Part 28 (1/2)

”Unless you've got this whole thing figured out wrong,” Jade said. ”Has it occurred to you that Morton Mathis wasn't the only one who was investigating Rushton, Morelock? A crime that big brings in lots of agencies. Some are secret, even from the FBI.”

Gus tried to put this together. Was it possible? Could she be some kind of federal agent? It seemed so unlikely. And yet if it were true, it would solve all his problems.

And those problems were getting worse by the second. Because his hands were beginning to slip off the root. He wouldn't be able to hang here for more than a few more seconds.

”Prove it,” Gus said.

”I didn't exactly bring my badge, unlike that idiot Mathis,” Jade said. ”It's kind of a tip-off on a deep-cover operation. But if I'm the mad killer you think I am, why didn't I take you out when you were all together on the trail?”

”I don't know,” Gus said. ”Why did you chase me through the woods if you didn't want to kill me?”

”I was trying to save you,” Jade said. ”It's dangerous to run blindly around here. You could even step off a cliff. Now, come on, give me your hand.”

She reached down for him. He didn't trust her. But he couldn't refuse. His hands were slipping. She was his only chance. He unclenched one hand from around the branch and stretched up until his fingers met hers. Then he reached a little more and grabbed her wrist. ”Now, pull!” he shouted.

She reached down with her other hand, but this one wasn't empty. She was holding a small plastic box in it with two tines across the top. She pressed a b.u.t.ton on its center and a crackle of electricity shot between the tines, then pressed it against the hand Gus was using to hold on to the root. ”This will only hurt for a second,” she said.

Jade's thumb reached for the fire b.u.t.ton on the taser. Before she could hit it, her body gave a jerk and she tumbled off the cliff.

Gus managed to free his hand from hers as she fell. He tried to grab the root, but before he could reach it, Jade seized his ankle with both hands, nearly yanking him down with her. They dangled over s.p.a.ce from his one hand as the taser exploded into shards on the rocks far below.

Shawn's face peered over the cliff's edge. ”That's the trouble with going after the weakest opponent first,” Shawn said. ”You leave the stronger ones out there to go after you.”

Gus thrust his free hand at the root, but he couldn't reach it. He kicked his ankle to keep Jade from pulling him down. But she wouldn't let go, and he was beginning to.

”Help,” Gus called to Shawn.

”Just hold tight,” Shawn said.

”Oh, thanks,” Gus gasped, his hand slipping off the root. ”That hadn't occurred to me. Maybe you want to come down here and show me how to do it right.”

”No need to get hostile,” Shawn said.

”I'm dangling a million feet in the air by one hand with a ma.s.s killer on my ankle and I can't hold on,” Gus said. ”If that isn't a reason to get hostile, I don't know what it.”

”How about when you've TiVoed Law & Order, but the show runs a minute past the hour and gets cut off, so you never get to hear the pithy phrase that ironically sums up everything you've just seen?” Shawn said while getting down on his knees and reaching his hand out to Gus.

”My G.o.d,” Jade called from below. ”Do you two ever shut up?”

Shawn ignored her and said to Gus, ”Say, would it be insulting your sense of initiative if I suggested you might want to reach up and take my hand?”

Gus tried. His arm flailed and his fingers brushed Shawn's hand.

”Grab his hand, you idiot!” Jade called.

Gus took a deep breath and pulled with every bit of strength in his body. He stretched out his hand, slashed through the air with it . . . and made contact. Shawn's fingers wrapped around his wrist.

”This works much better without the taser,” Shawn called down to Jade. ”You might want to take notes for next time.”

Shawn closed his free hand around Gus', then began to pull. For a moment, Gus felt himself moving slowly upwards. Then the movement stopped.

Then they started to slide back down.

”You're going the wrong way!” Gus shouted.

”I'm slipping!” Shawn shouted back. ”You're too heavy.”

Gus tried again to kick his ankle free. Jade only held tighter.

”What about Gwendolyn and Balowsky?” Gus said. ”Can they help?”

”I'll be sure to ask them if they happen by,” Shawn said.

Gus and Jade dropped another inch before Shawn managed to stop himself from sliding.

”Jade,” Gus pleaded. ”You have to let go. We're all going to die if you don't.”

”Seems to me I have a tiny chance of surviving if I hold on, and none if I let go,” Jade said.

”Surviving so you can get the death penalty,” Gus said. ”Isn't it better to let go n.o.bly?”

”Possibly,” Jade said. ”But it's even better if I live and get away.”

Gus felt one of her hands release his ankle. Before he could kick the other one away, she reached up and grabbed his calf. Then she let go of his ankle and used that hand to clutch his belt.

”What are you doing?” he shouted.

”She's climbing up your back,” Shawn said. ”I think she's going to use us as a ladder and once she's up top, kick us both over the edge. You've got to do something!”

”Like what?”

Jade was grabbing Gus' collar now, and the s.h.i.+rt pulled tight against his throat. He gasped for breath.

”I don't know,” Shawn said. ”Maybe you could let her know how well this worked out for Ricardo Montalban at the end of The Wrath of Khan?”

Gus could see Shawn's lips moving, but he couldn't hear the words. ”What did you say?” Now he could barely hear his own words.

Jade's hand was on Gus' head now and pressing down. He couldn't see up anymore, but he knew she'd reach Shawn's arm quickly, and then she'd be at the top-and they'd be at the bottom.

”I said The Wrath of Kahn,” Shawn bellowed.

Gus still couldn't hear him.

”Kaaaaaahhhhhn!”