Convoluted Journey (The Mercury Black Authority Book 1)

by Finian Blake

  “Don’t laugh?” Susan said sharply. Her thick brown hair was clumped on top of her head and in her face.

  “I would not dream of it. I was just thinking if we take any more Noah will need a larger Ark.” Frank was desperate for a change of subject. “Noah I will race you to the point?”

  “You are on.” The two men started splashing toward the point.

  “Are you crazy? You really are going with him tomorrow?” Susan said to Terri not believing her ears.

  Terri presented her wicked smile, “Absolutely, he needs to learn that if he risks himself, he risks me. If he is going to do stupid crap I will be right, there doing it with him. We are in it to the finish line.”

  “You have only known him for a few weeks. What do you know about him?” Susan was not kidding. She wanted an honest answer. Her adopted sister just fell for one of the craziest men that she had ever met.

  “I know that he will risk his life to save mine. Sure he is nuts, and so am I, but he cares about what I think. He just made a big concession right now. If I told him that I wasn’t going he would be thrilled because he really does not want me to go can’t you see that Noah just made me a full partner.”

  “You could get that pretty ass of yours shot up,” Susan objected. “There are a few people that would like to put some holes in him. I don’t want him bringing you back here leaking blood all over the place or worse.”

  Terri was determined, “It is a chance that I have to take. He won’t take as many chances if he knows I will be there with him.” Terri understood Noah. She knew that he would not intentionally put her in danger.

  “Somebody needs to dunk you until you develop some sense.” Susan grabbed Terri by the shoulders trying to push her under and Terri of course fought back, turning the whole thing into a splash match.

  Noah made it to the point just after Frank did. Frank was proud of the accomplishment. He was giving twenty years to his opponent. Noah did not take into account that at one-time Frank was an aquatics instructor with the SAS. Being a master instructor Frank was proficient in every area that required instruction. They paused on a rock looking back at the beach watching Terri and Susan trying to dunk each other.

  “Do you think we should go back?”

  “We better start back slowly. Let’s not hurry. They need to expend a little more energy. Do you really plan on taking Terri?” Frank was concerned.

  “If she wants to go the answer is yes. I have changed the timing and the exits. We won’t call in until we are just about over the target. With her along I will be a little quicker on the chicken switch. I promised a delivery and one way or another they will receive their goodies, but how it goes down is up to them.” Noah looked back at the ladies. They were still at it.

  “We had better get back. They do not appear to be slowing down any. Frank and Noah swam back with Frank arriving first. Both women had lost their tops and it was time for a break. Frank and Noah timed their grab at the same time. Neither lady was going to be a push over.

  “Why don’t we stop before it gets serious?” Frank held Susan by the waist. Noah circled behind Terri. It appeared to be an even match. There were no claw marks so it was a friendly contest.

  “We are ok. You can let us down now.”

  “I was just getting into the view you make a fantastic sight.” Noah suddenly became the target of both of their energies. Frank grabbed both women around the waist. They turned their attention to him. Finally, both women ran out of steam plodding up to shore.

  “I thought you would have helped me.” Frank was panting.

  “I thought you might not want help. Wrestling two topless ladies is not something that I would want to be rescued from.”

  “You’re right.” Noah and Frank started wading in to shore. Noah spotted a flash of color in the shore break finding Susan’s top and with a little more effort he found Terri’s top.

  Noah and Frank went to the bar while Terri and Susan went in to the ladies shower to put themselves back together. When they came out to the bar, Terri turned Noah’s stool and stood between his legs.

  “I know you said that I could go along, but do you want me to go?”

  “No, I would just as soon you stay back.”

  “Were you serious about letting me go?”

  “If it is that important you can go even though I would rather have you stay back. You can go. It is one hundred percent up to you. Much of what I do is by instinct and I do not think. If you are along, I will think about your safety. I will have to put instincts in check.” Noah hugged her. “You are my future and I do not want to lose you. Come if you feel you must, but I think it would be better if you stayed here.”

  “Since you put it that way I will go with your instincts and stay.” Noah felt a great weight lifted from him. He pulled her to him kissing her warmly.

  “Susan you win,” Terri gave her a weak smile and took a sip of her drink.

  “Let’s make it an early evening. I need to make a quick run out to the Ark”

  “I will make that run with you,” She was determined not to fade into the wood work completely.

  Noah and Terri checked in with the agent at the airport. Noah reviewed the mechanic’s notes. Everything appeared to be in good working order. They went back to the cargo bay. Noah showed her how to check the cargo straps. They tied off all of the loose ends. Terri went down one side and Noah went down the other. Noah switched sides.

  “I covered that side.” Terri seemed put out that he would check her work.

  “I expect you to check my work. It is simple, but the simple things will bite you in the ass. Look for any loose items on the floor too, even scraps of paper. Everything that is not screwed to the floor goes.” After the inspection Noah powered up the cargo bay raising and lowering the loading ramp making sure that all of the power rollers would retract directing Terri to follow behind and check his work. Noah checked the action of the remote release lever to be sure it worked smoothly.

  “Has any of this stuff failed before,” Terri had to ask.

  “Not on me, but anything mechanical is subject to failure and I just want to be sure all of it is working before we leave. I want to return as you see me now. Each one of these pallets weighs about six thousand pounds apiece. On an air drop they roll out of here in about two seconds like a freight train and I don’t want to be leaving the Ark with them.” Noah sealed up the Ark for the night.

  “Can’t you get one of the others to do that? It seems like it would be the crew’s job anyway.”

  “They will check everything again Frank will go over the pallets again and Greg will go over them again too. Two seconds is not much time. If things jamb up we may have to take some tall chances to get things right again, so the best thing is to avoid failure.”

  “You don’t leave much to chance,” Terri added with emphasis. “I am glad to see that.”

  “As little as possible, but there is always a chance.” Noah drove back to the resort. He wanted to get used to driving on the left hand side of the road knowing that he would be going home with Terri.

  The buffet was set out by the time they returned. There was no band this time because everybody was in a quiet mood. The ladies were enjoying the bar Except for Fran, since she was planning on flying tomorrow. Noah knew better, but he had to try.

  “Fran I wanted to give you the option. We can easily make this run with three crew members. Would you like to stand down on this run?”

  “Not a chance in hell you know that I am in this all the way.”

  “I am just checking everyone. Nobody is trapped in to going. We are out of here at five AM.” Noah checked all the rest of the crew plus Frank and Greg. With the final check out of the way Noah sat down to eat. “Susan I will be back tomorrow about six for cocktails. I will call you about three PM from Kingston, to let you know how things went. Terri will be staying here with you. She settled for a final check on the Ark instead of going along.”

  “Thank you. I did not
like her going.” Susan said not trying to hide her relief. “She is family, and I would like it even better if Frank stayed back too, but he will be a help with the pallets.”

  “There is one thing that I will need.” Noah wanted to make his plans known.

  “Which is,” Susan asked.

  “Do you know anybody that can help me get a permanent residency in the UK? It would be a good idea to leave the country while things cool down.” Noah added, “Just find some help and I will give you all of the particulars when I get my fresh ID.”

  “You are going the distance with Terri.” Susan pressed.

  “Yes as far as she is willing to go.” Noah thought for a moment, “You might as well tell her what kind of neighborly cooperation you would like to see. We plan on being good neighbors.”

  Susan gave Noah a light punch in the arm, “Let us hope so! I will keep her busy tomorrow.” Dinner went well with Robert out doing himself with the dinner creating a true island feast. Things started to wind down with Terri sticking to Noah like glue telling him about her plans for the Knoll. They went up to the room about nine o’clock showering together opting for the bed instead of the hammock. They did not say anything Terri curled up in Noah’s arms while they drifted off to sleep.

  When Noah first woke up he kissed Terri dressing quietly. Planning on being back in the evening he did not pack a bag. Terri kissed him at the door and stayed in the room. She wanted her goodbye to be private. Noah went down to the lobby and waited for the others. Greg and Frank were next to arrive looking forward to the run. Ralph, Fran and the other two Franks filled out the crew. Susan borrowed the van driving everyone out to the airport catching Noah before he went through the gate.

  “Bring my driver back in one piece. Good help is hard to find,” Susan said with a hopeful smile.

  “There will be twelve for dinner tonight,” Noah said confidently.

  Noah walked through the gate not looking back. He left the crew to fire up the Ark while he and Frank went back to the cargo bay to recheck the pallets.

  “Terri and I did this yesterday. I would appreciate it if you would go over things again.” Noah swung the controls out from the wall. He went through the operation of the ramp covering the power rollers and how to set them in the free wheel position. Noah had Frank cycle the ramp a few times after which they closed the ramp and turned to go up front finding Ralph standing in the door to the bay.

  “If you two are ready we will get underway.” The crew fired up the Ark, and they were airborne in a few minutes. In three hours they would be over Nicaragua. Noah went up to the flight deck. I want to do a fly over at two hundred feet first and if there is any problem we will hold two hundred feet doing an air drop. Greg will call the drop making the call. If things are clear, we will do a wide one eighty and land and we will do a slow roll kicking the goodies out on a slow roll. In either case we will not stop. Who is going to have the stick for this pass?”

  “Ralph has done this before, so he will take the stick and I will take the second seat.” Frank had no problem letting experience take the lead. “Greg can take the observers seat for the call with Fran in the right observer’s seat. We will need all eyes looking out because that jungle goes by real fast. I will have the back with Frank.”

  Noah wanted every split second of advantage, “I would just as soon wait to call until we are ten minutes out and then call us upon approaching the coast. If they are going to pull some kind of crap I don’t want to give them too much notice.” Noah was almost positive that Creed and Buck were going to pull something. Noah and Frank went back down to the cargo bay giving the pallets one last check hooking up their safety harnesses. There was a knife in a scabbard on each harness. They rehearsed both cargo drops several times on the way there. Noah plugged in and tested two communication headsets.

  “We are ready in back. Test the red and green lights.” The lights above the ramp controls flashed. “The lights are working properly. We are ready in back.” They dropped altitude to tree top level about fifty miles out.

  The Ark crossed the coast at treetop level. Noah and Frank moved down to their drop positions. Ralph called on the agreed upon frequency. After a few calls they raised an answer with Noah recognizing Buck’s voice. “Buck and Creed are out there. Stay at 200 feet and keep your eyes out.” Noah prepared for a drop.

  Frank repeated the instructions one more time, “If we drop, they give you the red, and nose down first to release the pressure on the locks. Then they will give us the green and nose up at two degrees. Stand back, hang on and pull the release on the green.”

  Noah shouted to Frank, “Get ready on red, and release on green. Have you got it?”

  “We are at 200 feet and our speed is 200 knots.” The eyes of all five of the crew members were glued to the windows watching the jungle fly by. The Ark was traveling just above stall speed with the flaps deployed. Frank was the first to spot the three gunships in a large clearing just north of the road seeing that their rotors were not yet spinning.

  “There are three gunships on the ground and it looks like they are loading up, so I am going to fly level for three minutes and do a hard one eighty. Hold on to something back there. Greg, keep your eye on the ball while I line up. I am going to come up fifty feet for the turn. Noah, watch for the red.”

  “Greg, that clearing is our drop. Aim for the front edge, and make the call for the release. After the drop we will head due north at full power. We are thirty miles south of the Honduran border so we will be out of their airspace in six minutes and we will be out over the Gulf fifteen minutes after that.”

  Buck ran to the second chopper with Creed already in the second seat of the first chopper. That son of a bitch Noah was trying to pull a fast one. They would still be on him before he could leave the ground. They were only three miles off of the road. He was going to personally send that clown to hell. The gunships would convert that plane to Swiss cheese. Creed was already on the radio calling to the other choppers.

  “Buck go ‘guns on’ as soon as you sight up and don’t use the radio. Do not give that wise ass a chance to surrender just fire. Given a chance he will wiggle out of this. He has too many connections. There are no friendlies out there anyway, and if we do this right there will only be our side of the story to tell.” Buck looked up to see the Ark heading straight for them. It looks like he is not going to land. They are not lined up with the road way. The rotors were starting to turn as Buck noticed that the loading ramp of the Ark was down and the plane was a few hundred feet in the air.

  The Ark pulled a hard one eighty and after the aircraft leveled out Noah motioned Frank against the wall putting his hand on the switch. The aircraft leveled out and the red light came on Noah moved the switch into drop position putting his hand on the release. They nosed down and the green light came on, with Noah pulling the release at the same time as Frank. All of a sudden the Ark nosed up with the five pallets squirting out the back in lightning quick succession with the wind ripping the contents off of each one of the pallets as they left the ramp.

  “The cargo is away and the ramp is going up. Let’s go north.” The Ark did a hard ninety.

  Ralph heard Frank from the back on the intercom, “Holy shit, it is a total! Do a three sixty if you want to see the results.” Frank sounded sick. The whole clearing was ablaze and nothing in the box could have survived.

  The first chopper was just starting to lift off, as the Ark cleared the trees. The pilot was trying to bring it hard left. Creed was screaming.

  “Guns on, go to guns on.” He did not realize what was happening until the first case of AK’s ripped through the rotor blades. The cargo ripped through the clearing like the blast from a large shotgun. A barrel of an AK broke out the wind screen going through his thigh, pinning Creed into the seat. The chopper landed on its side and caught fire instantly. In the second chopper, a hail of thousand round ammo cans shredded the chopper as if it were paper with Buck catching an ammo can in the chest and
the third chopper met the same fate. Those that were not killed instantly were roasted in the fire which started to cook off the ammo. There would be no pursuit.

  Marcel was sitting in a pickup truck on the side of the road. An ammo can, buried itself a foot in the ground twenty yards away from the truck. Suddenly she was glad that Creed thought a woman would only get in the way. Even at that distance the heat was unbearable, so she slipped the truck in gear and moved 200 yards down the road. Each of the choppers had a full load of fuel, plus there were twenty 50 gallon barrels of Jet A fuel in a support truck. The whole clearing was ablaze in seconds. The only thing that remained in the clearing was charred wrecks and the melted frames of helicopters. The RPGs and rounds of ammunition were cooking off at an unbelievable rate.

  The Ark did a hard three sixty degree turn. Noah finished raising the ramp as the ark started its three sixty. Frank was dislodged by the sudden move sending him skittering across the bay breaking Noah’s arm with the impact knocking his head into the control panel, before his safety harness stopped him. Frank threw his shoulder out and hit his head trying to keep his weight off of Noah. Noah was out cold and bleeding profusely from a gash on the head. Frank managed to squawk for help before passing out. Ralph was completely in awe of the damage. He heard Frank’s call from the back. He looked back at Fran and Greg.

  “You should have a look back there. I think we have a problem.”

  Gregory called out, “Take your heading and then keep it straight and level, don’t bother climbing we are going downhill any way.” Fran led the way to the back of the bay where both men lay against the wall in a pile bleeding all over the place making everything extremely slick. Greg pulled Frank off of Noah since both men were still unconscious. “Keep it straight and level. We have an accident back here.” He finished closing the ramp so they could pressurize the aircraft. Fran pulled her blouse off and started to apply pressure to Noah’s head wound needing to stop the bleeding.

  “We are going to need some help back here. We have to move some bodies.” The engineer was back like a shot.