Page 218 of Rangers Mountain Rescue

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She looks at me—eyes wide, pleading.

“Let me go,” she whispers.

“Not yet,” I murmur.

Because timing matters.

Because if she runs in now—

He gets hurt.

She gets hurt.

Everyone loses.

I lean closer.

“Stay with me,” I say quietly.

Her jaw tightens.

But she nods.

Trust.

Even now.

Even here.

Good.

I signal the team.

Two left.

One right.

I take center.

We move.

Silent.

Precise.

Predators closing in.

The men don’t see us.

Too focused on the problem in front of them.

“Why’d we even grab this old guy?” one of them mutters.

“Orders,” another says. “Shut up.”

Grandpa stumbles again.

This time, he goes down to one knee.

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