Chapter 2

I pressed a hand over my mouth and forced the lump in my throat back down.

Chris came back a few minutes later. Snow clung to his shoulders, frost crusted his lashes, and he crouched in front of me, cupping my face in both hands.

"Kate, it's too windy out there. We might have to wait a bit longer."

The gesture looked tender. It felt cold-blooded. My stomach turned.

I looked away from him. "Is that right? Did you see the rescue team out there?"

Something flickered in his eyes before he smiled. "Visibility's too low. I couldn't see a thing. But don't worry. The second that helicopter shows up, I'll get you out first."

A dull cracking sound rolled out from deeper in the cave. Chris's expression shifted, and he immediately crossed to Angelina's side, pulling her farther from the entrance — completely forgetting he'd just promised to get me out first.

I watched his back with a cold, distant feeling, then quietly switched on the miniature geological scanner strapped to my wrist. Its red indicator light blinked faintly as it began mapping a backup escape route.

[Yes! That's the scanner!]

[The underground river route is deeper in the cave. Don't run for the entrance!]

[Kate's finally using her brain. Let's go!]

The temperature dropped to twenty-two below zero. Chris opened his personal emergency pack and dug an extreme-cold-weather parka out from the very bottom — the spare gear I'd had custom-made just last month. Without a second's hesitation, he draped it over Angelina's shoulders.

Angelina was still holding the lighter I'd given Chris, clicking it on and off, a thin blue flame flickering with each press. The light caught the faint, satisfied curl of her lips.

I walked over. "Chris, that parka is my size."

His hands stilled on Angelina's buttons. He turned to look at me, impatience creeping into his voice.

"Kate, don't start throwing a tantrum right now. Angelina's new — she's got a weak constitution and mild asthma. She can't handle the cold. You've spent years out in the field. Your cold tolerance is way better than hers."

The comments scrolled past.

[Good cold tolerance doesn't mean she can't die!]

[Watch Angelina — she's about to fake being sick any second.]

My voice came out edged with frost. "Good cold tolerance doesn't mean I won't die out here. My hypothermia symptoms have already started. Give the parka back."

Angelina shrank back, shoulders hunching, eyes brimming with tears.

"Mrs. Hanks, I'm sorry — I didn't know it was yours. Here, take it back. I'll be fine, it's not a big deal if I have a flare-up—"

She didn't even finish the sentence before a violent coughing fit doubled her over, and she collapsed into Chris's arms.

He caught her at once, then rounded on me. "Kate, are you determined to see her dead? Once we're back, I'll have ten of the best parkas made just for you. You're usually the one telling everyone to think about the bigger picture — why are you being so heartless today?"

Todd mumbled under his breath, "Yeah, Mrs. Hanks, Angelina's coughing like that and you're still fighting over a coat?"

I looked at the two of them, standing shoulder to shoulder against me, and found the whole scene almost funny. In their logic, stripping me of the gear that kept me alive was simply me being reasonable and thinking of the group.

I pointed at the lighter still in Angelina's hand.

"Fine. She can keep the parka. Give me the lighter — I need it to start a fire and stay warm."

Chris frowned. "It's just a lighter. So what if Angelina borrows it for a bit? Her hands are cold. Why do you have to fight a young girl over every little thing?"

He came closer, took my frozen hand in his, and tried to tuck it against his chest to warm it.

"Come on, don't be angry. My body heat will do more for you than that little flame ever could."

He'd stripped me of my right to survive and expected a scrap of cheap affection to pass for devotion.

I yanked my hand back.

"No, thanks. Your body heat is too precious for the likes of me."

His face darkened. "Kate, you are being completely unreasonable."

He turned and went back to Angelina's side, and didn't look at me again.

I retreated to a corner against the ice wall, my fingers quietly finding the spare communication battery hidden in an inner layer of my coat.