by Saxon Andrew
The man shook his head, “You could fly this to Alaska.”
Mike laughed, “You might be right. I just fly it; I don’t know much about how they built it.” The pump finally clicked off and Mike handed the man a credit card. The man went inside and ran the card and came back out. “It was accepted. Be safe.”
“I’ll do it. Sorry I took you away from your duties.”
“No one ever lands here at night; trust me; it was a good distraction from falling asleep.”
Mike powered up the helicopter and flew away from the small air field and looked for I-10. He found it and picked up speed. He was doing a hundred and fifty when he moved around Las Cruces. He kept I-10 off his left side and heard the pilot snoring. He stayed low and after several hours, saw Eloy. He veered right and headed overland toward Royce Thompson State Park. Just before he landed in the desert he heard, “What are you going to do?”
Mike said nothing but landed the helicopter in the middle of the desert. He came around and pulled the pilot out of the passenger’s seat by the feet. He hit his head on the landing strut and cursed. Mike felt him struggle against his bonds and he slammed his fist against the pilot’s head, stopping his movements. Mike pulled him out into a clear patch of sand and looked around.
He saw what he was looking for and dropped the pilot’s legs. He went back to the helicopter and pulled out a spool of wire and a black bag. He emptied the bag and lifted the first three foot long metal stake and began hammering it into the ground. Thirty minutes later he was sweating in the morning sun as he finished hammering the sixth metal rod into the sand. He took the spool of wire and tied one end to the first stake and then pulled it through the round ends of the other five. He pulled on the wire and heard the pilot scream. He leaned back into it and then wrapped the wire around the last stake. Mike walked forward and pulled the bag from the pilot’s head. The sun blinded the pilot and he squinted trying to see who had bound him. His vision cleared and he saw Mike. He moaned, “Noooo.”
Mike sat down next to the pilot and said, “You took part in killing my wife.”
The pilot quickly said, “No, I didn’t.”
“You didn’t drop the bomb that killed her but your part of the plan was to cover it up. You also tried to attack me at Red River a while back. You and your organization used fire to burn her alive.” Mike nodded his head toward a large mound next to a tall saguaro cactus, “I’m going to use fire to burn you as well; only this is going to take a bit longer than what was done to my wife.”
The pilot looked at the huge mound and saw something black moving on it. He suddenly realized what it was, “You can’t do this!!”
“Actually, they are going to do it; I’m just going to watch.”
The Pilot started struggling and felt the wire cut into his chest. He stopped moving and said, “There must be something I can do?”
“No, not really.”
“I’ll tell you everything I know. I’ll name names. Please don’t kill me.”
Mike took a small device out of his shirt pocket and turned on a recorder, “Start talking. I’ll see if you have anything of value.”
The pilot felt the first ant bites and started talking too fast to understand. Mike kicked him in the side and said, “Slow down.” The pilot grunted in pain and began talking again. Thirty minutes later Mike stopped the recorder. His captive was starting to repeat himself. Mike watched him scream for twenty minutes and then went to the helicopter. He walked back and pulled a folding military knife and cut the snug ties that bound the pilot’s hands. The Pilot tried to move them and cut his forearms.
Mike put on a pair of thick leather gloves and lifted several wires on the pilot’s chest slightly and moved his left arm under the wire. He put them back down and said, “If you move that arm, that wire is going to cut clear down to the bone. Of course you could pull it and filet it, either way, you’ll lose it.” Mike pulled a small plastic .380 handgun out of his pocket and chambered a round. He placed the gun in the pilot’s hand, “You have a clear shot. You’re only getting this because of what you told me.” The pilot’s arm was held down to his chest by three wires. He couldn’t move it without cutting himself and bleeding to death. “Tilly wasn’t given this mercy. I hope you rot in hell.”
Mike walked away to the helicopter and lifted above the screaming pilot. He was covered in fire ants and just as Mike turned the scout copter, he heard a shot. He didn’t look back.
• • •
“Janet!”
“You don’t have to yell.”
Tilly felt the oppressive heat in the cave; it was almost too hot to breathe. Keep the blanket over you and breathe through it, Tilly. Stay under it until the temperature starts to drop.”
“What happened?”
“That transport dropped a thermobaric bomb.”
“A what?”
“It’s a bomb that releases a huge cloud of fuel vapor and then it ignites the cloud. It’s one of the most powerful bombs in the military. I don’t know how we’re alive.”
“It must have been the mat.”
“Tilly, don’t touch anything that was open to the air; you’ll probably get second or third degree burns. By the way, where’s your rifle?”
“I put it under the blankets with me.”
“Good. It should be ok.”
“I need to call Mike.”
“No you don’t!! They knew you were here because of my phone call. We’ll let things settle and we’ll call him on my phone.”
“I know he’s worried sick.”
“Tilly, they have to believe you’re dead. They won’t be looking for you after this unless you do something to let them know they failed. Mike would rather you be safe than know you’re safe. His pain will convince those watching him that you’re dead.”
Tilly was silent for a minute and said, “How much does one of those bombs cost?”
“I read somewhere they run about half a million.”
“Why are they so hell bent on killing me?”
“I’m sure they’ve threatened the families of those in their organization. If you aren’t killed, it makes them appear inept. They have to do it.”
Tilly fought to breathe for another minute and said, “Janet.”
“Yeah.”
“I think I heard that jet crash.”
“What!”
“I heard two explosions and then a loud crashing noise just before the bomb went off.”
“I told you to cover your ears!”
“I had them covered; I heard it through my hands.”
“Tilly, I think you have the hearing of an owl.”
“Owl?”
“They can hear a rodent underground from the top of a tall tree.”
“Thanks…I think.”
“It’s going to be night soon; in the meantime; stay under the blanket.”
“Janet.”
“What, Tilly?”
“We have twenty one gallon cans of gas in here with us; why didn’t it go off if it’s so hot?”
Janet shook her head and said, “I have no idea.” After a few minutes Janet said, “The blast must have blown by the cave entrance and not directly at it.”
“That means the bomb must have been dropped at the depression instead of here at the rise.”
Janet extended her hand outside the blanket close to the wall behind her. It was hot, but not unbearable. She took the blanket off her head and saw the mat had fused to the doorway. She stood up and walked over to the mat and Tilly stuck her head out, “I thought you said…”
“Be quiet.” Janet stared at the mat and looked around the cave. She took her blanket and wrapped it around a shovel handle and punched the mat in the center. The mat crumbled and a three foot wide hole appeared. Hot air blew into the cave but it was fresh air. Janet went back and sat against the back wall, “I’m really thankful you asked about the gas cans.”
“Why?”
“That mat was fused into the wall; we could have run out
of air.” Tilly shrugged and Janet said, “I see why Mike loves you so much.” Tilly lifted her eyebrows and smiled.
• • •
The sun finally went down and the air blowing into the cave turned cool. Janet went out and tentatively put her hand on the rock wall outside the cave entrance. She pulled it back and looked at Tilly, “It’s about as hot as it is after baking in the desert all day.”
“Where’s our ladder?” Janet shrugged. Tilly turned and went back in the cave, “There’s a climbing rope in a plastic bag on the back wall.” Janet waited and Tilly returned with a braided rope that had a three prong hook on the end. Janet took it from Tilly and threw it over the wall. She pulled it hard and it came back over the wall at them. They dodged it and Janet threw it again. After six tries, Janet started curing. Tilly said, “Let me try.”
Janet looked at her with a scowl and said, “Do you think you can do better?” Tilly threw it over the wall and tugged on it. The hook stayed and Tilly pulled herself up to the top of the wall. “Of all the lucky…”
Tilly looked down, “You’re just jealous; we have company.” Janet climbed the rope to the top of the wall and saw a long line of vehicles at the road with flashing emergency lights. She shook her head and Tilly said, “What?”
“Those are government vehicles. I’ve got to believe at least one of them is associated with the organization trying to kill you.”
“What do we do?”
“We stay put.” They looked out at what had once been a living desert. The only thing remaining was sand burned into glass. “I bet the environmentalists are raising almighty hell about this.”
“There’s the transport.”
Janet looked to the right and saw the metal skeleton of the giant aircraft. “Someone shot it down.”
“Will they be able to determine that from the wreckage?”
“Probably not.”
“It looks like our tank is gone.” Janet looked over her shoulder and nodded. “Do you think they’ll come this far to investigate?”
“I really don’t know.”
“If they do, they won’t find us.”
“Why do you say that?”
Tilly pointed toward the end of the opening in the rocks and Janet saw the small fissure they used to enter was blocked solid with fused sand. “That is a good thing, Tilly.”
“I was hoping you would say that.”
• • •
Twenty four hours later, they were back on the wall watching the massive number of vehicles moving around the crash site. Janet looked at Tilly and said, “What two words could you say that Mike would know you’re the one that said them.”
“Hardheaded biddy.”
Janet started laughing and Tilly said, “I was right; he was wrong.” Janet took out her cell phone and typed the two words into a text message. She verified she had a signal and pressed the send button. She immediately turned off the phone.
• • •
Mike was crossing the Arizona state line when his cell phone beeped. Who would be sending him a text? He looked at the message and almost crashed the Scout. He found a clearing and took the helicopter down. He put his head in his hands and wept for ten minutes. She was alive and Janet was with her. He pulled himself together and jumped at a loud roar. Two Air Force Jets screamed by low overhead twelve minutes after he landed the helicopter under a tall pine tree. They knew he was here. He stayed in the clearing until the next morning.
• • •
Mamba sat at a communication terminal with a headset on. The display in front of him was black and he was feeling a cold touch of fear run down his spine, “All three of our assets at Dyes have been removed.”
“What?”
“The two pilots can’t be found and Col. Jackson had a heart attack and died in the hospital.” Mamba remained silent and the voice said, “The President must be in the dark; he’s attending a Boy Scout jamboree this afternoon and doesn’t appear to have a care in the world.”
“Then who?”
“That Major can’t be doing this alone; someone is helping him.”
“Do we need to move the timetable up?”
“We can’t. Our friends need time to prepare. Find that Major and remove him; do I make myself clear.”
“Yes Sir.” Mamba waited but then saw the green light on the panel had turned red. He blew out a breath and started thinking. If he knew about Dyes, he must know about El Segundo. Whatever happened at Dyes was going to happen in California. He called and warned Atkins and told him he shouldn’t wait to act. His life depended on it. He sat at the terminal and wondered where the Major was getting his help. He thought about the attacks on the Major and knew someone must have helped him avoid the sniper in Washington. There was something else playing around the edges of his mind but he couldn’t pull it out.
• • •
“I know I saw a heat source down there.”
“My system didn’t detect anything.”
“We’re over uninhabited territory here; it had to be an aircraft.”
“Was it moving?”
“When I detected it, it was almost stationary.”
“It could have been a camp fire.”
“If that were the case, we’d see it now.”
“Swing around and come back for another run.” The two Air Force Falcons turned and moved back along their flight path and flew over the forest again. “I still don’t see anything.”
“We’re splash on fuel, I guess it was a false reading; we need to head back.”
• • •
Mike walked out from under the branches and listened; he could hear the approach of jet engines. He moved back to the huge pine’s trunk and heard the two jets roar by overhead. He went to the helicopter and took out the handset. “Major Blackwell.”
“Yes Sir.”
“I need the names of two jet pilots who are in the air right now. I’m on the California/Arizona state line and they just buzzed my location. I’d start at El Segundo.”
“I’m on it.”
“Don’t you ever sleep?”
“I was sleeping at my desk until you called.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the War Room. Don’t worry about me; I’m single and until this is resolved, I’ll probably be here most of the time.”
“How old are you, Major?”
“Forty one.”
“I have someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Playing matchmaker now, are you?”
“Trust me on this one; you’ll be the lucky one if you can garner her interest. You’re about the only one I’ve ever met that might stand a chance.”
“Now you have my interest.”
“Let’s hope we can make it happen. Let me know about those pilots.”
“Captain Ed Stilwell and Lieutenant Bob Close; both of them are out of El Segundo.”
Mike shook his head, “Major, you are dangerous.”
“Keep it to yourself; I like the nerdy image.”
Mike smiled and went back and sat in the helicopter. Tilly was alive.
• • •
Mamba stood in front of Jameson with a hard expression, “You’ve failed us.”
“Actually, it’s not my failure.” Mamba glared at him. “Sir, all I have to work with is the ground radar installations and they’ve come up empty. Our assets have the most modern jets in the services and they’ve not been used to find him. They have look down capability and can see heat sources below them. Why haven’t they been used to find that slug?” Mamba’s eyes narrowed and he thought about what Jameson said. He wanted to kill somebody but the Colonel was right. “Sir, I’m going to try something; I don’t know if it will work, but it might.”
“What?”
“I’m going to send a cell phone message with an encrypted signal to see if I can ping his phone.”
“Do what?”
“Every cell phone has a test circuit in it where it pings a local tower to determine if it’s
functioning properly. If it pings, I can get a line on the closest cell tower to that phone’s location.”
“Do it and get back to me if you find anything.”
“Yes Sir.” Mamba stormed away and Jameson typed two words in the code used by the Satellite Service. He sent the message and watched his panel. He knew he had to report his findings but he wasn’t worried about Mike being found. He punched a button and said, “Sir, I’ve got a return.”
Mamba came running back into the room and said, “Where.”
“A Sprint tower close to the Arizona/ California state line sent the call.”
“Where on that border?”
“That tower had a three hundred mile line of sight. However, it’s located in Southern California.”
Mamba ran out of the room. The Major was headed toward El Segundo.
• • •
Mike felt his phone vibrate and saw an unknown caller had contacted his phone. He saw an attachment and opened it. It looked like gibberish but he saw a pattern. He stared at it and without thought he applied the code used at the agency; he saw two words. It had to of come from Jameson. He shook his head and pulled the handset out of its bag and punched a button. He fired up the helicopter and moved north. That message made it through; they could have a line on his location.
“I see you’re up early.”
“Major, I’ve just received a message from Colonel Jameson.”
“I thought he was one of them.”
“He is but he must be having second thoughts.”
“What was his message?”
“Two words…Russia and China.”
“Oh Crap!! Tell me it isn’t so.”
“See if you can find any communications leaving our bases that are being sent overseas.”
“I’m on it. I’ll let General Branton know.”
“That would be wise.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jess looked at Elle and shook his head, “You really look different.”
“What’s the first clue? Is it my green skin or my sharp pointy teeth? If you haven’t looked, you look different as well.”
“Jess held up his hands and saw the five fingers and two thumbs. “This is a good color. Reminds me of a lizard I nearly stepped on.”
