Death Zone

by Tarlan

Summary:

Three of Vaughn's summit team were trapped in a crevasse, with their hopes of surviving shrinking with each passing hour in the death zone.

Notes:

Companion piece to Part 1: Know You Well

Written for: smallfandomfest 31. Also meets: 100fandoms 49: swing, and hc_bingo R13: confession in desperate situation

Three of Vaughn's summit team were trapped in a crevasse, in the death zone, with limited supplies of fuel for melting water and only a few shots each of dexamethasone, a steroid needed to treat high-altitude cerebral edema. They were slowly drowning in their own body fluids as edema set in. It was likely the other two of their party had been swept to their deaths in the avalanche.

That was the report that quickly swept around base camp and brought them all together to hear what Peter had to say.

Most of the climbers at K2 base camp gave him the side-eye when he asked for volunteers to rescue Vaughn's team from the crevasse. Most believed he had lost his nerve for climbing after having to cut the rope and let his father fall to his death. The estrangement between him and Annie had not help to dispel that rumor... or another, with many more wondering if he had panicked at the time, cutting the rope to save himself before it became necessary. It made him a liability in their eyes, and you needed to trust your climbing partner, especially up there in the death zone.

He could see the lack of trust in their eyes.

Mountain climbing was dangerous at the best of times but none of these climbers had come here to die. They had come here to conquer the mountain and live to tell the tale. So even Vaughn's guy offering half a million to each climber who went, whether they made it back or not, was not enough, and Peter could not blame them. What was the worth of half a million dollars if you were not alive to spend it? What Peter was proposing sounded suicidal, and with the nitroglycerin strapped to their backs, it likely was a suicide mission.

But it wasn't just billionaire Vaughn up there. It was his sister, Annie... and it was Tom McLaren. His Tom.

Skip, Kareem, Malcolm, and Cyril all volunteered even before the money was offered.

For Peter, Kareem, and Skip it was personal, wanting to save someone they loved, and Peter wondered if Annie knew Skip's feelings toward her. But, like him, Skip's determination wasn't just for Annie but for Tom as well. Tom and Skip might be rivals in many ways, each trying to attract some rich bastard to finance them through another climbing season, but they were also friends.

For the brothers, Malcolm and Cyril, it wasn't so clear cut because they were both still coming down from a high, yet they seemed adamant it was the right thing to do. Whether they showed up or not once they had sobered up was anyone's guess. Peter could only hope as no one else volunteered despite the money, and though he was disheartened, it wasn't going to stop Peter from making the attempt.

Malcolm and Cyril turned up, but so did one other - Monique. Her motive was purely for the money, but that didn't matter. Six climbers were better than five. It was Skip who suggested a slight detour to where Wick had camped overnight, higher up the mountain. Despite a reputation for losing several toes to frostbite after rescuing people off the mountain he wasn't interested, until Vaughn's name was mentioned, and although it rang a few alarm bells, Peter knew he had to take what he was given.

Seven climbers was better than six... or maybe not seven.

The best climber always took command, and that was Montgomery Wick, so no one argued for long when he split them up into three groups - a weaker with a stronger climber - and sent Skip back to base camp to take over operations and communication. It was a good call, and though Skip wasn't in it for the money, if Vaughn's people used that to renege on their deal to give him half a million then Peter would give him his half million. He made sure to write that down and hand it to their pilot, Major Rasul, as the helicopter lifted, taking them as high as it could to save them hours of climbing.

They lost Malcolm to an avalanche that swept off the side of the mountain, almost taking Monique with it. They lost Cyril and Kareem when the nitroglycerin overheated. Unknown to Peter at the time, that tragic second explosion was closer to where they believed Vaughn's team were trapped, and it made all the difference.

****

"Are you... gonna kill me now?"

Tom watched as Vaughn approached. He had heard all the rumors but had wanted to believe it was just Montgomery Wick's grief talking because the alternative, that he had stolen Mayama Wick's DEX and left her to die drowning from edema was too hard to contemplate. It was why he refused to simply lay back and die. While he lived his presence ensured Annie also lived.

He had one major regret right now. Not for being on K2, and not even for dying up here as that had always been a risk any climber took. His regret was not telling the whole world he loved Peter Garrett while he had the chance, wanting to see out this climbing season first. Though at least he had mitigated some of that regret by telling Annie. Perhaps it was a death bed confession, but he had wanted her to know how special Peter was to him, and how they had made plans to stop hiding their relationship. Their love. Foolish plans in hindsight but climbers were born optimists, always believing there would be another day, another mountain... until now.

Vaughn dropped down beside him with eyes dark and desperate, but also determined. Tom couldn't even blame Vaughn for his actions because Tom should have been stronger and stood his ground when he first wanted them to turn back. He should have refused the DEX, let them save the few remaining shots for those who stood a chance of surviving this. Even if Peter came for them, he wasn't sure how they would get back down the mountain dragging his dead-weight.

Annie cried out from behind. "Vaughn! It's Peter. They are so close. Two or three hours, and they have plenty of extra DEX."

Tom saw Vaughn falter before palming the empty syringe and turning towards her.

An hour past slowly, painfully, and Tom glanced across at Vaughn's slumped shape as Vaughn spoke. "They'll never find us down here."

Annie went closer to him, voice soft but also determined. She had refused to leave Tom's side since Peter's last call and Tom had seen the blood tinging her lips. "Then let's figure out a way for them to see us."

"Dye pack," Tom stated, fumbling with his clothing to reach an inner pocket.

Peter's father had always told his kids to use three clamps. Tom's father said to always take a dye pack just in case you needed someone to spot you against the snow. Red. The color of blood.

Vaughn chewed on slightly frost bitten lips. "If we use up the last of the fuel to melt ice."

Later, from where he was propped up, Tom watched as Vaughn and Annie pushed the bag of red dye up to the surface before letting it explode to mark the snow.

A little over an hour later, Tom felt tears well up as a DEX pack dropped next to Annie. She handed one syringe to Vaughn first before injecting Tom with another, then herself, before reaching over and kissing Tom's forehead. Not long after that a controlled explosion opened the fissure wide enough for them to escape and Tom smiled when Peter went against what seemed like common sense to insist on them pulling up Annie first. He guessed Peter didn't trust Vaughn either. Tom was drifting in and out even with the dex in his blood stream. He heard all the commotion, even felt the jostling as someone slipped a rope harness around him, and then he felt a touch on his face, looking up into Montgomery Wick's kind eyes.

Something went wrong, and instead of being on the surface, suddenly Peter was suspended above him. He could hear yelling from above and far below. He could hear Peter begging Wick not to cut the rope. He felt the movement as they began to swing back and forth, over and over until the weight dragging Tom down painfully slackened.

Had he cut the rope?

Tom had never been so happy to see the clear blue sky above them, and happier still when Peter leaned over him and brushed a hand over his face. Even if he never made it down the mountain at least he got to see Peter one last time.

"Love you," he whispered hoarsely.

"You hold on for me," Peter begged.

*****

The first thing he felt was cool sheets. The first thing he smelled was antiseptic but better than that was opening his eyes to see Peter smiling above him.

"Hey," Peter murmured and Tom squeezed the fingers entwined with his own.

"Hey," he breathed back.

END
 

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Death Zone