One Wrong Step

Atlas is furious that his father chose to ignore the two official warnings that he previously passed along to the team, urging them to abort the ascent. Both of the warnings were ignored. Now, Atlas cannot help but think that the decision to continue the ascent may have cost the expedition members their lives.

The first warning was from the British government, calling all British citizens home for their own safety. The second was about the weather, which predicted a storm and a great deal of snowfall. Atlas knows that the snow led to the avalanche, and he can only hope that his father is still alive.

The group brings no more supplies than the bare minimum. Their assets include medical supplies, food, and oxygen tanks. Chodak warns that they can go neither too fast nor too slow or else they may risk missing the rest of the team. Chodak wraps his foot so that he is better able to climb, and he sends Atlas in search of a shovel. Atlas finds one and initially thinks that it belongs to his father’s group. However, he suddenly notices a swastika on the shovel and realizes that it is German in origin.