Storm Rising

by Steven Becker

  ***

  Mako used the golf cart to hide them as he helped Hillary out of her jumpsuit. She did her best to smooth the wrinkles and cover the tears in her uniform blouse. He pushed her toward the ladder. If she was able to take the pilot’s seat before Mei Lan and Cyrus boarded, they would likely never notice her. Mako helped her in and watched as she started her preflight. The other pilot had been amicable to the change. Their offer was hard to refuse: the remainder of the rental on the sailboat for swapping schedules. All he had to do was hop on a ferry and get to Jost Van Dyke.

  Pulling the bill of his cap down and hunching over slightly, Mako used the fuselage to shield himself from the ATV. He crept around the rear of the aircraft and muttered something to the driver before taking the cases from him. Turning quickly away, he thought for a second about taking off and running, but realized he wouldn’t get far. He opened the aft storage door and placed the cases into the baggage compartment. Then, making sure he wasn’t observed, he jumped in behind them and pulled the door closed.

  Crammed into the tight space, with his knees jammed into his chest, he had to keep his head bent in an uncomfortable position to avoid the low ceiling. He could hear conversation through the thin bulkhead separating the compartment from the passenger area and cockpit. Hillary was in the middle of a quick safety briefing. While she went through the standard spiel, he looked around the cargo area for anything that might help.

  ***

  Storm watched the plane taxi and turn into the wind. The engines revved and the fuselage shimmied as the pilot increased the RPMs. Suddenly it stopped and the passenger door flew open. A body fell out, and he thought for a second it was Mako, but after studying the crumpled form’s size and shape, he realized it was Cyrus. The door closed and the plane resumed its takeoff.

  He had to do something to stop it. But he had no weapon. The gun was long gone. He reached into his pocket, looking for his phone, and pulled it out. The screen was shattered and water had seeped into the inner workings. Now with no communication or weapons, he felt helpless.

  The plane was gaining speed as it moved down the runway. Just as it passed him, the wheels lifted and it was airborne. He looked back at Cyrus, who was on his knees now, signaling for the Gator to pick him up. The driver reached him and he crawled in. There had to be something he could do to stop it. Down, but not defeated, he rose and started to limp toward the hangar, trying to figure out how to reach Alicia. Maybe they would have a phone, an old-fashioned phone with a cord—one that worked. He was about to cross the runway when he saw the Gator coming toward him, and instinctively he dove for cover.

  He watched it retrace its path, looking like it was heading back to the mine, and he changed plans. With the Zodiac, he could get there before the Gator and ambush Cyrus. He crawled down the bank to the beach and grabbed the side of the Zodiac. Pushing it was hard with only one working foot, but he waited for the right wave and put everything he had left into it. The hard bottom ground on the rocks and he jumped in.

  Seconds later, he had the boat turned and was retracing his route to the mine, the Gator running just ahead of him.

  CHAPTER 26

  The force of the plane taking off pushed Mako against the bulkhead separating the baggage compartment from the small passenger area. He could feel it move and reached over to touch the thin plastic barrier. Breaking through it would be all good, except he had no idea what lay on the other side. He suspected it was only Mei Lan and Hillary. From the fracas that had occurred before they took off, he assumed Cyrus was not on board.

  The plane banked hard to starboard, and he used his legs to brace against the fuselage. The ride quickly leveled off, and he searched the bulkhead for any opening he could use to observe the cabin. He found a small pinhole where a now-missing screw or bolt had once helped secure the partition. It was awkward, but with the turbulence and noise of the engines, he didn’t need to disguise his movements. Finally, he managed to rearrange his body to allow him to peer through the small opening. Mei Lan was the only passenger, and she was sitting in the rear starboard seat. He squirmed for a better view and saw the gun in her hand. Mako tried to piece a timeline together for the flight. He knew it was short, but had spent much of his time on the flight over flirting with Hillary. Suddenly, the nose of the plane dipped, and he knew if he was going to pull this off, he would have to act quickly.

  It was an effort to turn inside the small compartment, especially with the two cases, but he finally managed to spin himself so his back was to the rear of the plane. Hoping that Hillary would keep her composure, he pulled his legs back as tight as they would go to his chest, hoping he would be able to generate enough force within the cramped compartment to kick in the bulkhead.

  In his head, he counted down from there. On the count of one, he felt the plane shift slightly and bank to port. They must be on their final approach. With no time to waste, he pulled his knees tight to his chest and kicked the hard plastic barrier with both feet. He had aimed on the left side, knowing that Mei Lan was on the right and the bulkhead folded into the cabin.

  He didn’t know if Hillary was reacting to him or if it was part of the landing, but the plane banked hard to starboard, the G force of the turn pushing Mei Lan into the window. Mako tried to use the advantage to take her, but the thin plastic material that comprised the bulkhead was stuck on his legs. He squirmed, trying to get it off, kicking his legs to free himself, but before he could turn, Mei Lan had figured out what was happening and had the gun pointed at him.

  “You’re not going to shoot me in a pressurized cabin,” Mako said, as calmly as he could.

  “Idiot,” was all she said.

  Mako saw the look in her eye and froze, knowing she really intended to shoot. Hillary must have sensed it as well. She pulled the yoke back, and the plane went into a sharp climb. The G force took Mei Lan by surprise, and Mako had his chance.

  His legs were still stuck in the material, but he was able to swing them into her. The gun fell from her hands as the torn plastic cut into her. With his back against the opposite side of the fuselage, he used his long frame and the leverage he had to pin her against the window.

  “I’ve got to get back on the flight plan,” Hillary said. She turned around and grabbed the gun from the floor. “It’ll take about five minutes to get us on the ground. Can you hold her?”

  “Got it, boss. You just fly,” Mako said.

  Hillary resumed her descent, and Mako focused everything he had on keeping Mei Lan under restraint. The plane banked again, causing him to shift, but his tall frame was firmly lodged between the rear and front seat.

  “Let me know what you’re up to,” he said.

  “Landing in three minutes,” Hillary said.

  Now he had to decide what to do once they landed.

  ***

  Storm was hurting. Every wave jarred him as the Zodiac plowed into the seas, each one causing him to wince in pain. The Gator was heading back to the mine with Cyrus, but he had no idea why. The ruins came into view first, and the road started to gain elevation. Then he saw the rotor of the helicopter. He dropped speed and relaxed slightly as the pounding stopped and he watched the Gator climb. Nearing the cove where he had beached before, he realized that from the clearing where the chopper sat, they would have a clear view of him. Coming up the cliffs would take Cyrus by surprise, but he wasn’t sure his body could make the ascent. With no alternative plan, he followed the coast past the cove to the steeper cliffs. Hoping his injured ankle, now swollen to the size of a grapefruit, would allow him to climb, he steered for the most hospitable spot on the shore.

  There was nowhere to safely beach the boat, so he cut the engine and allowed the wave action to bring him close to the rocks. Moving to the bow, he readied himself and jumped into the water just before the nose of the Zodiac hit a large boulder. The water cushioned his exit, and he pulled himself onto land. Crawling on his belly, he worked hand and foot to ascend the rocky grade. With little weight on his
ankle, he was surprised at the ease which he climbed. Once he reached the top, he crawled over and kneeled behind a cluster of rocks.

  The Gator was parked by the helicopter, the driver waiting patiently while Cyrus searched the cockpit. Storm sat and watched, wondering what he was up to, when he turned with a smile on his face and the laptop in his hand. Not sure how the playing field had changed after the fight with Mei Lan back at the runway, he knew one thing for certain—Cyrus had the encryption code. He was back in the Gator now, and Storm reacted out of instinct. Had he waited and thought about it, he might not have made the leap that had him dragging from the back bumper of the ATV.

  Neither the driver nor Cyrus had seen him stumble from the cover of the rocks and launch himself toward the Gator. With his legs dragging behind, he grabbed onto the tailgate and held on. It was easier than he expected, with the vehicle moving slowly to navigate through the minefield of rocks. Slowly he used the up-and-down motion of the shocks as they bounced over the rocky terrain to lift himself into the bed of the vehicle.

  Cyrus must have felt his weight and turned. The look of surprise was clear on his face, and Storm took the seconds he had before he reacted to reach for a garden hoe lying in the bed. He wound up and released a blow towards Cyrus’s head, but the Gator hit another rock and he missed, the sharp tool embedding itself in the dashboard. Sprawled over the seat trying to wrench the hoe free, Cyrus had the advantage, but was weaponless. He used the laptop to deliver a blow to the back of Storm’s head, but again the terrain foiled the attack. The hard edge of the case grazed Storm’s ear, but there was no force behind it. Cyrus was flung forward as a result of the attempt, and Storm half-crawled onto him, using the other man’s body for leverage. With both hands, he pulled and the hoe released.

  He exchanged glances with the driver, who appeared confused. Storm felt him brake, causing the men to become tangled together, their closeness not allowing Storm to wind up and deliver the blow that he would have liked. Unable to use the business end of the hoe, he lifted the round wooden handle straight up and slammed the butt hard into Cyrus’s head. Something gave way. The end entered the other man’s skull, and Storm could feel him go limp.

  The Gator was on the beach road, the driver looking straight ahead as if this might never have happened if he didn’t look.

  “Stop and we’ll dump the body. No one needs to know,” Storm said.

  The man’s face didn’t change, but he listened and stopped the Gator by the water. Storm glanced over to see if he would help, but he stared straight ahead. Hobbling, Storm slid out of the opening and pulled the body behind him onto the rocks. He checked his pockets for anything that might prove useful and took his cell phone and wallet before hauling the body to the water’s edge. He debated whether to weight the body with rocks, but decided to just cast it unceremoniously into the surf.

  He stood watching for several minutes as the waves took the body out to sea. It was soon invisible, and he turned back to the driver. “Can you run me back to the airport?”

  Still looking straight ahead, the driver put the ATV in gear and nodded. Storm stumbled back to the Gator, climbed into the passenger seat and grasped the laptop as the driver started back to the airport.

  ***

  Hillary landed and taxied the plane to the Cape Air gate. “Here they are,” she said.

  After she was sure that Mako had Mei Lan restrained, she had radioed for the police to meet the plane, saying that there was an unruly passenger. Two policemen approached the plane with their hands on their holsters, not knowing what to expect. They separated, each moving to cover each door. Hillary opened the cockpit door, extending her hands so they could see she was unarmed.

  “She’s in the back. Another passenger has her restrained,” she said, remaining in the plane.

  They moved together to the other side of the plane and released the latch on the door. Mako gave a shove as it released and Mei Lan fell to the ground. They lifted the helpless woman to her feet.

  “My ID is in my back pocket. You might want to check it before you do something stupid. Something that could end your meaningless careers.”

  Mako and Hillary exchanged glances, not knowing what she was up to. The officers looked at each other and one bent down.

  “Don’t touch me,” she screeched and reached into her pocket.

  Mako saw the crimson color of the passport before it was fully out and knew she would walk away.

  ***

  Mako and Hillary had been escorted directly from the plane to an FBI holding area in the main terminal. For the last fifteen minutes, they had sat silently in a sterile room with a desk and three chairs, waiting to discover their fate. One policeman had remained with them and the other had escorted Mei Lan away. Mako would remember the look on her face for a long time after this was over. It was as close to pure hatred as he had ever seen.

  Their IDs had been taken when they were put in the room, and they could do nothing but sit in an uncomfortable silence and wait. Finally the door opened and the stereotypical bureau agent walked in.

  “You checked out, and the uranium is secured. I guess we owe you a thank-you if this doesn’t turn into an international incident with the Chinese woman. There was nothing we could do except release her once she flashed the diplomatic passport.”

  He was concise and professional, but Mako got the feeling he really didn’t care. “What about us?”

  “The Agency vouched for you.”

  “So, we are free to go?” Mako asked.

  “Yes, with our gratitude,” he said, in a monotone voice that expressed disdain.

  “What about my job?” Hillary asked.

  “Cape Air has been informed about your service to the country. Don’t expect you’ll get a thank-you or promotion. We had to be a little sparse on the details.”

  She got up and walked to the door. Mako followed her, wondering if he should shake the agent’s hand or not. He had an image of the guy pulling it back and smoothing his hair, like the cool dude in high school, so he just walked by him.

  They stood outside the terminal, neither knowing what to do.

  “Do you want…?” she started and he nodded.

  “First, I need to touch base with Alicia.”

  CHAPTER 27

  They stood by the pay phone in the terminal. “I’m sorry, this is going to be goodbye,” Mako said. “Storm turned up with the computer, and I have to get back to Key Largo and see if we can still salvage our contract.”

  “Goodbye just for now, I hope,” she said.

  He reached for her and they pulled together in an embrace. Their lips met and they kissed deeply, the passion of their life-and-death struggle releasing. Finally they broke off, and he headed for the main terminal, hoping there would be a quick resolution and he could get back and see her. It was not lost on him how unusual this feeling was. He looked back, but she was gone.

  Alicia had set him up with a flight to Miami, and he walked aimlessly to the gate. He was exhausted and should have been hungry, but the airport food did not entice him. Passing a bar, he thought about slamming a few cocktails, but even that didn’t hold his interest. He had the feeling that his life was somehow changing.

  ***

  They sat around the kitchen table, a plate of stone crabs in the center and a cold beer in front of each of them. Storm looked a little worse for the wear and still limped. Mako had slept, and though he felt an emptiness in his gut, he was otherwise alright. Cody had a hammer in his hand, demonstrating how to crack the hard shell of the crab claws. Mako ate, but didn’t really taste the food.

  “You okay there?” Storm asked. “Awful quiet.”

  “Yeah, I’m good,” Mako said and took a swig of the beer to make it look like he was. “Just want to get this over with.”

  “And get back to your lady friend down south,” Storm added for him.

  “What’s this?” Alicia asked.

  There were a few laughs at his expense, which he let pass over
his head, as Storm told the story of the budding romance. Fortunately the crab was almost finished and Alicia cleared the table.

  “I’m going to work on Cyrus’s computer now and see if I can pull the code off. Then we can wrap this up,” Alicia said and left for the war room.

  Mako and Storm said goodnight and headed off to the guest bedroom. They were barely settled in when Cody came to the door.

  “Alicia needs you,” he said and left.

  They followed him into the dark room and stared at the screens. Lines of code flew across them, and Mako looked over at Alicia working frantically.

  “Got it,” she said with a look of relief. “Just thought I ought to let you know.”

  “Cool,” Mako said. “We’re done, then?”

  “Not so fast. We have to get the code back to Lloyd’s,” she said.

  “Well, shoot it on over the airwaves. I’m going to bed,” he said, thinking that with this wrapped up sometime tomorrow, he could be on a beach with Hillary.

  “Not so fast, lover boy,” Alicia said. “This needs to be delivered by hand. It’s way too risky to go over the Internet.”

  Shit, Mako thought. Well, a couple of days and he’d be on that beach—and with a pocket full of money. “Okay, I’ll be heading out tomorrow, then.”

  “Again, not so fast. Red-eye leaves Miami in a few hours. Sorry, you can sleep on the plane.”

  He resigned himself to his fate, not really upset about the night flight. The sooner he got there, the sooner he would return.

  “One thing, though,” Alicia said. “Mei Lan is still unaccounted for. I lost her trail in Puerto Rico.”