Belda heard the latch move before she saw the case open.
Orin held his tool steady while she reached across the supported beam. The medal lay in a shallow recess beyond the handle. She put it into the inner pocket of her coat, fastened the pocket, and called down that they had it.
The rival climber stopped beneath her. For a moment, neither moved.
Then he called to his own party and began descending.
"Case is empty. Change stations."
Belda let out a breath and looked at Orin. Their task was done. Getting off the broken platform still required care. The medal would do them no good if she fell trying to save half a minute.
They removed only the equipment they could recover safely without dismantling the support beneath their feet. The brace remained. Orin hated leaving a useful piece of gear, but pulling it free before Belda crossed would be foolish, and returning above afterward would cost time they no longer had.
