Page 108 of Nothing But Air

“Good.” Meg was already preparing a cervical collar. “Help me get this on. We need to immobilize and transport now.”

They worked quickly—Meg with Liam, the SAR member assessing Trey’s broken leg. Teague walked beside the backboard as they carried Liam to the helicopter.

“You’re going to be okay.” His voice came out rough. “Meg’s here. She’s got you.”

Please be okay. Please.

“Vitals stable for now.” Meg climbed in beside the backboard. “But head injuries can deteriorate fast. We need to move.”

They secured Liam, then returned for Trey. Gray with pain but alert, he barely made a sound as they lifted him.

“Which hospital?” Teague asked the pilot.

“Flagstaff. They’re expecting us. Room for one more.”

“I’m going.” Sierra grabbed her pack.

Teague didn’t argue. One less person in the path of potential trouble.

Meg pressed a radio into his hand before helping Sierra aboard. He turned his back to camp—to Kyle and Marcus—blocking the exchange.

“This one works.” Her voice was low. “You hiking out in the morning?”

“That’s the plan. Should make the North Rim by midafternoon.”

“Stay safe. A storm is possibly rolling in, but not until later in the day.” She leaned closer, expression sharp. “There’s something tied to Marcus’s inheritance with the gold. Be careful. He may not be anxious to leave.”

“Noted.”

“And Teague?” Meg glanced past him toward the camp. “Whatever happened with Eden—fix it.”

“Working on it.”

“Work harder.”

The helicopter lifted off, banking as it gained altitude. The sound faded as it disappeared over the canyon rim.

Then silence.

Teague slipped the radio into his pack. Concealed. Whoever had sabotaged the last ones didn’t need to know they had a working backup.

Four of them left. Teague. Eden. Marcus. Kyle.

One of them—maybe two—couldn’t be trusted.

And apparently Eden had decided Teague belonged on that list too.

He still couldn’t believe she’d ended it. Not with anger or drama but with quiet certainty. Like she’d already watched him die in her mind and decided she couldn’t go through it again.

I can’t be in a relationship where I’m always wondering if this will be the day you push too far and don’t come home.

The words still burned.

Teague moved toward her, but she shifted away, keeping her focus on the gear she was organizing. Her back was a wall. Her silence a message.

Fine. If that’s how she wanted it.

“We have a few hours until morning. You should try to get some rest.” He kept his voice flat. Professional. “Long hike ahead.”