Within the Dead Space

by Hutchens, Gary

  Chaco ran to the main cave, grabbed the rope and was back in a minute. Quickly, Franco tied the rope and dropped it to the floor below.

  “Chaco, you come last,” he ordered.

  Franco and the other three men entered the shaft one after the other. Thirty seconds later the top of the cave gave way on top of them and all four men went tumbling to the ground below.

  Chaco was a short way down the shaft waiting his turn and luckily held on to the rope as the rock tumbled around him or he would have fallen as well. The rope had remained secured above and he scrambled up the rope to a solid grouping of rocks. Through the dust he saw several lights approaching and could hear many voices coming toward them. Chaco could see his friends lying below amidst the crumbled ceiling partially buried. He pulled the hanging rope up and hid it behind him and then saw his worst nightmare.

  His friends were surrounded by men waving guns and yelling. Franco and the others were dragged from the rubble and kicked and spit on. Franco and Jerry were conscious but Lopez and Sam didn’t show any signs of life. Several men hauled them away.

  The others stood staring toward the ceiling of the cave. They were looking right at Chaco but couldn’t see him. By the way the man in charge was motioning, Chaco could tell he was ordering several men to the other cave entrance.

  A minute later when they weren’t looking up any more Chaco sneaked away into the cave. He realized that he only had a few minutes before they would arrive. He ran to the hidden equipment and made sure it was completely concealed. He even rolled several large rocks in front of the equipment to provide more camouflage.

  He ran to another part of the cave near the entrance carrying the rope, the transference mechanism, the radio, and a pair of binoculars and then he saw it. The light coming through the cave opening was just enough for him to see that the light was being displaced and dead space must be nearby. If he hadn’t been at this exact angle he never would have seen it. Chaco ran toward the dead space with his equipment and desperately looked for the opening. He could hear men approaching the cave entrance. The back side of the dead space had no light projecting off it and he couldn’t see the shadow seam that he needed to access the space. He ran his hand all over the wall and still couldn’t find it.

  The first man stepped into the cave and he was looking straight at Chaco but didn’t see him. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the light.

  Chaco only had moments before he would be seen. Five more seconds and then I make a run for it. He desperately ran his hands about the dead space as the seconds ticked by and then he felt it. His heart leaped and he rapidly disappeared just as he heard one of the men scream out and point right at him. They rushed over… and found nothing. For two hours they searched the cave and unfortunately found the remaining gear.

  Chaco sat patiently waiting. The only advantage he had now was the dead space that protected him. He knew his time was limited and their plan was a complete disaster. If he didn’t do something they would all be dead.

  He had an idea.

  Chapter 55

  When the men finally left, Chaco came out of the dead space and quietly ran to the entrance of the cave, one soldier was sitting there. The rest had left. Chaco’s instincts took over and he made his move. He picked up a sturdy piece of wood that must have been used as a bench and stepped back into the shadows and cried out help. Within seconds the soldier was at the entrance with his rifle. The moment he stepped into the cave, Chaco inflicted a crushing blow across the man’s arms. Before he had a chance to cry out, Chaco swung the piece of wood hitting the man in the throat and silenced him forever.

  Chaco dragged the man deep into the cave. He ran back to the entrance wearing the man’s coat and hat and crawled down to where he had been sitting. He waved at the sentry at the cave entrance nearby who was waving at him.

  Chaco used the binoculars to survey the entire area as he sat there. Immediately, he noticed a large group of men sitting at what must be the main entrance of the cave where his friends had to be. They appeared to be talking. Movement at the upper end of the valley caught his attention as he surveyed the rest of the valley floor. At first he could see three men and then four and eight and twelve and the numbers continued to grow. He estimated they were about three miles away. Minutes later there appeared to be over eighty men and the number continued to increase.

  “I’ve got to do it now,” exclaimed Chaco. He jumped up and ran back into the cave, grabbed the rope and took it back to the where his friends had fallen into the cavern. He re-tied the rope and at the same time looked down below to see if anyone was there. He couldn’t see anyone, just a little light in the distance. It didn’t matter. He was going down there regardless. Chaco ran back to the entrance and positioned his transference mechanism so that it pointed directly above the entrance to the main cave.

  For a moment Chaco bowed his head and asked Inti for the strength to save his friends.

  He then rechecked the angle and set off the device. A beam of light shot out of the cave and came to rest five feet above the entrance of the other cave. The men sitting there were startled by the light at first but didn’t move and then suddenly an earsplitting noise detonated above their heads and an avalanche of rock closed the cave entrance. Many of the men sitting there were buried. The others ran down the mountain toward the column of men approaching.

  Chaco quickly hid the transference mechanism, the binoculars, and the radio in the dead space and then ran for the rope. He threw the rope through the opening and slid to the ground below. There was no one around. He found the perfect rocks and he was ready.

  Chaco ran down the cave toward the light with reckless abandonment. He came running around a corner in the cave and startled two men with rifles in their hands. One man swung his rifle at Chaco, but he ducked in time. The second man fired at close range and missed. He dodged a second swing of the rifle by the first man, stepped in close to him and hit him a crushing blow to his chin. The other man was trying to take aim at Chaco again when a rock hit him in the head.

  Chaco ran toward the other room expecting more guards but instead found his friends. They all looked like they had been in a street fight and were hogtied.

  Chaco cut the ropes on Franco’s hands first and released his friend. Between the two of them they released the rest of the men. Eduardo was there but he couldn’t walk. He looked like he was almost dead. The rest of them were limping but could walk. They picked up the three rifles that were lying on the floor by the guards and rushed from the room toward the rope. Chaco went up first followed by Franco and then Eduardo was brought up in a makeshift sling. The others quickly followed.

  They hurried to the entrance of the cave. The shocking reality of their predicament was staring them in the face. At least ten men were carefully approaching the entrance from below and less than a half mile away was an additional hundred men rushing along the valley floor.

  “Where is our stuff?” asked Franco.

  “They found most of it. I was able to save the binoculars and the radio.”

  Franco took the lead and stepped behind a rock near the entrance and took careful aim before firing. He picked off the lead man and the others dove for cover.

  “That will slow them down for a minute so we can think.”

  None of them wanted to die but the reality of the moment was staring at them and then Franco turned to Chaco and said, “Without you we would have all ended up dead. Do you have any ideas?”

  “I think I can get us a little time and maybe we can get back to the helicopter with any luck but I don’t see how we can move Eduardo. I think we will have to bring the helicopter to us.”

  “It would be suicide to try and land here. They are setting up machine gun mounts as we speak.” Franco could see men swarming all around below.

  “I have what I call a transference mechanism. I found a dead space in the cave over there and I think I can cause enough havoc if you can get Vanderman up here.”

  “What are you
talking about?” asked Franco.

  “No time to explain it. Just get Vanderman in the air and I’ll do my part. I can do it.”

  They had seen the dead men and heard the explosion when they were tied up. Without another second delay Franco called Vanderman.

  “You’ll have to come in fast. There is a landing area about hundred feet from where we are standing. When we see you we’ll come running.”

  Chaco took his transference mechanism and positioned it just above the men climbing up from below. He started the device and within seconds an ear shattering explosion followed by a minor rockslide enveloped the ten men below them. A brief reprieve followed before a rocket grenade exploded just below the cave opening. They would have them targeted in no time. Chaco aimed his device at a large enclave of rocks high up on the mountain wall that was above the approaching men in the valley.

  “Watch out now. The beam of light will be intense at this level and what is about to happen will scare the hell out of you.” Chaco smiled at his comrades.

  He adjusted the intensity and started the transference mechanism. A ray of light a foot in diameter shot from the dead space out of the entrance of the cave and across the valley. The brightness of the light forced anyone looking at it to turn their eyes away. The light penetrated deep into the mountain side for about thirty seconds and then all hell broke loose. It was like half the mountain blew away in an instant. The poor souls in the valley below were buried alive and didn’t have a chance.

  Franco and the rest of the men were awestruck and in disbelief for a minute and then hurried up the mountainside to the landing area. They would be exposed but they had no choice.

  It took the enemy several minutes to recoup from the dust and devastation around them. Those few that survived were in shock and tried to launch one of the hand held rockets to no avail.

  Vanderman came in fast and spotted his men. The landing area was above the dust bowl that had been created. He was on the ground less than a minute and then they were airborne. It was up to Vanderman now to get them home safe. They were a sorrowful bunch, but all they could think about was helping Eduardo. Jerry wasn’t doing well at all. It appeared he might have some sort of internal injury but had sucked it up and helped carry Eduardo to safety.

  Vanderman stayed close to the ground until he reached a safe zone and then radioed ahead for medics to be waiting when they landed.

  “When we land Chaco, you help get the men off the helicopter and when the moment is right just fade away back to our room. I’ll be there later and then we can figure out what to do next.”

  Everything went as planned. There had been a number of injuries the last couple of weeks and the fact that they were injured wasn’t out of the ordinary.

  Franco knew they couldn’t keep it under wraps. They had saved his brother and wouldn’t tell anyone until it was necessary.

  Chaco slipped away undetected.

  Chapter 56

  Eduardo was going to be all right. He had been tortured and had some broken bones plus other injuries but would be okay. Everyone else had minor injuries and would be out of the hospital in a day or two.

  They were all talking quietly during the evening when they were startled by General Mortenson approaching them.

  “I want it straight,” he hollered. “No BS, you hear me. What have you men done?”

  “General Mortenson, sir, it’s my entire fault,” Franco explained. “My brother was captured by the enemy and the army refused to help him. Me and my friends couldn’t stand by and let him be murdered. I asked these men to help me rescue Eduardo. We went into the mountains of Pakistan using the info we had gathered as to his location. We found the cave he was being held in, overwhelmed the guards and flew him out.”

  “Just like that, the five of you did all that? What do you know about the earthquake that ripped through the same area at the identical moment you were there?”

  Franco was at a loss as to how to respond to the question. “We had help,” is all he could think to say. He instantly regretted that he had said anything. Chaco’s freedom was at stake if he divulged anything about him.

  “Well, who helped you?”

  “Uhh, we had a Pakistani lead us through the mountains and locate the cave,” said Jerry. “He planted dynamite throughout the whole valley and when we were making our escape he detonated the explosives. That is probably what was recorded as an earthquake.”

  “That’s bull shit. We thought at first that a small nuclear weapon had been detonated...don’t insult me. You men think about your story tonight and I’ll be back in the morning to go over every phase of your mission. If you have any hope of walking away from this you had better come clean. As all of you know the army has procedures that we follow at all times. There isn’t any room for hotshots.” The general turned and walked from the room, mumbling under his breath.

  “What are we going to do?” asked Vanderman. “Chaco saved our lives and we can’t turn him in.”

  “Let’s all think about this and we’ll talk in the morning before the general arrives. Right now, I’m going to check with an Afghani who works in the mess tent. He might be able to help get Chaco out of here.” Franco went straight to the mess tent and found Sahib working in the kitchen. He was one of the laborers hired by the army to work for them.

  “Hi, Sahib, I was just looking for you. Got a moment?”

  “Sure, Mr. Franco, I have plenty of time.” They went over to the side of the room.

  “I was wondering if someone wanted to get out of Afghanistan and get on a freighter to the states how he would do that.”

  “Well,” he leaned closer to Franco, “if someone wanted to do that he would have to have some money and know the right people.”

  “Are you that someone?”

  “I could be,” Sahib whispered. “There are ways.”

  “How much do you need and tell me how you would do it?”

  “I would need two hundred dollars US. Getting him off the base will be easy, and I have friends that can get him to Karachi where there are many tankers looking for deck hands.”

  “Okay, let’s do it.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, and I want to do it tonight. Where will he meet you?”

  Sahib was definitely surprised at the suddenness of the request but grabbed onto the idea and was ready to run with it. “Do you know where the Afghanis do their wash by the river?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll be waiting for him there at ten fifteen tonight. I get off at ten. Remember that he has to have the money.”

  “We are friends, right Sahib?”

  “Yes, Mr. Franco, we are friends.”

  “Then make sure that you take care of my friend. He is very important to me.”

  Sahib shook his head in agreement.

  Franco, with Chaco dressed in Afghani garb, arrived at the mess tent at five minutes to ten. Franco had earlier said goodbye to his friend and explained everything to him. When the Pakistani workers walked by heading for the exit Chaco fell right in behind them. Franco was pretty sure that Chaco wouldn’t have any problem. Getting on the base was extremely difficult but getting off the base wasn’t hard at all. Franco watched Chaco hand his papers to the soldier in charge. The soldier hardly looked at them and waved him through.

  Chaco was free.

  Chapter 57

  Chaco met Sahib by the river as planned.

  “Did you bring the money?”

  “Yes, I have it. Franco said to give it to you when we get to Karachi.”

  Sahib shook his head in agreement and started down the trail with Chaco following. They hadn’t walked fifty feet when out of nowhere someone clubbed Chaco in the back of the head. Sahib quickly rifled through Chaco’s clothes and found the money as well as another hundred in his shoe. Chaco lay there unconscious with blood dripping from his ear. Sahib shook him violently trying to wake him.

  “He’s gone,” Sahib said and the two men ran off down the t
rail.

  Chaco didn’t wake until early the next morning when sun fell across his face. When he moved the pain in his head intensified.

  Ohhhh, he groaned. “Where am I?”

  He could hear talking nearby and tried to get up. On his third try he managed to sit. He was off the trail about ten feet in some heavy grass. He was well hidden and could see women carrying loads of wash to and from the river. They obviously didn’t hear his groaning.

  When he finally regained his senses he climbed to his feet and wandered back toward the American base. Without Sahib’s help he had no idea how to get to Karachi. He stopped on a hillside near the base where he watched a continuous rumbling of aircraft coming and going. Chaco spent the day under a large bush trying to figure out what to do next. When his mind became clear again he devised a plan. First thing was to find Sahib.

  Chaco waited along the trail for the evening shift of Afghan’s to leave the base. He targeted the last guy who had fallen behind the rest of the group. At a bend in the trail he jumped out from his hiding place and clipped the man’s legs out from under him. Chaco hit the man once with the stick he was holding when the man tried to get back to his feet. Twice more he tried and twice more Chaco hit him, harder each time. He finally quit fighting and just sat there.

  “What do you want?” asked the Afghani.

  “Where is Sahib?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Chaco hit him a harder blow than before.

  “Oww…..what do you want him for?”

  “He took my money and I want it back.”

  “He’s a mean one. He owes me money. You can’t ever tell him that I told you. I think he has killed men before.”

  “I won’t tell.”

  “He hangs out at the Afghani American inn about a mile from here. Follow the trail until you come to the first road that you cross. The inn is to the right about a hundred meters. Sahib wasn’t at work today. I don’t know if he’ll be at the inn tonight.”