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It's pitch dark and costs Vonder Havill is exhausted, but his mind is surprisingly clear.

Not exactly sharp, but at least his reflexes are decent.

After climbing for 24 hours though, his body aches in ways he's never felt before.

He knows he has to keep moving out here on the mountain and at this altitude.

If you stop to rest, there's a good chance you won't wake up.

This is Cass's first climb above 26,000 feet.

He was thrilled when his friend Wilcov won Ruyin invited him to be part of the Dutch Nork team.

The two used to fix up houses together and he's joined him on several climbing trips.

While he knew the risks of climbing K2, he knows Wilcov was a strong leader.

He had planned the trip down to every last detail, but Cass lost him somewhere on the snow field,

along with his other teammates.

Now he's alone.

Cass focuses on the ledge under his feet.

At least he's found the fixed line laid by the trailbreakers.

The rope should guide him back across the traverse, down the bottleneck and back to camp 4.

He just needs to stay alert and to focus.

Cass has only his ice axe and the crampons to help him along the icy ledge.

It's slow going.

The only sounds are his breathing and the ancient groans of the mountain shifting its weight.

When he looks up, he's startled to see someone's headlamp in the distance.

Someone wearing a dark yellow suit.

...