excuse me -- i know you're my salvation, and all -- do you think you could rescue us before your smoke break?
basically -- i've fallen down, and i can't get up.
rescue one -- please remind me to tell you about the time i hauled your hero here down mt. huntington on my back, over --
fuck you --
lets go of the overhead line and claps his hands to his face in mock horror -- he quickly whizzes down the last thirty feet of the line, where frank catches him and pulls him out. hal gets out of the harness, checks every stitch of it, signals thumbs-up, and sends it back.
is helpless, and can only watch as
maggie, where the hell have you been? i've got two climbers out --
brett and evan are up there again to jump off the spur. their wives called twice. i want you in the air and i want them found before the storm system moves in. now.
there was a vacancy. maybe you heard about it. the last guy lost his nerve and lit out of town.
take the bronco to where you're going. i've already been. then go back to wherever it is you like to hide. and stay there.
rescue one -- have you sighted them? over --
rescue one -- abort. they'll be all right. brett and evan are dumb enough not to log in, but they're smart enough to have storm gear. head back to base. maybe you can catch gabe before he leaves. over.
look -- i know there's a storm, but that wasn't thunder.
rocky mountain rescue -- come in, mayday --
acknowledged, mayday. what's your position?
got to be comb bluff. acknowledged, mayday. winds are too strong for us to get a copter up there -- can you and your passengers make it through the storm? over --
mayday -- come in, mayday --
now there's an easy call.
i need your help. a plane's gone down on comb bluff. this storm would blow a copter all over the place -- but we can climb up to it.
-- who couldn't climb that wall now if there were stairs cut into it. but you've soloed it.
this is a little more important than a bet. just a few injured people with no first aid or shelter, camping in a zero degree blizzard. they'll be ice sculptures by tomorrow morning.
play it again, gabe, about how we killed her. i was there too, remember?
-- and i was the one who had to deal with her family when you fucking tore out of town. we lost her. whatever anybody says about cold stress and the clip, you and i have to live with that. but right now, there are some more people who need our help, and they shouldn't die too just because you've got a problem keeping the past in the past.
walk away and you are responsible. they'll die. i can't do this alone. you know what else, gabe? you can go anywhere you want, but if you don't do this, now, you're going to be stuck on that goddamn ledge for the rest of your life.
that thing's dead weight. completely useless for an ice climb.
save the rope for when it gets tough. that bet was for you to free climb the wall.
is beside and slightly below gabe -- at the other end of the fifty foot rope. hal cautiously pulls himself along the line to the first piton -- as is standard for a climb, he pulls out the piton, then moves on to the second -- but up above
flattens too as rocks bounce past -- the second anchoring piton loosens as it is struck by a falling rock -- hal nervously eyes the last piton between him and gabe --
tries to stay flat, but one boulder painfully clips him on the shoulder, knocking him from his perch -- hal falls --
now somewhat recovered, steadies himself.
you're sure this time --
don't say it --
that's it.
the pilot was hysterical.
does this look like a prank to you? come on --
relax -- we're here to help --
don't try to talk --
-- where? what are you --
can you climb faster than they can shoot?
sure. all the bullets we can eat.
there's something else to worry about?
maggie.
looks up, worried --
reacts and attacks travers.
you son of a bitch --
-- come in, rescue unit -- over --
we've reached the wreckage -- top of comb bluff -- six injured, but they're responding to treatment. everything a-ok. over.
negative, maggie. winds are too high, and the passengers' injuries are all superficial. we're going to ride out the storm here -- over --
forget it -- downdrafts would wipe her all over the peaks -- -- not that i expect you to give a shit, but it's our only copter. you'll be stuck.
forget about it, maggie, that's an order -- acknowledge --
you can't. he's taking care of passengers. just like i should be. over and out.
the next one's on top of the peak. this'll be long, but easy -- more like a hike than a climb.
there's a more direct route. the east face. but it's the wall on the other side, and it's smooth as glass. maybe a dozen guys in the world could do it in good weather. only a psycho would try it in a snowstorm.
come on -- tourists take this trail.
yeah. this is it.
well -- look at the bright side. at least you've only got to make the split five ways now.
it's up here. somewhere on the tower. there's a way to cross over to the top in about half a day.
makes eye contact with brett, realizes what he's doing, and shakes his head as violently as he dares -- no, don't --
brett, behind you!
you came up here to jump the spur -- this'd be a great time to do it.
listen -- they don't know you're up here -- i'll draw their fire, you've got to make the jump and get help.
unless you want to do it the other way around?
there is. you might not like it much.
of course -- we'll have to do it hand over hand. seems i forgot my harness. sorry.
unhappily hangs high above the ground from the harness kindly provided by travers --
you sick fuck --
gabe, it's a dud --
trembling with fury and grief, bent over frank's body as the last trace of vapor -- his breath -- trails from his lips. he's gone. hal gently closes the eyes of his friend.
goodbye, frank.
fuck off.
i think i'll wait here. you just murdered three of my friends. sooner or later, whoever's chasing you is going to show up and return the favor, and i'd love to watch.
can only hear qualen's end of the conversation -- but his face shows he can guess what they're talking about.
moves away from the rock, to draw their attention from what he's been doing --
oh, no -- you didn't lose another one, did you?
as long as you're taking requests -- how about -- the base of your spine?
who's still running down the grade -- he hasn't been hit yet, but there's an awful lot of bad luck in the air --
has found delmer's fallen headset radio and put it on.
thanks loads. i couldn't have killed him without you.
is hiding his body "heat" under a rock formation.
pulls gabe the rest of the way onto the bridge. gabe's surprise gives way to a grin almost as big as hal's.
nice outfit. i know you never liked the orange, but
i feel better than you look. i can live with that.
it's not over, gabe. travers took the helicopter.
now what?
not for long.
look -- let me --
count on it. and gabe? thanks for tagging along.
he's going to run gabe down --
runs out to where travers is heading -- he lights the cloth in the ammo clip -- as
remember -- keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times --
jesus christ -- you think you could have put a little less effort into that climb? i mean, what have you done for me -- lately?