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persuaded their mounts through rivers and over mountain passes.
John Middleton grabbed the two friskier horses and led them away to untack and rub them down. Amber laid her crutches down on the ground and hopped up to take the quieter ones. But as she led them away they jogged with their tails in the air and eyes wide, staring at the strange bouncing creature that had taken charge of them. Amber realized she had made a mistake. Far from being tired and docile, they thought she wanted to play.
She pulled one of them up hard. It stood still, shocked. She sprang off her good leg up onto its back. The saddle immediately felt like home. 'Right,' she said. She gave the horse she was on a strong squeeze with her thighs, and firmly held the reins of the other one. 'Now I'm up here you'll do as you're told.' The horses quietened down immediately.
As she took the horses to the washing-down area, a truck trundled slowly past. It bore a logo: TEAM WOLF. Three competitors were lolling together on the back seats, fast asleep like children. Amber stared. The teams weren't allowed into their back-up vehicles so they must have withdrawn. But Team Wolf were legendary in adventure-racing circles. All around her, Amber was beginning to see how the course had taken its toll. Team Alpha Force were proving themselves in one of the toughest sports on earth.
This next phase was the final one - an eight-kilometre sprint. In normal circumstances that was a negligible distance for Alpha Force. At the start of the race they had agreed that this was where they would make up any lost time or mistakes. But now, after days of constant slog, it seemed a different prospect.
Paulo slipped off his riding boots and protective chaps. He picked up his running shoes but could hardly bear to put them on.
Alex, his chaps discarded where they had fallen, was already tying his laces. If they kept a positive frame of mind they would finish in good time. 'We'll get straight out and do the final push now, OK?' he said. His voice was strong.
Hex felt as if he was dead on his feet but he forced himself to match Alex's upbeat tone. 'No time to lose,' he replied.
Li straightened up. 'We're not tired, are we? Other people have given up but we won't. We've come through the worst and soon it will be over.'
'Everyone ready?' said Paulo. 'Then let's go.'
They set off, jogging in a row at a good fast pace.
Amber took care of her horses and made her way back to the Land Rover. She checked her watch. Time for her insulin. Amber was a diabetic and had to carry insulin with her in a hi-tech injecting pen to take twice a day, but that didn't cramp her style.
As she prepared to give herself the injection in her thigh she was aware of eyes on her. Someone from one of the other back-up teams was watching her, his face curious and pitying. Amber gave herself the dose, then stared pointedly at the man. He quickly looked away, but Amber was annoyed. She felt like saying, No, I'm not an invalid or ill. I'm a fully active, fully functioning member of Alpha Force.
As she put away the injection pen, John Middleton came back from the stabling area, brushing hay off his clothes. 'We're allowed to follow the teams for the last phase,' he said. 'Shall we go?'
'Good idea,' said Amber.
The course took them out onto an unmade road. A team had just set out, running slowly with laboured steps. The road stretched ahead, long and straight; to either side, scrubby grass grew. It was a monotonous view with no landmarks.
'Oh, that is nasty,' said Amber. 'That's a real test of endurance - it's so tedious.'
John Middleton was having to keep his foot steadily on the gas pedal. 'It's uphill too. Even worse.'
He overtook the runners by swerving onto the grass and bumping over the rough ground. As the Land Rover passed them Amber saw their exhausted faces, locked in their own private hell. 'This is a real killer,' she said, 'especially after all they've done before.'
They passed another team, who had slowed to a walk.