Just as in the previous two books, the SummitQuest team faces many obstacles to their climb. Stories about the expedition (including Dominic's part in it) continue to appear in the tabloids, and now Cap's career is on the line if he should dare take Dominic up the mountain. But it may not even matter, if the weather doesn't clear enough to allow the climbers another attempt.

Still up in the air until almost the very last page is the information on who may or may not make it to the summit, as well as which team member will be left behind forever, a mute testament to the dangers involved in climbing the world's most dangerous mountain. But one thing is for certain -- it is a thrilling ride finding out.

From the Book:

Sneezy was E-mailing video footage from in and around Gorak Shep to Summit's Web designers in Colorado when he heard the helicopter. He was instantly alert. The villages of the Khumbu region were barely out of the Stone Age. High tech around here referred to the yak trains that ferried climbing equipment to and from Base Camp. A chopper meant business, and the only big business was Everest.
"Cap -- "
Cicero was already at the window, watching the landing. "Here comes trouble," he said tersely.
The two men who strode across the hard dirt compound to the lodge wore paramilitary uniforms and black berets. They represented the government of Nepal, and had visited SummitQuest once before, at Base Camp. At that time, the articles in the National Daily had just come to the attention of the Nepalese climbing officials.
"Where's Dominic?" the cameraman whispered.
"Rock scrambling with Babu and Sammi in the hills," Cicero replied.
And then the men were ducking through the tiny door, their faces grim.
"Cap Cicero." The junior officer held out a murky faxed copy of the latest National Daily article. "The boy is here?"
"The boy is not here," said Cicero, tight-lipped.
"Where is he, please?"
"The boy is not here," Cicero repeated. "You've got something to say, say it to me."
"Three weeks ago, we came looking for the boy Dominic Alexis, and you told us he had departed. This was a lie, yes?"
Cicero shrugged. "The kid was sick. Then he got better."
"You assured us he would not climb," the man persisted. "And look what he did."
Sneezy spoke up. "He saved two lives."
"Which one cannot do unless one is on the mountain!" The young officer's irritation was growing.
"Enough of this hairsplitting!" snapped the ranking official. "Cap Cicero, we are here to inform you of a decision by our government. The boy, Dominic Alexis, is no longer on your climbing permit. He will not climb."
"You can't change the rules in the middle of the game!" exclaimed Cicero. "Nepal took big money from Summit Athletic for that permit. Dominic's on my team. If I climb, he climbs."
"Should that happen," replied the younger man, "you yourself, Cap Cisero, will be banned from climbing in Nepal. This would be a lifetime ban."

© 2002 by Gordon Korman, used with permission