Sam bit down on her lower lip, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She got up as if in slow motion and walked toward the door, trying desperately not to look at anyone. She ran across the compound and down the incline to where the cable car was waiting, Alpha on her heels. She was crying as she stepped on board. Alpha was barking and howling so loud the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. In the distance she could see the others running toward the cable car, Pappy in the lead. Just as the operator was about to close the gate, Alpha let out an earsplitting bark that chilled her to the bone and ricocheted off the mountain. When she saw the wolf-dog’s intent, she screamed, NO, GO BACK! Just as the dog leaped on board, the gate closed, and the car started its descent.

Sam struggled to find her voice. “You have to stop and go back up and let him out.”

“No, Miss. Pappy said he was to go with you.”

Sam cried harder, her shoulders shaking. Alpha squeezed next to her on the narrow seat.

Up above, on the mountain, what was left of Team Three glared at Pappy.

“Screw you, Pappy. You can take this job and shove it. I want to go down the minute that cable car gets back up here,” Slick said, tossing her envelope on the ground. The three Rainford wives followed suit.

Hawkins debated all of one second before he, too, tossed his envelope on the ground. “You know, until this moment, I had the utmost respect for you. I hope you rot on this frigging mountain.” His declaration over, he ran after his team members.

Team Five looked undecided.

“She was the best of all of us. How could you do that? Because she’s a woman? I’m with them,” Vandameer said, throwing his envelope over the side of the mountain.

“If this is how you judge your recruits, I don’t exactly feel safe,” Lukash growled. “I thought there was something screwy about this outfit from day one.” His envelope followed Vandameer’s. In the end, only Kate, the leggy blonde remained. “I’m on your side,” she said coyly to Pappy. She clutched her envelope and waved it in the air, to Pappy’s disgust.

Pappy was on his way back to the dining hall when Kayla ran up to him, squared off, and socked him full in the eye with her clenched fist. “That’s for Sam, you son of a bitch! Hawkins is right, I hope you rot on this damn mountain.”