The mountain rescue medic's scream shattered the stunned silence around the tent.
Several burly members of the Northcrest Rescue Team arrived with Dr. Cole and rushed into the practicum site.
"What are you doing? I said nobody opens that tent!"
Ethan charged forward and tried to snatch the hydraulic cutter from one of the rescuers.
"Get the hell back!"
The rescue team captain, eyes blazing, put Ethan in a restraining hold and slammed him facedown into the snow as Ethan kicked and struggled.
The hydraulic cutter bit through the climbing rope with a sharp snap, and the ice axes clattered to the ground.
The rescue team captain yanked both ice axes away from the tent flap and kicked the doorpost hard. The tent flap flew open.
A wave of freezing air rolled out, carrying the metallic ste
