Survival

Chapter 12 Free Fall

Edward couldn't help but wonder why he kept agreeing to propositions. Damn Olivia's good looks, they could sway him despite her less than ideal personality. The helicopter flew hours into the Rocky Mountain area where they hovered in the air near a small opening to a cave. Edward kept waiting for the helicopter to move closer or to find a landing pad.

"We've stopped moving," he yelled over the noise of the turning blades and the engine.

Williams finally smiled as he put on a small backpack and handed one to Olivia. Smug bastard.

"Have you ever been skydiving, Drest?" Williams asked with that sly smile.

"God no," he replied. He'd rather be trampled by centaurs.

"Then you're about to learn very fast," Olivia added as she clipped on a helmet. She gestured to the equipment behind the pilot.

"Hell no," Edward spoke. "I'm going to listen to Darwin on this one. Evolution favours those who fight the unnatural urge to throw themselves out of flying objects."

"Survival of the fittest doesn't sound like a regimen you've actually followed," Williams said, eyeing him with a twinge of pity and the you-should-know-better sentiment permeated his tone.

"What if I die?" Edward asked, turning to Olivia. Surely there was compassion deep down in that stone heart of hers. What else were ovaries good for, really?

"Then you won't have worry about completing any jobs for us," Olivia said.

"Because I'll be dead," he muttered as he went to grab a parachute and a helmet.

As he was bent down, rummaging through the packs, Olivia squatted down next to him and took the parachute from his hands. "Edward, we'll jump together. You'll be fine."

"Yeah, you've been as comforting as grenade launcher pointed at my face so far," he said as his hands began to tremble slightly.

"It's just a jump."

Edward nodded, choosing the path of least resistance. At least he wouldn't die in a bad mood that way. Thoughts of his recent existence flashed before his mind. He was still trying to complete the latest Call of Duty, his plants hadn't been watered in months and he most certainly hadn't gotten laid in the past year. He'd only have his nephew and his sister to leave behind, if they were even still around. Weren't people supposed to have more to live for than these simple things?

Williams' hand slid the door of the helicopter wide open and he was preparing to jump. Edward's eyes grew large and he chewed on the nails of his index and middle fingers. In a moment, Williams had launched himself into thin air. Ruiz jumped next with the elegance of a gazelle. Edward couldn't say that he was surprised the least. Ruiz was one smooth guy. Olivia clipped herself onto Edward and they approached the door slowly. If anyone was watching, they might describe it as the way you would try to steer a dog away from that great piece of sirloin to which the five-second rule still applied. In this case, the helicopter was his steak.

"Sweet merciful god, that looks awful," Edward exclaimed as the long drop into unforgiving rocky territory greeted him. He couldn't even quantify the distance in miles; the ground was just so god damned far from them.

"Do you always whine so much?" Olivia asked in annoyance.

"What if those are your last words to me?"

"I've done this jump a dozen times. It'll be over in two minutes."

"If we die, I just want you to know that you're really, really attractive, but, you're kind of a bitch."

Olivia took this as her cue to nudge Edward out of the helicopter and they began their freefall. Williams was approaching the land site already. Edward closed his eyes tightly as his stomach flew up to his throat. Pure panic dug its claws into him as his whole body tensed and his heart began beating to the rhythm of a machine gun.

Suddenly there was a jerk, and the falling finally stopped. Edward opened his eyes to see that they were still floating through the air and that Ruiz had just landed alongside Williams. Edward and Olivia grew closer and closer to the rocky ledge landing, which served as an entrance to a cavern in the mountainside. He was hoping with every raging fiber in his body that they were going to make it there as well.

"Bring your knees to your chest," Olivia hollered.

Edward wasn't looking to argue when it concerned his life. Moments later, they were landing on the ledge alongside the two others. He tried to stand on his shaking legs after Olivia unclipped him, but it took a moment to fully regain control over his body. He was lucky he didn't piss himself during this whole process.

"Any more last words for me, Drest," Olivia asked with a cocky smile.

Nope, he thought, the previous ones were pretty accurate. They walked towards the entrance of the cave where they left the packs folded back and ready to use again. Edward was pretty convinced that he wouldn't be going anywhere else anytime soon.

Olivia led them into the gray mouth of the mount and over to panel on the cave wall, tucked behind a large rock. With a few clicks, a rock below them began to shift to reveal an opening in the ground. Light began to pour out which seemed almost foreign to their eyes at this time.

Williams stood beside the hole in the ground and grinned. "Drest," he called with an arrogant smirk, "just a little more of your favourite hobby."

Edward took a step forward and saw a long drop. He cursed, wishing he could slug that smug asshole in the face without repercussions. He'd probably get pushed down the hole for pure entertainment on Williams' part.

"No use delaying it, Ed," Ruiz said, "we'll be down just after."

"No need to be so dramatic, there's a ladder," Olivia said.

But Edward's heart still jumped into his throat seeing the angles and rungs his meagre upper arms would have to handle.