The Assignment (Elvis presley story)

Chapter 49

Elvis kept the cup in his peripheral vision. He hoped the trip thread worked, but there was a possibility it wouldn't. It could hang on rough bark and break without dislodging the cup. He couldn't think of any alternative warning system, however, so he watched, waited and hoped it was successful.

At mid-afternoon, they had almost given up the wait when a slight clink alerted Elvis.

The cup had fallen, making almost no noise at all.

"The cup fell off," he whispered to Ava. "It's showtime."

"Ready," She said. "Go for it."

Elvis stood up and stretched, careful to keep the rope running along his right side so it wouldn't be visible. He made a great show of tucking his pistol in the back of his belt. "Im going to walk around and scout the area," he said loudly, backed a few steps towards the cliff's muddy edge and cried out as he slipped on purpose.

Ava scrambled towards the edge on all fours, issuing a scream that would wake the dead.

Elvis had grasped the rope and swung into the side of the cliff, yelling, letting his voice trail away, as if plunging to his death. Several feet below the edge, he braced inside the concave section that formed a niche. He pulled the rope tight and felt it cut easily into the muddy edge of the cliff. The grasses and mud would conceal the rope.

Ava was screaming his name, sounding truly panicked, crying out loud. "Elvis, answer me! Can you hear me? Oh, please don't be dead!"

He heard her scrambling around up there and then heard her running to the cave. Elvis smiled. The girl had missed her calling. She sounded terrified and, as they planned, she sounded alone and vulnerable. He inched sideways to brace himself more securely in the niche and wrapped his left arm around a small projection of rock to rest that hand from the cut of the rope. He hadn't worn his gloves. That might have given away the ruse since the weather was too mild to require them for warmth.

He flexed his left hand, then his right, one finger at a time, as he held onto the rope secured to his wrist. His hold was solid. He pressed his chest against the rock and leaned into it. Thank God there was no wind to speak of. Normally, it would have been a great day for climbing if that was the sport of choice. While it definitely wasn't Elvis's, he still felt confident.

Now all he had to do was wait for Ava's cue for him to climb up. As soon as Vinland entered the cave, she would scream the man's name.

A few minutes later, Elvis heard footsteps above him. A deep growling chuckle told him it wasn't Ava returning. Elvis felt certain he wouldn't be visible if Vinland simply looked over the precipice. Unless the man lay down on the ground and hung his head over the edge, Elvis's position was hidden. Hopefully, the rope had bitten into the mud deeply enough that it wouldn't be noticed.

Suddenly the belaying rope that had been secured to the tree on the cliff above went sailing right past Elvis's head and dangled uselessly from his right hand. He shifted his weight and the rock below his left foot broke away, tumbling down the cliff and dislodging others as it fell. Left hanging by one arm and braced with only one perilous foothold, he barely managed to stifle a curse.

What the hell would he do now? Elvis wondered just as he heard Ava scream.

"Vinland!"

Merry Christmas Eve lovelies! ❤ Hope Y'all enjoyed this chapter! And thanks for reading! Xoxo