’s company while they grew more tired and irritable by the