One of the Institute security team was jogging toward them.
“What’s going on?” Niklas asked.
“Solomon. Quake knocked him off the structure he was exploring and it opened up a huge chasm in the earth below him. He’s going to fall into it any second if someone doesn’t help him. I’m headed back to the ship now to get help.” The man took off at a run.
But Nera read what the man wasn’t saying. Solomon didn’t have that long.
“Come on.” Niklas jogged down the dune. She followed.
They passed Gunn trudging back up the slope.
“Where are you going?” Niklas demanded.
Gunn scowled. “I’m hungry. Time for a snack.” He ignored Nera.
“That man needs your help.” Niklas stabbed a finger to where they could see Solomon’s lean body was dangling from a beam. As they watched, the beam slipped a little bit farther, dropping him toward the huge, cavernous hole beneath.
Gunn shrugged and turned away. “Not my problem. I’m not risking my neck for anyone.”
Icy rage slid through Nera’s veins. “Don’t you mean, you’d like to reduce the number of people the e-creds are divided by?”
A snake-like grin. “There’s that, too.”
She wrinkled her nose like she’d sniffed something bad. “Cowardandan asshole. How shocking.”
Gunn’s jaw tightened. He looked like he wanted to confront her, but they both knew he was too afraid of her. He stomped up the hill.
Niklas reached the edge of the chasm first. “Holy shit.”
That was putting it mildly. A ragged gash had opened up in the dark sand, like some sort of horrible, gaping maw.
He peered in. “I can’t see a bottom.”
Not good.She eyed the young treasure hunter dangling above. He was holding on, but his face was strained.
“Hang on, Solomon,” Niklas called out. “We’ll get you down.”
The younger man nodded, but as the beam slipped some more, his body swung, one hand sliding off. Nera held her breath. He tried to reach up a few times and finally caught the beam again, managing to get a better grip.
“Ideas?” she asked.
“That beam there below him looks pretty sturdy.” Niklas pointed to a partly twisted length of steel. “I could climb out, get him to drop down, and grab him.”
The beam didn’t look sturdy at all. “It won’t hold the weight of both of you.”
Solomon cried out, the beam slipping again.
“He doesn’t have much longer,” Niklas said grimly.
She eyed the chasm, and the ruins around it. “I’ve got a better idea. But I need your help to make it happen.”
He didn’t hesitate. “Tell me.”
“I’m going to use the grappler and shoot it over another beam. That one above Solomon’s head. Then I’ll swing over, grab Solomon, and swing back. I need you to hold the grappler at this end.”
A muscle ticked in Niklas’ jaw. “It’s risky.”
She tensed, waiting for the usual stupid male response about him being the one who should swing over.
