"You can always get out and swim back, Henri," Collins said, this time with his own smile.
"No, I'll try for the Twin diamonds, but looking at that Russian soldier, I would say that our chances on land may not be as good as we initially hoped they would be."
This time the smile on Jack's face widened as he was actually amused by the Frenchman.
"No one ever said you were dumb, Henri."
WAHACHAPEE FISHING CAMP
Jason pushed through the prickly bushes that covered the forest floor, having endured over a hundred scratches on his face for his efforts. He hadn't seen Sarah in the past hour, but heard her cuss loudly about fifteen minutes earlier, so he knew she was faring no better than himself in the tangled undergrowth searching for the fuel injector. Of Marla Petrov, he hadn't seen or heard a thing since their makeshift search party began.
Jason broke through a particular harsh section of undergrowth with pieces of bushes and thorns sticking to his face and Levis shirt, and into a small clearing of which a rippling creek ran through. He took a deep breath as a small fresh breeze sprang up. He instantly felt the clear air that greeted him after the harsh, closed in and fetid air of the thick tangle foot of the forest. He placed his hands on his knees and saw a million of the small thorns had also penetrated his jeans. He shook his head as he went to the clear creek. He washed his face, feeling the pleasant sting of the water hitting his sweat-filled scratches.
Feeling half human again, he looked into the water after drinking a few cupped handfuls. He instantly saw it and stood so fast that he dropped the M-16 he had rested on his bent knees. When he examined the fuel injector closely, he saw it had been wadded up like a piece of discarded paper. He looked around as the woods surrounding the creek became still. He slowly bent over, still watching the trees and retrieved the four-pound injector and the M-16 from the water.
"Damn it," he said under his breath. "Why in the hell would someone do that?"
When a crashing noise sounded behind him, Jason thought a bear was coming to claim his small person. He dropped the smashed fuel injector into the water and turned with the M-16 just as he saw Sarah trip and stumble into the clearing.
"You okay?" Jason asked as he reached to steady her.
"Water — oh that looks good," she said as she walked the few feet to the creek and then sank to her knees. She pushed her head into the cool stream and washed her face, and then she cupped her hands and drank. She took a breath and then turned to face Ryan. "We're not very good at this wilderness thing, are we?"
Ryan walked to within a few feet of Sarah and then reached into the water and pulled up the battered injector.
"So much for shiny things, huh?" he said as he let the fuel injector slide from his hand and into Sarah's.
"What the hell, did they take a rock to it?" she angrily asked as she stood up.
"They probably didn't even know they damaged it."
They both turned and saw Marla standing just out of the woods. She looked fresh as a daisy and didn't have a scratch on her.
"Okay, who in the hell are they?" Ryan asked, his temper starting to rise. "And don't give me any of this mystical bullshit."
The girl looked from Ryan to Sarah; instead of answering, she walked to the creek and took a drink of water from her cupped hand.
"It doesn't matter about the damaged part, Mr. Ryan," she said as she finally looked up. "You don't need it."
"What do you mean?"
"Jason, let her finish," Sarah said, eyeing the young woman closely.
The girl straightened and then pointed. "About a hundred yards in that direction." She stepped into the water and then across the creek and vanished into the woods.
"Jesus, can that girl ever give a straight answer to anything?" Ryan said angrily as he watched Sarah quickly follow Marla.
In extreme exasperation, Ryan followed. The woods were thinner here and for that he was grateful. He saw Sarah's back as she dipped and then straightened to come through the thinning trees. Suddenly, he ran into her backside as she came to an abrupt halt.
"What the—"
Sarah was just standing there, amazed at the sight she was looking at in the large clearing. Jason stepped around her and his mouth wanted to drop open. There, sitting pristine and shining in the bright sunlight were four, brand-spanking-new Sikorsky helicopters. They were the newest top of the line S-76 turbojet models. Their four bladed rotors drooped and swayed in the light breeze. Ryan brought up the M-16 and Sarah followed suit with the AK-47. Marla turned in front of them and shook her head.
"There's no one here. I came upon them just before I found you. These are the same ones those Russians arrived in."
"The pilots must have gone with them," Ryan said as he started to step out from the tree line, but Marla was quick to grab his arm.
"No, the pilots were ordered to stay, I heard that head Russian myself. I just assumed they went back to Juneau or someplace."
Ryan listened, but still couldn't grasp any danger. "Okay, we spare one and disable the others."
"You're not hearing me, Mr. Ryan, the pilots are missing," Marla persisted.
"Okay, young lady, you have our full attention, so I think it's about time you shed a little light on what's happening around here."
Marla looked at Sarah, dropping the restraining arm from Ryan.
"Okay, I fear those pilots may have run into the same thing you and Sarah did last night." Her eyes stayed on Ryan.
"Those gunshots, you mean?" Sarah asked.
Marla just nodded her head once while examining the makeshift landing area where the giant Sikorsky choppers sat. Sarah thought the scene was unreal. The empty helicopters, the wind whistling by the swaying rotors and the open staircases of the four aircraft lent an air of ghostliness to the scene that gave her cold chills.
"Look, Marla, what is happening here?" Sarah persisted with her earlier question.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me," Sarah said still looking around, the AK-47 turning as she did.
"You don't look like the type to believe in myths and legends," Marla said looking from Sarah to Ryan.
Both of them exchanged looks but didn't smile at the foolish statement made by the girl. How could she know what they did for a living or the things that they have been witness to?
"We protect one of those legends here, or maybe they protect us, I don't know. But there are animals in these woods that belong here even more than the Indians that inhabit this area. They were here thousands of years before everyone, and this is their home. I'm afraid those Russians may have done something stupid last night and have paid dearly for it, or soon will. They protect their own."
Suddenly, there was a crackling sound coming from one of the choppers. It was loud in the stillness that now held sway over the clearing. Sarah looked at Ryan and she could tell he was feeling the same creepiness that overwhelmed her on this bright, clear, sun-filled day. Before she had a chance to ask what the crackling sound was, it came again, and then what seemed like a voice.
"Oh, God," Sarah said with a loud exhale, "it's a radio."
Ryan eased his way past the last of the trees and made his way to the first chopper in line. Sarah and Marla slowly followed. Jason leaned into the first of the well-equipped helicopters and saw that at first sight all looked normal. The plastic-covered interior was immaculate compared to the sparseness of the Bell Ranger they had been working on the night before. The windows sparkled and the carpeting on the floor smelled of its newness. As Ryan tilted his head, he heard the radio in the front cockpit come to life with a crackle and then a Russian voice come out of the speakers. It became insistent when there was no return answer.
As Ryan braced his feet to enter the Sikorsky, he felt a crunch under his right foot. He stepped away from the opening of the helicopter and looked at what he had stepped on. He looked from the object on the ground to Marla. The anger was etched in his features and his eyes were blazing. He kicked th
e smashed microphone from the choppers radio toward the spot Sarah and Marla stood.
"I suppose you didn't destroy the only way we had for calling for help?" Jason asked.
Marla held Ryan's gaze and gave back some of her own.
"I said before, Mr. Ryan, we will not allow the outside world to destroy what we have here. All of the invaders of the high country are on their own. If they're good, or bad, it makes no difference — you or the ones you are looking for don't belong here."
Sarah didn't know what to say, she was dumbfounded that Marla would go to those lengths knowing what the Russian assault team had done to the Mounties and to themselves.
"We have friends out there, and now it's time you let us in on your big secret. Jason, pick one of the helicopters, it's time we go and find Jack and the others."
RUSSIAN BASE CAMP
Lynn was watching the men as they lowered the tents and started placing the expensive equipment into their waterproof cases. The soldiers started placing heavy packs onto their backs as they made ready to cross over. The boats were filled and Sagli and Deonovich looked satisfied that their goal was within sight.
The search for the missing man had lasted all of five minutes as Sagli declared that he would eventually show up, and that seemed to satisfy most of the men, especially the Spetsnaz who weren't too interested in searching for the man at any rate. The others looked surprised that more of an effort wasn't forthcoming and wondered if the same effort would be in place for them if they disappeared. There were a few grumblings, but Lynn knew the men would never show it to Sagli or to the brute Deonovich and their group of hard nosed commandos.
A Spetsnaz came over to where she was sitting on a large stone. His weapon was slung across his shoulder as his dark eyes peered into her own.
"You are now my responsibly and I have orders to break something on your body once we have crossed the river if there is any troubling from you, are we understandings each other?" he asked in poor English.
"Nyet," Lynn said as she stood.
The man looked confused for a moment, and then he saw that the woman was toying with him.
"Good, then I will enjoy the tasking of my duty to breaking your arm sever-ling times."
"Okay, just kidding, pea brain. Shall we go boating?"
The man stepped aside, deciding instantly that he did not like the American and how it would be a pleasure to break her bones.
The last of the larger tents still stood and inside Dmitri Sagli threw the microphone down and it struck the radio operator.
"You mean to tell me they didn't check in last night and you felt it did not warrant informing me?"
The small operator cowered away from the demented eyes of the ponytailed Russian.
"Did it occur to you that we left those helicopters there to be safe, out of harm's way in case we had company arrive here in the form of the Canadian federal authorities? And now they do not answer their radios at all — four pilots and not one of them is monitoring their radio? Gregori, this man is no longer needed: Dispose of him, we do not need fools from here on out."
Deonovich stepped forward and pulled the radio operator from his chair. The other technicians in the room stood.
"You wish to comment on my order?" Sagli asked, eyeing each of the soft-skinned men one at a time. "Very well, let him go. If any of you fail in his duty again, and think that I do not need to be informed of any and every development, small or large, you will remain in this godforsaken place, is that understood?"
Not one man spoke as Deonovich let go of the radio technician.
"Now, get to the boats with that radio and the last of the detection gear, and place them with the rest of the equipment. Once we arrive at the area you have designated, and if we do not find what it is we came for, I will shoot every one of you. Now move, we may have a problem that was totally unforeseen, thanks to you fools."
Sagli pulled Deonovich aside once out of earshot of the others.
"You are sure the helicopters were hidden and the pilots were given orders not to leave them until they were contacted?"
"I am positive, I gave the orders myself."
"Then we must assume that whoever dealt you that blow at the camp has initiated further hostilities toward us. They will be coming, I am now positive of that. And the only thing that eases my mind is the fact that they have company with them that will forestall any attack on us. And our friend undoubtedly has what we need with him."
* * *
Fifteen minutes later, the seven Zodiacs, brimming full to capacity with men and equipment, shoved off from the southern shore of the Stikine. The current caught them and took them south for the briefest of moments, but the powerful outboards caught hold and pushed them back to their crossing point.
Lynn watched the men around her. Some seemed calm and anticipatory of what they would find across the river, while others looked around nervously. The day was turning hot, but Lynn got the chills as she watched some of the more veteran soldiers among the Russians. They were the ones that were nervously watching the far shoreline, hands on weapons as they grew near to their destination.
Lynn half turned and saw Sagli watching her. Although she hadn't heard about them not being able to contact their transport at the fishing camp, she knew for a fact that something had changed, and it wasn't to their benefit, and most assuredly wasn't to hers.
The first of the large Zodiacs pulled onto the rocky shore, and as Lynn watched technicians and soldiers start unloading their equipment, she knew they may be crossing into a place they shouldn't be going. It was just a feeling, but like her brother Jack, she was in tune to what those feelings held, and that you should always acknowledge them, for the good, or for the bad.
* * *
Jack was leading the group of six men through the woods. Collins and Everett had instructed the rest on how to use the natural elements around them to camouflage their faces and bodies after the loss of their field equipment in the Grumman. Mud was utilized heavily and if it wasn't for the appearance of Charlie Ellenshaw, the whole process would have been mundane and miserable. As it was, Mendenhall and Everett could hardly hide their smiles behind their hands. To cover most of the professor's white hair, Jack had encrusted it with twigs and grass, and that conglomeration was held in place by handfuls of drying mud. Everett thought that the colonel had applied everything a tad too liberally.
Farbeaux followed close behind and Punchy was told to follow the Frenchman. Then came Charlie, stumbling every few steps through the tangled undergrowth, and finally Will and Carl. They had been on foot for the past three hours.
Collins suddenly stopped and held up his right hand with spread fingers, then he quickly gestured to the right and then to the left. As Punchy and Charlie stayed in line, Farbeaux went to the left, and as Will quickly turned to cover the rear, Everett went right. As Henri and Everett covered their flanks, only Alexander and Charlie were left to watch Collins as he became perfectly still and watched the area immediately to their front.
Jack heard what sounded like talking and knew they were close to where the Russians could be. The plateau had risen in their view since they started making their way north on foot and Charlie had confirmed it was remarkably like his memory said it would be. The main landmark described in the Lattimer entry in the journal indicated that they had arrived.
As he listened, the voices ceased and boat motors started. Jack, running bent over at the waist, moved silently through the woods, easily stepping over and around the tangle-foot that would trip up most men with the practiced art of stepping, and then sliding the foot back and inch or two in case the toe of his boot had hooked on an obstacle. Collins moved until he could see the river through the trees. He saw the last Zodiac shove off from the south shore of the Stikine. His eyes clearly saw the other six boats as they fought the swift current and angled toward the far shore. He held his ground and waited. Then he saw what he was looking for when the third boat touched the far rocky shore. A large Russian
manhandled Lynn out of the rubber boat and shoved her toward a group of men standing and looking into the woods. Lynn shrugged the man's hand from her and moved forward.
Jack closed his eyes for only a moment to give into the relief he felt upon seeing his sister. He took a breath and then removed the filthy ball cap the old woman had given him.
"That's her, huh?"
Collins turned and saw Charlie Ellenshaw kneeling behind him looking across the river. Jack angrily looked back at Punchy, who in turn looked at him and shrugged his shoulders, as if saying he tried to stop him.
"Doc, from now on, you don't move unless you're told to do so, is that clear?" Jack whispered.
"Oh, uh, yes, I just…"
"Don't worry about it, Doc. Get back with Punchy; we're going back into the woods about two hundred yards and wait until well after dark before we cross."
"Oh, we're going to swim the river?"
"You can swim, can't you?" Collins asked, worried about what the professor's answer was going to be.
"Oh, yes, I was on my high school—"
"Fine, Doc, that's fine. Now come on, we better rest up."
"But if my memory serves, there is a spot just to the left of their camp that is shallow, and even has a sandbar at its midpoint."
"Good, we need to hear things like that, Doc. Now go back with Mr. Alexander."
Jack watched Charlie go and then turned back and watched the men standing next to his baby sister. He hated to see her in the position she was in, but for now there was nothing he could do about it. Even after they crossed, he knew they were outgunned twenty to one. He replaced the baseball cap and then used his hand signals to order the others to fall back. As he did, he was thinking about why the Russians were keeping her alive and now it would be an eternity until Jack could cross the river and get his sister back from these men who murdered as easily as asking for a cup of coffee.
RUSSIAN BASE CAMP
NORTH OF THE STIKINE
The magnetometers started maxing out as soon as they were uncased and turned on. The technicians buzzed with excitement as they pointed northeast and held steady.
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