Renzo mumbled something under his breath.
“Don’t baby me. This isn’t some top secret mission. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“My mission right now is getting you out of here alive. Period. Full stop. But okay, fine. I’m cataloging all the tumbleweed and little bush things up here. I think if we scrape everything together, we could do a signal fire, but it’s not going to last long at all. We’re going to need to time it right.”
“Sounds good. Speaking of signal, is it time to activate the phones?”
“Yeah, but we’re going to keep them in power saver mode unless we catch a miracle and get signal. No photos, no scrolling around.” Renzo handed Canaan his phone. “And absolutely no goodbye texts. If you want to set a text to try to send, text a reliable friend, not your grandpa, and tell them which trail we were on and that we’re alive and to contact the park service.”
“Okay.” The phone booted up, but not a signal bar in sight. He set a text anyway, telling a few friends the details. Renzo tapped away at his phone, so Canaan assumed he was doing what he’d recommended too.
“Who did you pick to text?”
“Two buddies and the senior chief. If there’s even a chance the text will send at some point while we have power, the senior chief will move heaven and earth to bring us back.” Renzo sounded certain of this, so Canaan hoped that if any of the texts went through, Renzo’s reached his senior chief.
“Bunch of SEALs storming in to rescue us might be cool.”
“We don’t usually get domestic missions, but I can guarantee the park service team would be answering to the senior chief if they didn’t bring us back.”
The sky had lightened further, raising Canaan’s hopes of a speedy rescue. “What else can we do to up our chances?”
“The overhang that’s been keeping us dry is going to make us hard to spot. Now that it’s warmer, we can spread the space blankets out closer to the edge, use rocks to hold them down, but be super careful not to tear them or let them blow away—might need them again tonight.”
“Tonight?” Canaan absolutely was not planning a second night here. No way, no how.
“Plan for all contingencies, okay?” Renzo’s grim tone implied that he’d been planning for all sorts of things he hadn’t shared yet. He continued to survey the ledge and the canyon below, not meeting Canaan’s gaze. “We’ll let the brush dry out more, then get everything ready so you can light the fire if you hear helicopter noise. Have the whistle ready for any ground rescue efforts.”
“Wait a second. You said you. You’re not planning to light the fire? What aren’t you telling me?” He stood, getting right in Renzo’s face.
“Water level is way down. I’m going to give it until midday, assuming no more rain, then climb down with one phone. If I can make it back to the trailhead, the chance of a signal goes up as does the chance of rescue.”
“Oh hells no. No. No. No. We’re not splitting up. You are not leaving me up here.”
“Canaan. I’m going to say this nicely, but I’m honestly not sure you can climb down.”
“Not planning on trying.” Canaan might be stranded, but he didn’t have a death wish.
“Good. It was something of a miracle that you climbed up as well as you did, and down is far more tricky. Plus, I may have to horizontal wall climb some distance to avoid the water, which could rise—”
“Which is why you are not taking stupid risks like climbing down into the flood zone you made me climb out of!”
“It could be our best shot. I’m going to leave you with both blankets, the water, and—”
“No. I vote no. We’re a team right?”
“This isn’t a democracy.” Renzo’s eyes were somber and sad. “I told you. I’m getting you out of this alive. My plan is—”
“Beyond stupid. You’re going to either die climbing down, die getting swept away by another flood, die falling avoiding said flood, die on the trail, die—”
“Stop saying die. I’m a SEAL. I know what risks I can get away with. You are not taking the risks. You and the supplies are going to stay put. And I’m not going to leave right away. I’ll compromise with you and wait as long as I can. I want the canyon to get as dry as possible and to watch the sky a bit.”
“That’s not compromise. Wait until tomorrow at least. That would be compromise.” Defeated, Canaan flopped onto a boulder.
“My energy will be way lower tomorrow. I’ll be foggier mentally, more likely to slip. It’s actually riskier to wait too long. And I want to do it while there’ll still be some phone power.”
“If I have to tie you to this boulder, you are not doing this,” Canaan threatened.