finding Reese.: a SAFELIGHT novel vol.2 (SAFELIGHT Series) Read Free Page B

the shower and we bathe together, making sure to be in and out in less than five minutes. With small overnight bags in our hands and equally tired and weary faces, we emerge from Catalina’s loft in SoHo twenty minutes after Kaelan’s call. I hail a cab, and we begin the trek to JFK. Good fortune is on our side when we arrive at the airport; we’re checked in and through security in under fifteen minutes. Feeling mentally and physically exhausted, we sit in the First Class lounge watching cable news. Every so often the flashing news ticker pops up with the top world headlines, among them, Jackson Reese remains unaccounted for, and the chances of being found alive are slim.
    News channels continue to play the footage of the avalanche on a constant loop; analysts are interviewed and prominent members of the sports community are seen offering their condolences to the families of Chris and Rem as well as Jackson. The more I watch the news, the more my stomach churns. I hate the fact that the world press is practically declaring Jax dead when those closest to him haven’t lost hope. I find it to be exploitive reporting and quite frankly it disgusts me. As we’re being called to board, the red block letters of BREAKING NEWS pop up on the screen followed by a reporter standing at the foot of Kicking Horse ready for a live-shot. We both halt in our steps, and Catalina squeezes my hand painfully hard as we look at the TV−both of us holding our breaths.
    “We have seen increased activity today at the base of Kicking Horse. It would appear the recovery efforts that were suspended yesterday evening have resumed. Search and rescue teams are now actively searching for Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Jackson Reese. Sources say he may be alive, but our experts indicate the probability of survival is less than ten percent. Experts further indicate the average length of time a person can survive in these frigid conditions is at best twelve hours. Given it has been close to forty hours since the avalanche struck, the odds of finding Reese alive are extremely low. However, our sources indicate rescuers know the exact location where he is trapped, and it is too early to speculate the condition in which he is in. Folks at home who are watching, if Reese is recovered alive, it would be the bit of good news his camp and family desperately need. We will be here as long as it takes, and will break the news as soon as we get more information from the Canadian officials. Reporting live from the Purcell Mountains, this is Troy Evans for CBC, back to the studio.”
    Ungluing our eyes from the flat screen TV we exchange glances, and while none of us say a word I’m pretty sure we’re sharing the same thoughts. Please let them find Jackson alive.
    “Good afternoon, passengers. This is the first boarding announcement for flight 1701 with non-stop service to Calgary. We are now inviting those Business and First Class passengers to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Welcome aboard.”
    “Come on, baby. That’s us,” I say to Catalina, holding her hand and whisking her away from the TV set.
    Walking down the jet way my mind whirls back to the day Catalina and I first met. We reach the threshold of the cabin door, and I turn Catalina around for a quick hug, not caring if we are blocking anyone else from entering the plane. Her arms snake around my neck, and her erratic breathing speaks volumes, she’s afraid and understandably so. The fact that we’ll be thirty thousand feet up in the air for several hours means we’ll be incommunicado. The news could go either way during that time; Jax could be found alive, or dead.
    “He’s going to be okay. Trust me on this, Cat. Jax will be okay.”
    Catalina exhales deeply and breaks our hold. Walking into the cabin, she plops herself against the leather seat, and as soon as she’s buckled in, she takes hold of my hand and ever so sweetly kisses the