Jaz winced. Sober Roman sounded damn reasonable. And in the man’s defense, everything she thought she knew about him was speculation, third-hand info, and internet rumors—their one drunken encounter at Adventure World notwithstanding. More to the point, he was right about their current common goal. There was only one mature thing to do. “Fine. Truth. Thank you.” She stretched and looked back at her bag. “Though I regret to remind you that we have a gear problem.”
“That seems like the kind of thing for a partner to help out with, so I’ve been working on it since you texted me. According to Reddit, it’s a common issue around here, and there are some tricks to getting things found sooner rather than later,” he said. “Between the check-ins and going over the routes and everything else, you’re going to have your hands full the rest of the day. I’ll drop you off with the other competitors, then grab your claim stub and swing back to the airport.”
“That’s actually…” That was actually the first bit of good news she’d heard that day. “Thank you,” Jaz said, and meant it.
“So what happened with that guy I saw you with the other day?” he asked.
“Long story. Short ending. I’m here, he’s not.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Okay, I’m not actually sorry that I’m here instead of him. But while I don’t know whether you broke up with your boyfriend or not, I do care that your head is in the game. Even if I’m not the one leading this pack, I have every intention of us winning.”
“Fair,” said Jaz. With Roman’s reasonableness, it was getting increasingly difficult to keep hating the man. Plus, he had a point about the whole event—at day’s end—being about PR. Whatever void in Jaz’s soul Liam had left, it was her job to pretend all was well. Just like in any acting gig. Forcing a genuine-looking smile onto her face, Jaz turned toward Roman. “All right. Since you got here first and I’m sure have been scouting the terrain, tell me everything.”
Roman dropped Jaz off at the hotel and, as promised, disappeared to follow up on the bag situation. It was already getting close to dinnertime, and the evening flew by in a flurry of signing forms, taking photographs, and offering sound bites as to the quality of their sponsors’ gear. Jaz fielded a few specific questions about the advantage she had by having won the first challenge round and thus having her routes showcased in the final. She was just finishing up the last of the press interviews when her phone vibrated.
Roman: Good news and bad news. They found the bag, but at a different airport. It’ll be here by morning, though. Promise.
Shit. That was cutting it a lot closer than Jaz wanted. But there wasn’t much alternative. There was a set of backup gear available, but using someone else’s things always carried a disadvantage.
Thanks, she texted back. I’ll drive over in the morning to take it.
Roman: I got it. If I’m a little late, they’ll let it slide. If you’re a little late, they’ll throw a fit. I’m heading back to get some sleep for now, and you should too.
“May I have your attention, please!” The official opening ceremony gathered all the competitors together in the same place they’d started the original challenge. Sitting on the raised podium, Jaz knew she gave off an air of confident nonchalance she did not feel. The bag had been late again, but Roman finally texted her with pictures of him holding the damn thing, which should have made Jaz feel better but didn’t. Having spent the night reliving the explosion, Jaz was the exact opposite of the image she gave the camera.
Exhausted. Heartbroken. Alone.
Sebastian had wisely blocked Liam’s number from Jaz’s phone before she left. Not because either of them expected the asshole to reach out, but because removing the possibility of it made it easier to not wonder. To not plan the venomous comebacks she wanted to throw in Liam’s face.
The wind blew, carrying with it the scent of mountain freshness. A freedom that called to Jaz’s bones. She breathed in the smell, focusing on the occasional call of the stray birds while the official’s voice filled the microphone.
“As you know, we’ll be using the routes marked for us by Vector Ascent champion’s Jazmine Kingsley. The five passages are equitable climbs of about five hours each, and will be assigned by random lot draw. All located within a mile of each other, the routes have an initial approach of moderate difficulty followed by a section requiring supreme technical knowledge and expert gear handling.
“Of course, climbing is never a solitary sport. In addition to the emergency radio, each of our champions has a partner following along to hold their safety line. However, the challengers must take lead on all climbs and must be the only ones to attach any anchor into stone. Now then, it is now eight thirty in the morning. The climb starts at nine thirty sharp. Let’s get our Titans onto the mountain.”
A gong sounded, and Jaz walked off the podium to where Roman was already waiting atop the ATV, her climbing backpack happily strapped to the back. Like Jaz, he was dressed head to toe in Vector Ascent gear, his climbing shoes, helmet, and chalk bag strapped to his pack. Jaz’s eyes narrowed. “My zip ties are gone. I use them to make sure that no one tampers with my gear after it’s packed.”
Roman turned to follow her gaze, his voice gaining a note of irritation. “Yeah. The TSA informed me that zip ties aren’t an approved locking device for bags. Can we please focus less on luggage and more on the climb? Whatever your mental block with this is, it needs to get unblocked.”
Getting to the starting point, Jaz secured her harness and double-checked Roman’s, who scowled but let it happen. The official behind them signed Jaz’s readiness to central ops, and a few staticky moments later received an all-clear call. As she’d done many times before, Jaz cleared her mind and stepped up to the stone that held her future. “On belay,” she called to Roman.
“Belay on.”
“Climbing.”
“Climb away,” Roman said.
As Jaz started up the mountain with all speed, she spared one look toward the earth disappearing beneath her. There, fallen to the ground by Roman’s feet, was a small colored piece of plastic. Although she couldn’t be sure, the speck looked to be the color of one of her zip ties.
37
Liam
On the early morning of the Clash of the Titans final climb, Liam landed in Las Vegas, Nevada. While he couldn’t be beside Jaz, keeping her safe as she climbed today, he could still protect her future. Liam was done playing cordially with Obsidian Ops. Today, he would make it personal and ensure Colonel Lucius would never again go after people Liam cared about.
Straightening the lapels of his suit, Liam strode into The Other Cosmopolitan—the upscale piano bar where, per deep-dug intelligence, Lucius was secretly visiting his illegitimate daughter this morning. So far as Liam knew, the colonel had gone to great lengths to ensure no one in Obsidian Ops knew of the child. To Lucius, this secret was a matter of life and death. Which would make Liam’s presence here a message stronger than bullets and bombs.