by Thomas Craig
“It’s not good. We have the SUV traveling west on Route 40 toward Bogota and the aircraft traveling close to 180 mph heading slightly southwest,” Lauren informed us.
“I know we are already an hour behind the aircraft, but we should stop the SUV first, then move forward to catch up to the aircraft,” I suggested.
“Maybe. If Taz is in the SUV, then all is dandy. If he’s in that aircraft, we will have to go full out to catch up, and even then, we will be three to four hours behind. Our top speed is only about 40 more miles per hour than the aircraft we plan to chase down. Oh, and this is all contingent on keeping them on our radar,” Lauren revealed. “They are flying low and jumping on and off the radar.”
◆◆◆
Tazario did not get the confirmation back from the Bagadorez brothers that they eliminated the DEA or FBI and commando unit. He bid his farewells to the ELN guerrillas, and gathered Izabella and the other women, and took the SUV north towards Route 40 that would eventually lead him to Bogota if that were his intentions.
However, he had no plans to drive for a day or two across Colombia. About ten minutes north of Casuarito, Tazario turned onto a farm road, following his GPS directions onto an even smaller dirt road.
After traveling the bumping terrain for a mile, he pulled into a clearing where a small rundown building sat next to a private helipad that was overrun by weeds and grass from neglect. A man had just climbed into the only helicopter present and started up the engine.
Tazario walked quickly to the twin-engine Eurocopter EC155 knowing that Izabella would usher two of the three women quickly behind him. They all climbed aboard as the blades picked up speed for takeoff.
“Is she all set?” Tazario asked his faithful companion Izabella.
“Yes. She could not believe it at first, but when I showed her the money and programmed the GPS for Bogota, she cried with joy. She will make the drive as instructed,” Izabella informed Tazario.
“Good,” he replied. Then he leaned forward and tapped the pilot signaling him to go.
One thing Tazario learned from his predecessors who were always being chased by the government and police, was to always have a helicopter close by and ready.
Knowing the Colombian Army and their Blackhawk were positioned between him and the Venezuelan border, he would have to chart a flight plan heading west and outrun them by air. The next stop would normally be Orocue airport on the Meta River 320 miles away for refueling a helicopter making this trek.
However, the owner of this Eurocopter outfitted the machine with an interior fuel tank holding another 100 gallons of fuel. They would be able to travel nonstop to the city of Neiva, 550 miles to the southwest and 150 miles south of Bogota. Barring no trouble from Army aircraft, they should arrive well before sunrise.
“The extra fuel will only allow for three passengers for the distance you requested. Fuel is calculated to the liter for the 550 nautical miles we will travel. No room for excess weight,” the pilot said indifferently as the problem was not his to solve.
Tazario didn’t even think twice as he opened the door and told the woman closest to the exit to get out. She looked confused, but when Tazario pulled his pistol out and pointed it at her, she understood and removed herself from the helicopter. Tazario closed the door and tapped the pilot on his shoulder again.
The woman could feel the strong downward force of the air start to pick up. She instinctively started to run away from underneath the blades of the helicopter. She found herself alone in a field watching the evil man that bought her days earlier, ascend before disappearing over the tree line heading west.
The SUV was no longer in sight and the small building at the edge of the tarmac was dark and vacant. She was alone, in the dark, in a foreign country in the middle of nowhere. She realized she was crying tears of joy, as she was now free.
In hopes to evade most radars, Tazario ordered the pilot to hug the ground and treetops as close as possible. This was extremely dangerous, but the only way to give them a little more advantage was being off the radar most of the trip. Being paid very well for this exclusive journey, the pilot cautiously obeyed the order as they raced across Colombia.
Chapter 30
Sixty Feet Under
Things were not going our way this evening. We had to land in the middle of route 40 at night, blocking both East and Westbound cars and trucks that were making the overnight trip across Colombia. This was extremely dangerous for us and the vehicles on the road as the highway was not well lit. Thankfully, our experienced pilots timed it well, avoiding any large semi-trucks and cars as we set down.
We landed a mile in front of the traveling SUV and had just enough time to jump out, break some glow sticks, and create a visible roadblock on both sides of Route 40. One would think a Blackhawk in the middle of the road would be noticeable enough, but it was designed to blend into the night.
Glow sticks were all over the highway and the helicopter's exterior lights were on. The SUV came to a stop at a safe distance. A few other cars traveling east stopped as well wondering what in the hell was going on. We must have been putting on quite the show.
As Holliday and I approached the vehicle from the front, a commando came from the side of the road unseen and approached the driver. When the commando was within ten feet of the driver’s window, he turned on his flashlight to blind the driver for a few seconds as he swept the light to the backseats to look for others.
“Una Mujer!” He shouted to us letting us know it was just the woman driver, no one else.
“Shit!” Holliday spat, as we continued forward. His fear that the SUV would be a waste of our time had come true.
Once we safely removed the only occupant from the SUV, we moved the vehicle off the road and took off again. Our risk was not rewarded with the capture of Tazario Zapata. However, the woman from the SUV gave us a good description of the Eurocopter and the occupants. It was a spot-on match from what Esperanza had given us of Tazario and Izabella.
This bit of information helped lift Holliday’s spirit for the moment.
As a talented and career tracker of fugitives, Holliday was in his element chasing people. However, the major disparity in his old job and where he found himself in this case, seemed to be the frequency of people constantly shooting at him.
He could handle the gunfire and he could handle himself in the worst of it. Holliday just was not used to seeing his team get shot so often. The whole mindset of seeing someone shot or being shot himself, and then healed by me, was relatively new to him and not easy to process. The dramatic and emotional stress of the events this past week were weighing on him.
We had several hours of flight time ahead of us, so maybe he could center himself or just rest.
The young lady we took from the SUV was secured in the helicopter. Her captor had only provided her a meager amount of clothing. She appreciated the blanket we provided and was wrapped up and resting.
Most of us leaned back and closed our eyes to get a little shut-eye. Arya was on Lauren’s Satellite phone talking to the hospital to get an update on Agent Redford and the commando.
I’m not sure if it was something Arya said or if the Blackhawk hit a little air pocket, but something jolted me awake from my light sleep.
I slowly rolled my head to the right and opened my eyes finding Arya next to me still talking into the phone with her hand over her mouth and receiver.
To her right was Lauren with her arm around the young woman, embracing her closely, both with their eyes closed. The woman was out cold from a sedative Arya gave her to settler her down for the helicopter ride.
Across from Lauren, tucked behind the gunner half wall facing out the side was the commando with the sniper skills. He had a headset on in case the pilots needed him but had his eyes closed, taking advantage of the flight time to rest. Holliday was across from me awake and gave me a little nod of the head.
“Can’t sleep for shit on these things,” he said to me.
O
ther than the other gunner tucked behind Holliday and the two pilots, no one else should have been on board.
But there it was, crouched next to Holliday staring at me. It took up most of the space between Holliday and the opposite side door. It looked massive in the space of the fuselage.
My eyes went from half-open to full panic mode wide open. I was frozen, staring into its’ orange eyes. Neither of us so much as blinked. I tried to speak but failed.
“Hey! You okay Lou?” Holliday asked as he looked himself over and then the space to his left where I was gaping.
This got Arya’s attention and she stopped talking and looked me over.
“What is it, Lou?” She questioned me as she looked in the direction I seemed to have been visually locked in.
“Snap him out of it, he’s making me uncomfortable over here,” Holliday pleaded to Arya.
Arya released her safety strap and knelt in front of me to get my attention. Lauren was now awake. Arya handed Lauren the Sat Phone and then put her hands on my knees. She was about to say something to me but was interrupted.
The Sky Being started to pulsate and turned a bright orange, eyes went yellow and its’ body became more translucent. I knew what was going to happen next and I finally found my words.
“Oh shit!” I yelled as I raised my hands to protect myself.
Arya was startled and leaned back looking over her shoulder to see why I reacted.
Although Arya could not see what I feared was an angry Sky Being, she felt it. The Being sprung forward directly at me and like a ghost, it moved through Arya on its way to me.
“Oh my God!” Arya gasped loudly as her body trembled.
Arya felt on fire for a few seconds as she sensed something paranormal going through her. It seemed to pause for a second in her. Her back arched and her head snapped back facing the ceiling. She looked and felt possessed.
Holliday went from being concerned to being highly freaked out.
Arya did not feel in control of her faculties as the Being’s presence in her made her see and feel every painful moment of her life.
Everything slowed down for her.
She was 8 years old again, and her neighbor was beating her with a switch for presumably stealing goat milk, which she had not done. She was 10 and was run over by a delivery boy on a small motorbike in the streets of Mumbai. A few other painful moments flashed before her eyes. Then she was 19 looking over her shoulder a split second before a male tiger hit her on a full sprint. Its tremendous force and weight landed on top of her, submerging her face down in the wet and muddy farm field. She felt the claws digging into her back as the Tiger leaped from her back and ran away.
Arya snapped back to reality, quickly realizing that she had started to urinate and was hyperventilating.
The force of the Sky Being passing through Arya and smacking into me jammed my arms against my chest and my hands in my face. It was on me. Chest to chest, face to face.
“What is wrong with you two?” Holliday yelled as he looked at me reacting to nothing, yet my hands were up in front of my face. Arya slumped over crying and catching her breath.
“Lauren?” Holliday asked her with his hands gesturing to what is going on.
Everyone was now looking at me with my hands plastered to my face, palms facing out. Arya was quickly gathering herself at my feet.
“What is going on?” Lauren asked us both with growing concern in her voice and eyes.
She could tell we were both struggling but was confused as to why or how to help.
All I could think about is how bad this was going to be at 3,000 feet off the ground. If I got thrashed around in here it would put everyone’s lives in danger.
“Tell the pilots to land now!” I yelled as the glowing Sky Being yanked me unsuccessfully and then looked down at my lap belt.
“No, no, no, no!” I screamed.
It put one hand on my throat and the other was unbuckling me.
With my hands free now, it was two hands against one to defend my safety harness.
At this point, Holliday was likely thinking I was possessed or having a seizure. I was now making choking sounds and my hands were franticly swatting and fumbling in my lap.
I think Arya had recovered now and figured out what was going on but did not know how to help me. She was looking at my hands and seemed to be sizing up the imaginary being in front of me.
Lauren had put on a headset and was yelling to the pilots to land. I am sure the pilots were thinking why and where, as we were currently 3,000 above a patch of dense forest in the dark of the night.
Then it happened. The safety belt latch in my lap was torn free. Its hands plowed under my armpits and gripped me firmly.
I reached over to Lauren with my right hand as my left felt around for something sturdy to hold onto. Where is the ‘oh shit handle’?!
Lauren dropped the Satellite phone and grabbed my hand with both of hers.
It was useless.
The side fuselage door of the Blackhawk violently slid open and the Sky Being leaped out taking me with it.
I looked back to see Holliday’s fear-stricken face pale along with Arya and Lauren screaming and reaching for me. A second later the Blackhawk was already 300 feet away and I could not see them as I fell towards the earth below.
◆◆◆
Back on the Blackhawk, Holliday sat slack-jawed for a moment while Arya sprung into action. She told Lauren and Holliday to block the gunner’s views of the main fuselage occupants and distract them as they descend. They both did as they were told.
Next, she moved past the gunners to the cockpit and instructed the pilots to double back two miles and land in a clearing as per her directions.
“If we do that, we will lose all the gained distance on the projected route of the other helicopter or plane,” the co-pilot answered as the other pilot was already slowing the machine's airspeed for the maneuver.
“Did you see that flash back there? A glow of some sort out the left side a moment ago?” Arya asked.
“Barely. It was behind me,” the co-pilot answered.
“We believe that may have been either the helicopter or someone parachuting, and we want to quickly explore the area,” Arya insisted.
“That’s crazy. It’s dark out there. You will not find anything. Nothing is on our radar either,” the co-pilot informed her as the helicopter completed the 180-degree turn. Just then the radar screen showed several bleeps directly in front of them and the forest below seemed to instantly glow bright, then went dark again.
“There! Put us down there!” she shouted at them and then went back to help distract the two gunners to avoid noticing Lou had fallen out of the helicopter.
Holliday was pointing out the gunner’s window on the left side convincing him of the light he saw on the ground. The gunner was looking out the window which is all Arya wanted for now.
The other gunner was still sleeping as Lauren stood guard ready to block his view or distract him.
Neither Holliday nor Lauren knew what Arya was thinking, but they trusted her to know to follow orders and follow along.
When the Blackhawk banked and decreased speed to come in for a landing in a clearing, Lauren looked over to see that the lady they picked up was now awake and looking around confused. The commando in the gunner seat in front of her was now up and alert looking around.
Lauren just pointed out the window as if signaling him to focus. He complied with her but was also talking into his microphone getting information from the co-pilot.
As soon as the wheels of the helicopter touched down, Arya was telling Holliday and Lauren to run for the tree line. As they exited quickly, Arya was unbuckling the commando from his seat on the left side, the side that both Holliday and Lauren left. Arya was rushing the commando to keep him distracted from noticing how many people exited the fuselage a few seconds ago.
As they both came through the fuselage, Arya distracted the woman and blocked her view of the comman
do stepping out. Arya asked her to stay focused on the tree line to the right and help the other gunner be on the lookout. The woman seemed confused but turned her head and stared out into the darkness.
Arya turned and left the helicopter to the left joining the commando and headed towards the tree line.
When they both caught up to Holliday, Lauren was nowhere in sight.
“Did Lauren and Lou head out together?” Arya asked Holliday.
Holliday looked at Arya strangely before answering, “Yes, Lauren is out there looking for Lou.”
“You mean looking with Lou for the possible helicopter or object they descended quickly into this area?” Arya said slowly back to Holliday.
“That’s right,” Holliday slowly and almost reluctantly answered back. Then it was as if he came out of shock and was thinking clearly again.
“How about we try catching up to them? They went this way.” Holliday motioned to follow him as he led Arya and the commando deeper into the woods.
About five minutes into the hike they could see smoldering trees in the distance. Having lost the light of the moon above the tree canopy, the embers provided an easy beacon to wander towards in the night, much better than the two small mag lights they had been using.
When they arrived at the epicenter of the mysterious bonfire, they found Lauren standing on a mound of dirt under the tall smoldering trees around her. It was eerie looking as if Lauren were in the middle of some sort of failed witch trials where she was found guilty. Fire all around her but not near enough to hurt her.
Arya walked up the dirt and joined Lauren looking down into a 10-foot radius pitch-black hole.
“Do you think he is okay?” Lauren said softly to Arya.
“I have to believe he is Lauren. What comforts me now is that I can still feel his positive presence. If he were injured or dead, I think we would both feel that pain,” Arya explained.
Lauren took Arya’s hand for just a second and squeezed it. “I believe that too.”
They turned to Holliday and the commando who were both now at the edge of the bottomless hole.
