E.m.7
Episode 4
Give Them Hell,
Boys!
By
Aussie Lass
This story and its artwork have been rescued. We have tried to
contact the author, but gotten no reply. Since we had permission to
list her stories on Lady Angel's M7 Library (now M7FC), and I hate to
see good stories lost, we are hosting it here for safe-keeping. AUTHOR NOTE:
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1. Episode Four is very
different to the first three stories. I had great difficulty weaving
both subplots and humour into the story. |
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Part One
To whom it may
concern,
I am writing
this letter on this day to ensure their lives were not lost in vain. We
have
just been told that our mission has been classified top
secret - the world will never know what took place in that
wretched jungle. I cannot allow that to happen. While I am loyal to my
country
and am willing to die serving it, I will not permit their sacrifice and
bravery
to go unnoticed... not while I have breath left in my body!
I am Ezra
Standish of Em7: Executive Mediation Seven. Three days ago, the
seven-man team,
of which I am a member, was called in to rescue the President of the
United
States and his Australian and New Zealand counterparts when their plane
crashed
into a section of the South American jungle that is being held by
merciless rebels.
Below you will find a detailed account of what happened.
Ezra could feel
his heart pumping. He had been with Em7 for many months, but he had
never felt
such tension before, except perhaps on the day they had discovered Vin
was
alive and they had gone to rescue him from the Hawks. That seemed so
long ago
and yet had been but only six weeks prior. That day, Chris and the
others had
been facing the loss of a brother they had thought dead for two years.
Today
was permeated with a different kind of tension.
Ezra glanced at
his companions as he strode down the aisle between the seats and
started
unloading the gear he had slung on his back. He was moving
automatically, not
consciously thinking about his actions.
The sound of the
plane’s engine warming up filled his being. There was something surreal
about
this. They were being asked to rescue the President of the United
States and
two other world leaders from the middle of a jungle held by hostile
rebels!
Just the seven of them!
Standish glanced
at J.D. The youth looked flushed and overwhelmed. Well ,at least I
am not
alone in my misgivings!
The other
members of the group, while certainly intense, looked focused, calm and
collected. Ezra realized he wasn’t looking into the faces of men who
worked in
a security organization, but those of soldiers who had experienced this
sort of
insane situation before. Larabee, Tanner, Sanchez, Wilmington and
Jackson had
been the Special Tactics Force One during the Katinda Conflict. They
were men
who knew the jungle and were not phased by the prospect that the
President...The
President!... Ezra shook his head. The President was in trouble.
Never in
his wildest dreams did Ezra think he would be involved in an operation
as
important or imperative as this.
Further down the
aisle, J.D. swallowed. It had all happened so suddenly. One minute they
were
discussing the possibilities and the next... here they were. There was
no
turning back now. Chris had accepted the mission, so the President’s
rescue was
their responsibility.
J.D. physically
shuddered at the thought of what lay ahead. It wasn’t that this was so
different from any other time he and his group had performed an
emergency
mission, but... J.D. had never encountered full combat conditions. He
had been
involved in operations that were run with military precision, but never
a
mission that required jungle warfare. There was a possibility that they
were
heading into to a war-zone to rescue the President!
“Buckle up!” the
pilot called. The men settled themselves in their seats for takeoff.
Vin fingered the
cloth of his uniform. Nothing could quite match the musty smell of
fatigues, he
mused. Even if washed a hundred times, the army greens cling to their
own
unique aroma. The smell brought with it a flood of memories, but Vin
didn’t have
time to consciously consider them. The lieutenant glanced out the
window as the
plane lifted into the air. The ground disappeared and blue sky
stretched as far
as he could see - the point of no return.
“I’ll let Ollie
know where we’re off to,“ Buck stated, moving passed Vin. Tom Oliver
was an old
colleague who had fought along side Tanner and his team a million years
ago -
or so it seemed to the young sharpshooter.
“Lieutenant,”
Larabee called.
Vin pushed the
memory away, unbuckled his belt and moved to the front of the aircraft
to join
his Colonel. To this point, they had simply decided that they were
going to
South America to rescue the five men who were lost in enemy territory.
Larabee
was yet to develop a strategy for doing so.
Basically, the
situation could not be plainer. Just on three hours earlier, a plane
containing
eleven occupants, three of whom were world leaders, went down in a
section of
the Brazilian rainforest held by the Ghosts of Freedom rebels. The
revolutionaries were not just locals who had picked up rifles miffed at
the
government. They were a radical faction of their country’s armed forces
- fully
qualified soldiers who had taken over a huge section of the jungle.
Very
formidable foes.
“Five men to
rescue,” Chris mused as he took a seat and pulled down a small tabletop
that
was stowed into the wall.
“What of the six
bodies?” Vin asked, taking a seat directly across from his colonel.
“Not our
problem,” Larabee stated, without emotion. “We go in, find the five
survivors
and bring them out. J.D., I need those print outs and the maps.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Lieutenant
Tanner and I are off-limits for the next hour,” Chris ordered.
J.D. glanced at
Nathan. “Off-limits?”
“They don’t want
to be disturbed. They’re going to plan our mission.”
“Oh.”
“We know two of
them are security men, one of which is supposed to have some sort of
military
experience. The other four men have basic fitness levels. We‘re still
not sure
on injuries,“ Chris stated, thinking out aloud.
“And the seven
of us have got to bring the five of them out,“ Tanner muttered.
“That’s about
the size of it. Initial ideas?”
“Reckon we
should consider major problems first,” Vin stated, quietly.
“Go on.”
“We’re taking
two greenhorns in with us.”
“Ezra and J.D.?
What are you talking about? They’ve been in battle with us before,”
Chris
pointed out, a little surprised by Vin’s statement.
“Not like this,
Colonel,” Vin argued. “This is real combat in a jungle setting. The
rebels are
fully trained soldiers. We know they’ve been in the area for a long
time. It’s
going to be a war-zone. Landmines, traps,... maybe even snipers. One
step wrong
and you blow a leg off. A misfired rifle and we’re all dead. And
there‘s always
the chance that we‘ll come face to face with them. Armed combat in a
hell hole
like Kat.”
Larabee frowned.
He hadn’t thought in those terms. His lieutenant was right. “You think
they’ll
be a liability?” Chris asked carefully. He was interested in his
friend’s
opinion.
Ezra and J.D.,
who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, both started protesting
vigorously. Josiah and Nathan grabbed the two men and ushered them to
the back
of the plane.
“Of all the...
what does Vin think he’s saying?! He doesn‘t trust us! He‘s thinks
we‘ll just
be in the way!” Ezra growled.
“Calm down,”
Nathan instructed.
“CALM DOWN!”
“Quiet! It’s
important they aren’t disturbed,” Josiah snarled.
“Ezra... Ezra!”
Nathan called, insistently, grabbing Standish, who had started back
down toward
his leader and second in command.
“I will be far
from a liability and the fact that you seem to think that I would be
one is...”
Josiah grabbed
the back of Ezra‘s shirt in his massive fist and dragged him back. “I‘m
not
telling you again, Standish. Leave... them... be.”
“Ezra, calm
down.”
CALM DOWN! CALM
DOWN! You’re not the one who...”
“They aren’t
saying they think you‘ll be a liability,” Nathan broke in, quickly.
“Vin’s role is
to play Devil’s advocate,” Josiah explained. “He points out all
possibilities
and disagrees with everything Chris says until they decide on something
that
works.” It was a strategy that had been very successful during Katinda.
Vin
argued, disagreed and generally stated the opposite, forcing Chris to
examine
every facet of the mission from every angle possible. Once Chris made
his
decision though, Vin was his leader’s most staunch supporter.
“I... I see.”
“The fact that
you and J.D. have never seen action like this is an important factor.
It has to
be taken into consideration. Chris will make the appropriate decision.
That’s
what he does best. Vin’s job is to alert him to all options and
possible
problems. Whatever Chris decides, it will be in the unit’s best
interests.”
Ezra nodded. “I
didn’t mean to react so... I’m sorry.” For one terrible moment, Ezra
had
thought Vin was questioning his loyalty. That hadn’t been the case.
“It’s really
important that we don’t interrupt their train of thought. Anything they
miss is
a possible flaw in the plan and that could cost lives.”
“I understand,”
Ezra replied, his breathing coming back under control.
Josiah patted
the other man’s shoulder.
“But what if
they decide that Ezra and I... I mean, what if Chris says we can’t go?”
J.D.
whispered.
“Then we shall
obey his orders as always and support the team in whatever way we can,”
Ezra
stated, calmly.
Nathan nodded
and placed his hand on his companion‘s shoulder. Ezra had not been
angry at the
thought of being judged unfit for the task. He had been devastated at
the
thought that Vin may have been rejecting him because of a lack of
faith. For
Ezra, such rejection by those he trusted was the worst thing in the
world.
Standish did not trust easily and past experiences had left him guarded
and
wary of others. All of those insecurities had been dismissed when he
had joined
Em7 - all of those insecurities had resurfaced the moment he thought
that his
loyalty was being questioned.
**
At the front of
the cabin, Chris restated the question. “You think they’ll be a
liability?”
Vin took a long
deep breath. “All greenhorns are, but then, like you said, they’ve been
in
battle before.”
“But nothing
like this. You’re right. We may be walking into a war-zone. They’ve
never faced
that before.”
“We both know
the problems if we do take them. We saw enough greenhorns in Kat.“
Larabee grunted.
He was well aware of how the mistakes of an inexperienced man could
cost lives.
“True, but these two are a little different. We’ve worked with them
before.“
“Granted.”
“Problems if we
leave them behind?”
“Two that I can
think of. First, our team has always thought, acted and moved as one.
That’s
what gives us the edge. Problem is, we don’t think as five anymore. We
think as
seven.”
Chris was
nodding thoughtfully. “And the second problem?”
“Entertainment.”
Larabee’s left eyebrow arched. Vin grinned and lowered his voice. “I’d
miss
Ezra’s running commentary on how uncomfortable he is.”
Chris smiled and
winked at his companion before glancing down to the back of the cabin.
“J.D.,
those papers?”
“Yes, Sir,” the
boy responded, darting down the aisle, placing them on the table and
then
retreating just as quickly.
“I need to know
what your gut is telling you, Vin.”
Tanner leaned
back in his chair. “Well... first up, we’ve got to bring five out.
Gonna need
at least seven. One to scout, one to protect our tail and the other
five to do
the carrying. Second, like I said, we ain’t the STF1 anymore. We think
in terms
of seven men. Trying to change that now could be even more dangerous
than
taking greenhorns in.”
Chris‘ brow was
deeply furrowed as he listened to his lieutenant’s thoughts. His men
made
assumptions based on seven men, not five. Such automatic reactions
could be
costly if they were two down. “Go on.”
“Bottom line is,
I think we need them. We’d be stupid to leave them behind. J.D.’s
communication
skills could come in handy. We don’t know what sort of condition the
five men
will be in. We may have to carry all of them out. If that’s the case,
we’ll
need to call in more troops. Having J.D. there and able to link up to
satellites and shit... you know what I mean?” Larabee nodded. “And as
for Ezra,
he’s no soldier, but he’s the most able man I’ve ever come across. When
the
chips are down, Standish is the man you want standing along side you.”
Ezra’s chest
inflated and he breathed out slowly. So that was what Vin actually
thought. The
experienced agent considered how insecure he really was. Of course Vin
hadn’t
been questioning his loyalty,... but then, years of mistrust could not
be
dismissed easily. He would have to think next time before reacting.
These men
did trust him and they had faith in him. Ezra released a long, deep
breath. In
this case, he hoped their faith was warranted.
Chris Larabee
sat back and began to mull over all options. He took out a cigar and
lit it.
For several minutes neither he nor Vin moved or spoke. Finally, the
Colonel
glanced over at his lieutenant. “Stupid if we left them behind?”
“Reckon so. I
think the benefits will out-weigh the risks. We’re just going to have
to make
sure we keep an eye on them.”
“We go in as
Em7.” There was the decision. Ezra and J.D. exchanged a smile. They had
been listening
to every word being spoken, as were Nathan and Josiah.
“Just thought it
best we worked it through,” Tanner explained. “Never really thought
we’d leave
them behind.” The young man glanced back at his two companions. J.D.
gave the
thumbs up, a beaming smile on his face. Ezra’s head bobbed once - a
simple
acknowledgment that he understood why Vin had said and done what he had.
“Alright, how
the hell are we going to do this? The jungle is too thick to parachute
into,”
Chris stated, drawing Vin’s attention back to the strategy meeting.
“Yep, we’re
gonna have to hike in.”
Chris spread out
the satellite map J.D. had provided. “According to our last
communication
with...”
“The Package.”
“Good, ‘The
Package’.” The term would allow the men to talk more easily. It made
things
less personal. At the moment, they couldn’t afford to consider more
than that.
“Our last communication with ‘The Package’ put them, here,” Chris
stated,
indicating on the map. “Which is about two miles from the plane.”
“And they were
heading south?”
Larabee nodded.
“So the closest spot would be here,” the colonel stated, pointing to
the edge
of the jungle. “How long will it take us to hike in?”
“About a day.
That’s assuming that the jungle isn’t too think.” Vin stared down at
the map.
“Hell, Chris. They’re right in the middle of the section the rebels
control.”
“Yeah, I know.
That’s the Ghost’s headquarters. Appears to be well set up. There‘s a
landing
strip there, too, by the look of it.”
“Yeah.“ Vin was
shaking his head. “Gotta be less than eight hours from the crash site.”
“It’s been three
hours since the plane went down, so in about five hours they should
find it,
which is approximately the same time we should arrive down there.”
“Colonel, I
don’t think we should get Ollie to drop us.” Larabee glanced up
curiously. He
knew Vin didn’t like working with outsiders. Outsiders made mistakes.
Ollie was
a damn good pilot who had assisted the men more than once, but in
Tanner’s
eyes, there was no one like Buck.
“I want Buck on
the ground with us.”
“Not saying we
should leave him behind. Look, if we get dropped here, the rebels are
going to
hear the plane. It’ll take the element of surprise from us and maybe
alert them
to the fact that “The Package” is important. I say we get Ollie to drop
us here,”
Vin stated, pointing, “It’s far enough away for them not to hear the
plane. Be
about two hours by jeep along this road. I know it’s adding time, but I
think
it may be worth it.”
Chris began
chewing on the end of his cigar. “I like it. We take a jeep to here and
hike
in. We go directly to the spot where we had the last communication and
you can
pick up the trail.”
“And when we
find them?”
“We winch them
out. We get Ollie to get a helicopter, fly in low, drop a rope and
literally
pull them up. We cover them from the ground and then make our way back
through
the jungle to the jeep.”
Vin was
frowning. “The canopy will be thick.”
“Then we cut
through the canopy. We‘ve done that before. If winching is impossible
then we
simply walk them out... carry them, if we have to.“ Larabee paused,
running the
plan over in his mind. “Can you foresee any problems?”
“You gotta be
kiddin’! I see huge problems if any of the men are badly hurt.”
“We can’t do
anything about that.”
“I’d like to
know how many men the rebels have got on the move in the area,” Vin
mused.
“J.D., I need a
current satellite picture of the jungle. Enlarge the area we’re going
to. I
want to be able to see features. And I need you to home in on any
communications going on down there,” Chris ordered.
“I’m on it,
Sir.”
“See, satellites
and shit,” Vin stated, grinning. Tanner dropped his eyes to the map,
the
exchanged light moment gone and forgotten immediately. “We’re gonna be
in
trouble if they’ve got a lot of men out searching the area for them.
Can‘t cut the
canopy quietly. If the jungle is crawling with rebels, the noise will
bring
them straight to us.”
“Again, that’s
out of our control. If there‘s a lot of rebels, we walk ‘The Package’
out.”
“If they’re
hurt...” Vin shook his head. He didn’t like this at all.
“I know, but
there’s no way to get a chopper down in there. We winch or we walk
depending on
which is viable.”
“We don’t have
much of a plan,” Vin pointed out.
“You don’t think
it will work?” Chris asked.
Vin shrugged. “If
there aren’t many rebels in there and if the five men aren’t
hurt, we
should be okay.”
Chris sighed.
They were two huge ‘ifs‘. “Are you trying to say we should abort?”
Vin looked up at
his colonel and shook his head. “We’re the only hope they’ve got,
Colonel. You
can’t send an army in. They’d be spotted before they got anywhere near
’The
Package’ and then it’d be an international incident. It’s got to be a
covert
operation and there are very few groups out there with the experience
needed.
Like I said, we‘re the best hope they‘ve got.”
“Nothing fancy.
Just in and out as quickly and quietly as we can,” Chris muttered.
Vin continued to
study the map. “Colonel, I’m really worried about the number of troops
the
rebels have got. We can‘t take on an army if we‘re trying to bring
injured men
out alive, winched or walked.”
“J.D., you got
anything for us, yet?”
“Not yet. I’m
working on it, Sir.”
“Ezra, get on
the phone and find out how many rebels we’re talking about.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chris stubbed
out his cigar and pointed to the road. “We need to know if there are
any guards
or lookouts posted on this road.”
“Stands to
reason there might be,” Vin agreed. “Then again, why put someone out
there? The
rebels’ fortress is almost two days inland.”
“Perhaps. The
satellite should tell us more.”
“And if the
rebels have captured “The Package” before we find them?” Vin asked.
“Then we track
them down, rescue them and get them out of there.”
“Just like
that?”
“Just like
that.” Larabee paused and lifted his eyes to his lieutenant. “You’re
right. We
don’t have much of a plan,” he conceded. “Maybe we need more troops?”
“Nope. The more
men, the more likely the rebels will spot them. It’s got to be a small
group
who are accomplished at jungle warfare... and that’s us. Like you said,
we keep
it simple. In and out as quickly as possible. Winch if possible. Walk
if not.
And if the rebels have captured ‘The Package‘, we deal with that, too.”
Chris started
nodding. The more he examined the situation, the more he was beginning
to agree
with Vin. They truly were ‘The Package’s’ best hope. “Okay, we do it.”
**********
Mary watched as
her father-in-law paced. Every couple of seconds he glanced at his
watch. The
experienced reporter had never seen him quite this agitated. She had
dropped in
to interview Em7. After all, military personnel from all over the world
had
laid down tools for three minutes based solely on a request from
Larabee. Now
that was a big story! However, when Mary had arrived, she found Em7’s
office
empty.
The woman had
then decided to visit the General in the hope he could inform her of
the men’s
whereabouts.
“Orrin?”
“Mary, I can’t.
I’d like to tell you, but I can’t.” Mary Travis frowned. She understood
that,
at times, her father-in-law had to keep military secrets and she
respected
that. However, she didn’t like it when the secrets involved Larabee and
his
men.
“They’re on a
mission?”
Travis licked
his lips. “They’re on the most important mission this country has seen
in
decades,” he whispered.
Mary’s face
blanketed with concern. “When did they leave?”
“A few hours
ago.” Orrin Travis started pacing again.
“Then they’ve
been fully re-instated?”
“Yes. My God, if
ever we’ve needed them, it’s now.”
“Orrin?” Mary
asked. Now, she was feeling frightened.
The general
turned to face the young woman. “If they fail...” Orrin couldn’t
finish. “They
can’t fail.”
**********
Josiah watched
his Colonel and Lieutenant. It truly was just like old times, only Vin
and
Chris would have done this at their camp nestled in the jungles of
Katinda,
rather than on a plane destined for South America. Josiah took a long
deep
breath. This was going to be like returning to Katinda - the jungle, a
hidden
enemy who knew the territory, a mission of international importance.
How many
times had Josiah and his group been involved in such an operation?
“They’ve gone
quiet,” Nathan muttered.
“I know. They
must be sorting out the fine details.” Ezra and J.D. had both been
forthcoming
with the information requested of them and since receiving it, Vin and
Chris
had been muttering quietly and refining their plan.
“What do you
think, Josiah?”
“I don’t know,
Brother. If it were sneaking in, blowing something up and then getting
out of
there, that’s one thing. Sneaking in and rescuing one person, that’s
fine, too.
But five men, some, or all, of which who could be wounded, all under
the nose
of armed and trained soldiers who are searching for them too... “
“I wish you
hadn’t put it so clearly,” Nathan murmured. Before the medic could
comment
further, Larabee called for his men’s attention.
“I want all of
you to get some rest. In about two hours, I’ll be briefing you on how
we’re
going to handle this. Until then, do whatever you need to, but rest.”
“Yes, Sir,” came
the collective response.
Larabee turned
to his Lieutenant. “If you think of anything else, let me know.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Vin... thanks.
I’d forgotten how easy it was with you throwing things at me.”
Tanner snorted.
“Hey, I don’t mind arguin’ with you, Larabee. Comes real natural to
me.”
“Insubordinate
sonofabitch.“
Tanner winked at
his Colonel and then moved off. Chris smiled and watched as his best
friend
headed back to his seat. Vin liked to sit by himself before a mission
and
prepare mentally. All of the boys would engage in their own very
personal
routine of preparation. There was no one ‘right’ way to ready oneself
for
battle. Each had to find a way that suited him.
*****
Nathan pulled
everything from his pack slowly and checked it fastidiously. Each item
was
meticulously replaced, Jackson mentally making note of its inclusion.
Once he
had finished, he repeated the ceremony with his webbing. The army belt
contained so many essential items. Nathan unpacked them with great care
and
then returned them one at a time. Placing the belt next to him, the
medic
leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. It was time to rest. Time
to try
and empty his mind of what was to come and what had happened in the
past.
Nathan had been in this situation too many times to count. Right now,
he wanted
to relax and steal a few minutes’ sleep. There was no telling when he
would
have the opportunity to sleep again.
*****
Buck returned to
the cabin and picked up his rifle. Seemingly unaware of all of those
around
him, Wilmington began to hum as he cleaned the weapon. The rifle could
not have
been in better condition, but then, cleaning it was not the point. Buck
was
zoning out, emptying his mind and, like Nathan, consciously thinking of
nothing.
*****
Josiah was
seated, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his head lowered, his
hands
clasped in front of him. Heavenly Father, I come before you today -
a soul
searching for guidance. I need your strength. I need your wisdom. I
need your
patience. Grant Chris the wisdom to plan out a mission that will see us
rescue
the five men lost and bring us all home safely. Help J.D. to relax, the
Kid’s
terrified. I’ll keep an eye on him of course, but right now, he needs
the peace
only your love can give. Father, bless... Josiah’s prayers would
continue
for some time. Once he had found peace with himself, he too would sleep
for a long
as possible.
*****
‘Oh, God.’
J.D. watched Buck and decided that checking his rifle was a good idea.
At least
it would give him something to do! How could the others all lay there
and
sleep?!
‘Oh, God.’ He
was trained in technology. In that field, there were very few who were
his
equal. However, technology would not play a large role in this mission.
‘Oh,
God.’ Sure, Chris had made him complete the military training
course when
he’d first joined, but that wasn’t like this. This was real war. ‘Oh,
God.’
J.D.’s mind
wandered back to the mission when he and the others had rescued the
Cirovian
diplomat. Chris had sent him out of the battle zone and down to the
boat to
prepare the team’s retreat. J.D. had been very pleased by that. This
time,
though, there was no place for Chris to send him. This time, J.D. would
be in
the thick of the battle like the rest of the boys. ‘Oh, God’.
As J.D. ran his
mind back over the various operations he had performed with Em7, he
realized
that Larabee had always kept him out of the direct line of fire.
Whether that
had been a conscious decision on the Colonel’s part, or it had just
been the
way things had turned out because the young man was in charge of
technology,
J.D. couldn’t be sure. ‘Oh, God.’
“J.D.,” Nathan
called softly. “Get some sleep, son.”
“I don’t think I
can, Nathan. I’m all worked up.”
Jackson smiled.
“Try to calm down. It’s important that you’re rested.”
J.D. swallowed,
put his rifle down and laid back in his seat. What if he stuffed up?
What if
Vin had been right and he was a greenhorn? What if what he did... or
didn’t
do... got one of the other boys killed?! ‘Oh, God!’
*****
Once we find
them, Vin can scout and I’ll get Buck to bring up the rear... If there
aren’t a
lot of rebels we’ll winch and we’ll be home free. If we can’t winch
them and
’The Package’ can walk we’ll be okay, too. Not my first choice, but we
should
still get them out. If we have to carry them... Josiah’ll be all right,
Nathan,
too. Ezra and J.D. could probably carry one between them. They’ll have
to carry
one each if they’re all down. I can carry a man... wouldn’t be the
first time.
If they can walk we’ll be fine. If not... maybe I will have to call in
other
troops. I’ll line that up with Travis before we go in. Actually, I’ll
call
Travis and get him down here. If anything goes wrong, I want him on the
spot to
make any decisions... Vin’s right about the number of troops. Sneaking
in past
them shouldn’t be a problem. Trying to get out with the other five men
isn’t
going to be easy if we can‘t winch them... Maybe a decoy mission. Vin
could...
no. Never again. He stays with us! Chris had promised himself that
he would never send Vin off again,
no matter what the stakes. He had done it so many times in Katinda and
it had
torn him apart every time. Chris decided that would not happen again.
He didn’t
care if his reasoning was personal and even selfish. Vin Tanner would
never
again be left behind to ensure the team’s safe retreat!
Josiah could
plant a few explosions. That should create enough of a distraction to
give us a
window... all depends if the five men are fit enough to run. Could be a
fast
journey out... if they aren’t badly hurt. Perhaps...
*****
What the hell
am I doing here?!
Ezra
shut his eyes. He’d heard Nathan’s advice to J.D. and decided he, too,
should
try and get some sleep. Sleep! How? Vin was right. I’m no
soldier.
I’m good at what I do, but sneaking around in a war zone isn’t one of
them.
We’ve never done anything like this before... We’ll probably have to
camp
overnight... in the jungle?! None of our missions have been this
long... Calm
down, Ezra! You know you can handle yourself. Vin has faith in you.
Hell, they
all do. Stop second-guessing yourself. Chris wouldn’t take you in if he
didn’t
think you would be an asset to the mission. You... I’m thinking about
myself in
third person. Great! Ezra consciously cleared his mind. He needed
to sleep.
Part Two
Vin followed the
pattern he always did when preparing for a high stakes mission, but
this time,
something went dreadfully wrong. As he was visualizing the jungle and
how he
would track down ’The Package’ successfully, images from his past
entered his
mind - slowly at first and then with increasing pace. Memories that had
been
lost for three long years, bombarded him. Trees... gunfire...
running... a
chopper... explosions... “Vin, go left!”
Tanner reacted
to the order without question. The sharpshooter ducked through the
thick
jungle. Gunfire to his left. The young man hit the ground and turned.
“Nathan?”
he called into the headset.
“I’m pinned
down!”
“I’m comin’.
Hold on.”
“No, Vin.
There’s too many. Get out of here.”
“Can’t do that,
Nathan.” Tanner moved through the dense foliage like a panther. He
spotted a
Kat Cong soldier. The well-trained lieutenant fired. Instantly, he was
peppered
with bullets from other Cong.
“VIN?!”
“You were right.
There’s a lot of them!” Tanner replied, leaping to the side and
returning fire.
“Where are you, Nathan?” A single rifle shot. “Yep, got you. Chris and
the
others went right. They’ll circle back when they realize we’re
miss....”
Bullets scattered across the spot Vin was standing. It was time to move
again.
The sharpshooter darted left, heading toward the spot where Nathan was
concealed. “I’m coming toward you, Nathan, so don’t shoot me!”
The Kat Cong
were firing at the site Vin had vacated. They hadn’t spotted the
sharpshooter move.
Vin saw his friend and dropped beside him. It was then that Vin saw
Nathan’s
boot was caught in the steel jaws of a Cong trap.
“We gonna need
Josiah to get it open?” he asked, scanning the area around them.
“Yeah.”
“Broken?”
“No.”
“Pierce the
boot?”
“No. My foot’s
okay. I just can’t get it open.”
Vin’s eyes never
left the jungle. The Cong had stopped firing. Nathan opened his mouth
to say
something, but Vin held up his hand for silence. He listened intently,
tuning
out unnecessary sounds. Movement. Vin swung around. A Kat Cong soldier
stepped
out of the dense jungle behind the pair and fired a single shot.
Instinctively,
Vin dived over Nathan to protect him, at the same time pulling the
trigger. The
soldier fell.
“Vin?!”
“He missed.”
“What the hell
did you think you were doing?”
“A moment of
insanity.” Vin grunted turning his rifle upside down and slamming it
into the
release trigger on the trap holding his companion. He had to get Nathan
free!
The Cong would be all over them in seconds!
“Vin, go! There’s
nothing you can do.”
“Ain’t leaving
you, Nathan. Besides, can’t deny Chris the lecture he’s going to give
me for
not following procedure.”
“Vin, please.
Go!”
Tanner lifted
his eyes to his friend.
“Go! They’ll be
here any second. Please, Kid. Go. ‘Cold day in hell‘.” The final phrase
was
code. It simply meant that it would be a cold day in hell before he’d
allow
himself to be taken alive.
“Nathan...” Six
Cong soldiers burst through the jungle. Tanner and Jackson froze, both
knowing
this was it. A fuselage of shots echoed in the thicket. Despite being
pinned,
Nathan threw himself over Vin in a vain attempt to protect his young
friend.
“VIN! NATHAN?!”
“Chris?” Nathan
rolled off the sharpshooter who was struggling to see what was
happening.
Larabee and Sanchez rushed forward. Tanner glanced to where the Cong
had
appeared. The soldiers lay on the ground, cut down where they had stood.
“Now that’s what
I call good timing!”
“Either of you
hurt?”
“Nathan’s foot’s
caught,” Tanner stated, trying to avoid his Colonel’s gaze.
Larabee gave Vin
a calculated look. Vin glanced over at his leader and shrugged.
“You and I need
to talk!”
“Sorry.” It was
said simply. No, he hadn’t followed procedure. He should have left
Nathan. He’d
heard the argument a hundred times and basically, he agreed with it.
There was
no sense two men dying in the place of one, but Vin hadn’t been able to
leave
his friend... and he knew that Chris wouldn’t have either. However, Vin
had
learned one very important thing about his leader - ‘Do as I say, not
as I do.’
It was okay for the Colonel to decide to give his life, but he couldn’t
afford
for the men in his team to do so whenever they liked. He had to give
them rules
to save their lives and ensure the survival of the unit.
“Josiah, get his
foot out.”
“Where’s Buck?”
Vin asked, trying to change the subject. He was in deep shit and he
knew it.
“Watching our
backs.” Chris continued to glare at his young sharpshooter.
“I’m sorry. I
couldn’t leave him, Chris. Wouldn’t have been right.”
“And it would have
been right for the rest of us to come back and find two men dead
instead of
one?! You don’t make those sorts of decisions, Lieutenant. I do. You
know the
rules.”
“So what are you
gonna do? Dock me a week’s wages?! Ground me?! Clap me in irons?!” Vin
burst
out. He felt so confused. His mind had told him to leave - to obey
Chris’
order. Hell, following Larabee’s orders had saved his life more times
then he
cared think about. But his heart hadn’t let him leave. He couldn’t just
turn
his back on Nathan. Anger consumed him, fuelled by his turmoil and
hurt. Where
the hell did Chris get off telling him when and who he could risk his
life for?
“I chose to stay with him, end of story. Ain’t got nothin’ to do with
you or
anyone else.”
“That’s where
you’re wrong, brother,” Josiah stated, calmly. Larabee and Tanner
turned.
Josiah had Nathan free, the medic’s arm over the huge sergeant’s
shoulder. “We
lost that right when we joined this team. The survival of the unit is
more
important than the life of any one man. You know that.”
Vin glanced down
at the ground. “I’m sorry.” He knew they were right, but it didn’t
change how
he felt. The terror he had experienced when he realized he couldn’t get
Nathan
free haunted him.
Larabee’s arm
slipped across his shoulders. Chris understood. “Compassion and bravery
are
important. Don’t dilute them with stupidity, Vin.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve
never been in a situation like that before. I... I’m sorry.”
“We’ll talk it
through later. Right now...”
Movement. All of
the men dropped to the ground.
Buck’s voice
echoed out of the silent jungle. “Let’s move, boys! They’re coming!”
Seconds
later, Wilmington barreled into view.
“How many?”
“About a half
dozen.”
“Vin and I’ll
take care of them. The rest of you go!”
“Yes, Sir!”
Without a word,
Tanner and Larabee moved back through the jungle. They had to hold off
the
enemy to give their companions time to retreat to the chopper.
Chris pointed.
Vin nodded. The sharpshooter moved around to the left. They waited. Vin
could
hear the enemy approaching. He glanced at his partner. Larabee’s head
bobbed
once. Both men raised their rifles. The enemy appeared. They opened
fire...
gunfire! Screams of shock... the echo of bullets... the smell of
blood... it
never ended. The gunfire... echoing bullets... The gunfire... echoing
bullets... gunfire...
Josiah raised
his head. He had prayed for guidance and wisdom and for the Lord to
travel with
them. He felt at peace. As the big man settled back in his chair, he
noticed
Vin sitting rigid; his eyes squeezed shut with force. The young man’s
face was
white, his hands balled into fists.
Josiah moved
swiftly, but without noise. He didn’t want to startle Vin. The fully
qualified
psychiatrist knew what was happening. Vin’s memories were attacking
him. The
big man crossed the aisle and laid his hand on one of Tanner’s tightly
clenched
fists. “Come back to us, Vin,” he whispered. “You’re on a plane. You’re
not in
Kat. We’re all here. Let the memory go. Let it go.”
Josiah watched
as Vin’s chest heaved. The tightly clenched fist under the sergeant’s
hand
began to relax.
“Good. Let it
go.”
Vin’s eyes
opened. He looked dazed. Josiah dropped down beside his friend. “You
okay?”
Vin swallowed
and nodded. The colour was beginning to return to his face.
“Your memories
are resurfacing again,” Josiah explained, squeezing Vin’s fist.
“We came pretty
close a couple of times, didn’t we?” Vin whispered.
Josiah knew what
Vin meant. He was talking about how close they had come to losing any
one of
them during the war. “Yeah, more than a couple; a lot of times. But we
made it
through.”
Vin released a
deep breath and glanced up at Josiah. “I’ve got so much locked away in
my head.
So much I’ve forgotten.”
“Give it time.
It’ll come back when it’s ready. Lay back and try to get some rest.”
Vin shook his
head and stood, pushing past Josiah. The Lieutenant moved up the aisle
and
stopped beside his leader whose eyes were closed. Chris needed to be
told.
“Colonel.”
Larabee’s eyes
opened immediately. He hadn’t been sleeping. He’d been reviewing his
strategy and
trying to improve it. “Yeah?... You okay?”
“We’ve got one
other problem.”
Chris indicated
for Vin to take the seat next to him. “What?”
“Me,” Vin stated
in a hushed voice.
“You? What do
you mean?”
“I just had a
flashback, Chris. I can’t guarantee it won’t happen during the
mission.” Chris
stared at his friend. “Look, my head tells me it’s stupid to take a man
who
can’t guarantee he can stay focused. My heart, though... I don’t want
you to go
without me. It’s your call, Colonel.” With that, Vin rose to his feet
and
disappeared into the cockpit. He needed to escape from Chris’ gaze and
from the
looks of horror and bewilderment on the faces of his team. They had all
heard
what he’d said.
For several
seconds, Chris just sat. He had never considered Vin’s condition. There
was no
way his team could go in without Tanner. The young man’s tracking
skills would
be essential to the success of the mission. If they couldn’t take Vin,
they’d
have to abort the mission!
“Colonel?”
Josiah offered.
Larabee glanced
up at his sergeant. “Talk to me, Josiah. Is he going to be able to
remain
focused?”
“I think so.
Vin’s been under fire a couple of times now. His memories tend to
surface
before and after a mission, but not during it. It’s when he relaxes and
allows
his mind to reflect on what’s coming or what’s happened, that he seems
to be
accosted by the return of memories. When we rescued the diplomat, when
we saved
those hostages and even when we had the brawl in the saloon, Vin stayed
focused.”
“This is going
to be very similar to Kat, though,” Chris muttered.
“Yeah, it is,
but Vin will be focused on the mission at hand. Afterwards, when he
relaxes and
reflects on what we did, then he may have to confront some memories.”
“Is that your
professional or personal opinion?”
“Both, Sir.”
Larabee nodded.
“I need to think.”
“Sir, he needs
to be with us. If we leave him behind, he’ll see it as a lack of faith
in him.
That, he won’t cope with.”
“I have to think
about the good of the unit, Sergeant,” Chris growled quietly.
Sanchez nodded.
“True, so don’t let personal feelings come into this, Chris. I know you
want to
protect him, but Vin’s a soldier. A damn good one. Let him do what he
does
best.”
Chris watched
Josiah go. The sergeant was correct. Larabee had just been told that
his Lieutenant
would remain focused and perform his job. Larabee trusted Josiah’s
judgement.
The only reason the colonel would have to reject such statements would
be
because he wanted to protect his best friend. I know you want to
protect
him, but Vin’s a soldier. A damn good one. Let him do what he does best.
Larabee rose to
his feet and stepped up to the cockpit. Ollie was talking away, telling
Vin
about his new glider. Tanner was nodding, trying to appear interested.
“Lieutenant.”
Vin glanced back at his leader. Chris nodded once. The colonel could
see the
real relief blanket his young friend’s face. “Go and talk to Josiah. He
put my
mind at rest. He should for you, too.”
“Yes, Sir.” Vin
rose and moved up to Chris.
Larabee smiled.
“We‘ll give ‘em hell.” Chris squeezed his best friend’s shoulder and
then
indicated for him to go and discuss his condition with Josiah. Larabee
knew his
lieutenant would be worried about his ability to remain focused.
Josiah’s
explanation should help him to relax.
***********
Travis reached
for his phone. “Chris?... Of course. I understand. I’ll be on the next
plane.
You believe you’ll be able to effect the rescue?... My prayers go with
you
all.” Travis replaced the phone.
Mary rose to her
feet.
“I have to go.”
“Where?”
“I can’t tell you.
I’ll contact you when I can. Hug Billy for me and tell him his
grandfather
loves him.”
With that, the
elderly man marched out of the office.
Mary stood for
several seconds before following. “Rescue?”
**********
Chris surveyed
the faces of his men. He had just outlined the strategy he and Vin had
developed. While he still didn’t feel it was the best plan he had ever
come up
with, it was certainly the only one available to them for this
particular
mission. Chris honestly believed that he and his team were the best
option the
free world had to get the world leaders out alive.
“So you foresee
us having to camp overnight in the jungle?” Ezra clarified.
Larabee nodded.
“One night on the way in and one on the way out... all going well.”
“We may not have
that luxury once we find ‘The Package’,” Nathan commented.
“Perhaps. Any
questions?” The men all stood staring down at the map laid out in front
of
them. Chris had made everything very clear. They were going to hike in,
find
the President’s party and hopefully winch them out. Failing that,
they’d hike
out - dealing with problems as they arose. There was no other way to go
about
it.
“Good. J.D. and
Ezra, there are only three rules you need to remember. Rule number one:
don’t
put your feet anywhere unless the man in front has already put them
there. Rule
number two: No single man’s life is as important as ensuring the
survival of
the unit. Rule number three: don’t question, just do. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” both
men responded.
“Buck, have you
checked the jeep?” The plane housed one military off-roader. Once Ollie
made
the makeshift landing on the road Chris had indicated, Em7 would
literally
drive out of the back of the aircraft.
“Yes, Sir. It’s
going to be a tight squeeze, but the seven of us should fit - just as
long as
J.D. rides on the hood!”
“Good. Nathan,
you’ve got everything you think we may need?”
“As much as we
can carry, Sir.”
“Josiah, have
you got the charges that you need?”
“Like Nathan, as
much as I can carry, Sir.”
“J.D., I need
you to take whatever you need to establish a satellite link on the
move.”
“Okay, but if
they have any technology at all, they’ll be able to trace me the moment
I make
the connection. From the look of that satellite picture, they have at
least a
dish.”
“We’ll only be
using it in an emergency, but I want to make sure we’ve got it if we
need it.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Vin?”
“I’m set,
Colonel.”
Ezra waited. He
needed Larabee to ask him something... anything so that he felt as
though he
was a necessary part of the mission.
“Ezra,
familiarize yourself with the rebel’s hierarchy. I want to know who
we’re up
against, just in case we happen to come face to face.”
“I have already
taken the liberty of doing just that.”
“Good.” Chris
nodded to his agent. He had suspected that Ezra would have. Standish
was a very
competent man. “Alright boys. We’re about five minutes out. Make sure
you’re
well hydrated before we leave... and J.D., go to the toilet. There
won’t be any
pit stops once we get in the jeep.”
J.D. grinned.
Chris winked at him. The tension in the cabin eased.
“You do realize
that this will be the longest time that I have been required to be in
this
obnoxious uniform!”
“Damn,” Vin
muttered.
Buck slapped the
lieutenant on the back, a smile the size of Texas lighting up his
features.
“That’s ten dollars ya owe me, Pard.”
“I beg your
pardon? Are you implying that you had made a wager on...?”
“On how long it
would be before you started blowing wind about the fatigues, and I won.
Vin
here gave you ten hours. Silly, boy. Me, I said between four and five
hours. I
win.”
“What did you
have, brother?” Josiah asked Nathan.
“Two hours.
You?”
“Seven hours.
J.D.?”
“I only gave him
fifteen minutes, so I lost ages ago. Chris?”
“I gave him
until tomorrow morning.”
“All of you?!
You all partook in this hurtful bet? I am mortified by your lack of
appreciation of, and sympathy for, my delicate constitution.”
“Yeah, right,
Ezra. Ya each owe me ten dollars,” Buck claimed, extending his palm and
waiting
for it to be filled.
“Add it to my
tab,” Josiah chuckled.
“Take it off the
hundred dollars ya owe me,” J.D. giggled.
“I’m a little
short this week, Buck. Sorry.”
“Haven’t got a
cent on me, Bucklin. I’m good for it if we survive the next couple of
days,”
Vin laughed.
“Chris?” Buck
asked in exasperation.
“Where the hell
are you going to spend it today?”
“Well, I...
that’s not the point!”
“Boys, I can see
a good spot to land ahead. Buckle up. It’s gonna be a bumpy landing,”
Ollie
called. The words sobered the men immediately. Chris extended his hand.
One by
one his men laid theirs on top. The group bounced their fists once and
then
moved off to take their seats. The sacred ritual was a form of bonding,
preparation and blessing. It saved a lot of unnecessary words - words
that
weren’t easy to say.
Moments later,
the plane was on the ground and the boys had piled into the single jeep.
“Good luck,”
Ollie shouted. The pilot watched his friends leave. He didn’t know
where they
were going and he didn’t know why. He wasn’t privy to such information.
What he
did know was that Em7 handled only the most sensitive operations, so
whatever
it was, it had to be important.
The captain
waited until the jeep was out of sight and then used the road in front
of him
as a runway to take off. Em7 were on their own.
**********
Perhaps if the
situation hadn’t been so serious, the seven men in the four-man jeep
would have
been amused. None considered how ridiculous they looked piled in on top
of one
another. Buck drove as was always the case. Chris was in the passenger
seat and
J.D. was squeezed between the two men. Thankfully, Buck didn’t tend to
use the
gears so there was no issue with J.D. sitting on them! The other four
were
across the back, the two on the outside clinging to the vehicle to
remain in
it. The ‘road’ had petered out to an overgrown dirt track. It was
obvious that
few vehicles used it.
As Buck flew
over another ditch, Nathan and Josiah gripped the two outside men who
were
technically only half in the vehicle.
“No sign of any
guards, Colonel,” J.D. shouted over the roaring motor. They had been on
the
road for almost two hours.
“How much
further?” Ezra called from the back. To say he was uncomfortable was an
understatement. If it weren’t for Nathan’s vice-like grip of his arm,
he knew
he’d be littering the roadway that was flashing under the jeep at an
incredible
pace.
Chris glanced
down at the map and compass he was trying to keep level. “Only about
fifteen
minutes. As soon as we...”
“Quiet! Buck!”
Vin shouted. The captain ran the jeep straight off the road and pulled
under
the cover of some trees. He switched off the motor. The men sat in
silence,
rifles drawn. Above, they could hear the sound of a chopper. Vin
stepped from
the jeep and sited the aircraft. He was ready to bring it down if
necessary.
“The rebels?”
Ezra asked.
“Maybe,” Josiah
muttered. The seven watched the aircraft as it travelled overhead and
disappeared.
Vin climbed back
into the jeep and shrugged. “Only the pilot. No passengers.”
“Buck,” Chris
prompted. Wilmington backed the jeep up and sent it hurtling back onto
the road.
“I really do
believe I am going to require a visit to the chiropractor at the
conclusion of
this mission.”
Vin grinned at
his companion. “Yer back out, Ezra?” he shouted.
“Every bone in
my body has been jarred from the spot it has happily resided for the
past
twenty-eight years.”
“Yep, Buck
hasn’t missed one pothole,” Josiah agreed.
It wasn’t long
before Chris pointed and Buck pulled the vehicle off the road. “Okay,
camouflage the jeep the best you can,” the colonel ordered. “It isn’t
as thick
as I thought,” he commented to his lieutenant, eyeing the jungle they
were
about to enter.
“Nope. It’ll get
thicker as we get deeper, though.”
Chris turned and
watched as his men completed hiding their vehicle.
“Colonel, how
are we going to fit in the jeep on the way back?” J.D. asked.
“We won’t be
using it. We’ll radio Ollie and get him to land here. There won’t be
any need
to hide his arrival. All right, adjust your loads. Headsets on, but
don’t use
them unless absolutely necessary. We don’t really know how
sophisticated the
enemy’s technology is, but we do know they have some. Any questions?”
The group stood
staring at their leader. They were standing in full combat gear, on the
side of
a dirt track in the middle of a foreign country about to embark on a
mission that
would see them take on an army in an effort to rescue three world
leaders...
just the seven of them. It was that part Ezra found inconceivable.
“There are only
three rules. One - don’t put your feet anywhere unless the man in front
of you
has already put his there. Two - no one man is more important than the
survival
of the unit. Three - don’t question, just do. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” was
snapped back at the colonel with confidence.
“Alright, boys.
We’re on. Vin, take up point. Josiah, you‘re rear guard.”
“Sir, I’m going
to pull out a ways,” Vin stated, as he moved to the edge of the jungle.
Chris’s
brow furrowed. “It’s been a while since I’ve done this. If I make a
mistake, I
don’t want the man behind me paying the price as well.”
Larabee drew in
a sharp breath and nodded once. Cold hard reality hit home for all of
the men.
One wrong step and it would be their last. “Nathan, behind Vin. Then
J.D., me,
Ezra, Buck and Josiah. Stay in that order and don’t change it for any
reason
without letting me know.” Again a ‘yes, Sir’ was cracked back at the
colonel. “Two,
let’s go.”
Vin turned,
checked his rifle and then entered the jungle. After a few steps he
stopped,
waiting for his eyes to adjust to the limited light. Once satisfied, he
moved
forward. Nathan left a gap of fifteen feet before following.
J.D. became
aware of the coolness around him almost immediately. The sun had been
beating
down on him in the jeep, causing him to sweat profusely. After only a
couple of
steps into the jungle, the boy realized that the sun had little chance
of
penetrating the thick canopy above.
The young man’s
eyes were glued to Nathan’s boots. The moment the medic’s foot vacated
a spot,
J.D.’s boot filled it. He found his heart thundering in his chest. The
jungle
around him was so quiet. He knew he wasn’t supposed to talk. Chris had
made
that really clear. No talking unless it was absolutely necessary, but
talking
always relaxed him. God, he wished it were Buck in front of him! Why
hadn’t
Chris let him be near, Buck? Larabee knew that... that he would
probably
distract Buck... and that Buck would distract himself worrying about
the
younger agent. J.D. sighed. Chris Larabee was one hell of a leader.
There was
very little that slipped by him.
Behind him, J.D.
could hear the rhythmical fall of his Colonel‘s boots. For a split
second, J.D.
lifted his eyes to search for Vin. He could just make out the
sharpshooter
moving smoothly through the jungle. The youth remembered Buck
describing Vin as
a phantom. “Vin’s the only man I’ve ever come across who can move
without a
single sound in the jungle. He’s amazing.”
J.D. strained
his ears. He could hear Nathan, but try as he might, he couldn’t pick
up any
sounds from the team’s point. He decided that that was probably because
Vin was
so far out in front, and pulling away from the group, the boy realized.
Nathan increased
his pace. J.D. matched it. Around him, J.D. realized the jungle no
longer
sounded silent. As a matter of fact, it was downright noisy! There were
birds
calling and responding to each other, but it was the insects that the
young
agent couldn’t believe. Like the static on a radio, the insects created
a din
that was almost annoying.
J.D. adjusted
his pack. He had remembered everything, hadn’t he? His laptop. Two
solar
batteries. His phone. Had it turned off his phone?! Yes. Yes, he
remembered
doing it.
J.D. swallowed
and actively tried to slow his heart rate. He’d never felt this sort of
pressure before. He wasn’t frightened exactly, but the nerves in his
stomach
were causing the sandwich he’d had on the plane to do flip-flops. Why
did he
feel like this? He’d been with the boys on other missions. J.D.
expelled his
breath slowly. The other missions had been in the real world, not in
the middle
of a jungle! It was like another world, J.D. decided. Like he had
stepped into
a porthole in the world of science fiction and found himself in a lost
world.
The natives were unfriendly and... J.D. consciously pushed the thoughts
aside.
He was supposed to be concentrating.
The youth
watched Nathan’s stride. He’d never realized how long his friend’s legs
were.
Nathan was covering the ground so easily. It was going to be a long day
if they
had to keep up this pace.
J.D. found
himself feeling thirsty. He was sweating. Nathan had said that it was
important
to drink as you needed it... but did he stop and have a drink, or just
drink
from his canteen as he walked? His canteen was hanging around his neck.
He
could pick up the canteen without taking his eyes off Nathan’s boots,
couldn’t
he?
“Boys.” The word
was hushed, but startlingly loud in the jungle. Nathan pulled up, J.D.
stopping
just before he ran into his companion. Without a word, Nathan lifted
his
canteen and took several swallows from it. J.D. followed his lead,
glancing out
in front to see if Vin had heard the order to stop.
Tanner appeared
and nodded to his companions.
“Anything?”
Chris asked.
“Not yet. But
there’s signs we’re not the only ones who’ve been here.”
“How long ago?”
Vin shrugged.
“Jungle swallows things quickly. Probably only a couple of days.”
“What did you
see?” J.D. asked. All of his companions stared at him. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Vin
stated. “Saw some human feces.”
“How did you
notice it with everything else? How did you know it was human and not
an
animal‘s?” J.D. asked intrigued.
“J.D.,” Buck
muttered, stepping up and patting the boy’s shoulder. “Save the rest of
your
questions for after the mission.”
“Sorry.”
Buck smiled at
the youth. “How are you doing?” They’d been walking for just on an
hour. Only
an hour! It seemed like forever.
“Okay. I’ve
never done anything like this before.”
“Just keep your
eyes on Nathan. Whatever he does, you do. Okay?”
J.D. flashed his
friend a smile that held far more confidence than he felt.
“Boys,” Chris
prompted. “Let’s go.”
**********
Ezra could feel
the sweat dripping down his back. At first, the jungle had promised
relief from
the sun, but it had quickly become steamy. The humidity was horrific.
The coarse
material of his uniform was prickling the Em7 agent. All jokes aside,
he did
have sensitive skin. Actually, his mother had taken him to several skin
specialists when he was young. Ezra’s mind filled with thoughts of his
mother.
Quite suddenly, he found himself wishing he had phoned her before
leaving on
this mission.
The agent took a
moment to glance at his watch. They had been moving inland for well
over four
hours. Larabee had stopped them every twenty minutes for a drink break,
but
outside of that, there had been no interruptions to their trek.
It would only be
a few hours before dark Standish mused. Ezra wondered if the team would
stop,
or push on. When his leader had outlined the plan, there hadn’t been as
many
details as usual. Normally, every second of a mission was planned with
pinpoint
accuracy. This one, however, had been different. As the Colonel had
spoken, he
had kept using the word, ‘routine’. Perhaps this was indeed ‘routine’
for the
former members of the S.T.F.1., but that certainly wasn’t the case for
Standish
and Dunne. Now, Ezra accurately understood what Vin had meant about the
risks
in including two men who had never experienced this type of mission.
The other
five shared a history and therefore were prone to making assumptions
based on
their mutual experiences. That was where the team could come unstuck
and that
was what Vin had been warning about. Yet, both the lieutenant and
colonel had
felt that such risks were out-weighed by the advantages of having the
two
‘greenhorns’ along.
Ezra smiled to
himself. Such faith truly did gladden his heart.
Ezra lifted his
eyes from Larabee’s boots where they had been glued for the past four
hours.
The agent searched the line of men ahead. Since the first break for
water, Vin
had remained with the team. Standish hadn’t seen anything that looked
remotely
like a concealed trap or landmine, but then, he really didn’t know what
he was
looking for. There had been several instances when Vin appeared to take
a more
difficult path than necessary, so perhaps he had seen something and had
successfully led the team around the danger. The one thing that Ezra
was
relieved about was the fact that they hadn’t encountered any of the
rebels.
Larabee had warned them that they could, particularly the closer to the
downed
plane they got.
It was as this
thought was being processed that Vin Tanner stopped abruptly. The
others pulled
up behind him. Ezra strained his ears.
A noise!
Without a word,
the group sank to the jungle floor - crouched, weapons at the ready;
eyes
scanning the silent forest around them.
They listened.
Movement ahead. A voice!
Vin glanced back
over his shoulder. Larabee nodded. Soundlessly, Tanner disappeared into
the
jungle in the direction of the voice.
J.D. swallowed.
What the hell was going on? Was it the rebels? Why was Vin going alone?
The
thundering of the boy’s own heart filled his ears, drowning out all
other
sound. His chest felt like it was on fire, his stomach turning over and
over
again. He stared into the dense jungle that had claimed his friend. The
pounding in his ears rose to a roar!
Larabee reached
forward and placed his hand on the boy’s arm. He sensed J.D.’s fear.
The youth
glanced back at his colonel. The older man’s head bobbed once in
assurance.
J.D. swallowed again.
Chris’ intense
green eyes grabbed the boy’s. It’s okay. J.D. read the look
and nodded.
His racing heart was beginning to slow. The pounding in his ears eased.
Larabee
patted the youth’s arm and then removed his hand. Glancing back over
his
shoulder, he inclined his head.
J.D. watched as
Buck moved passed him and then he, too, disappeared into the jungle
ahead. J.D.
felt relieved. Buck would back Vin up. He’d make sure the sharpshooter
was
okay.
The seconds
ticked by. Ezra found he was starting to get worried, and yet, Larabee
didn’t
seem concerned. The Colonel’s face still appeared calm - alert and
intense, but
calm all the same.
Without warning,
Buck and Vin reappeared, moving low to the ground. Vin inclined his
head and
moved off sharply to his right. Remaining crouched, Nathan followed.
Chris
prodded J.D. in the back and the youth moved after his companions.
For almost half
an hour, the men continued, staying close to the jungle floor. J.D.
knew they
had circled back to the direction they had originally been moving. He
guessed
that Vin had simply taken the group around the person they had heard.
After what
seemed like an eternity, Vin straightened. His team mates did likewise.
Chris approached
his sharpshooter.
“Three men,
Colonel. Heavily armed. Couldn’t see any radios on them.”
Larabee’s brow
furrowed. “Scouts out this far?”
Vin shrugged.
“We’re basically on a trail. You can see that they keep the jungle cut
back.“
Ezra heard the
comment and realized his companion was correct. The jungle around them
was
dense and overgrown, yet Vin had kept them moving ahead without having
to cut
his way through. Of course it was a path.
“Been a lot of
paths cris-crossing it. The rebels must patrol this area. Don’t know
why.”
“Perhaps they
are hiding something,” Ezra suggested.
“This is just
the place to hide it,” Vin muttered.
“They’re looking
for ‘The Package’,” Chris muttered. It made sense. There were probably
small
scouting groups throughout the area searching for the downed plane and
its
occupants.
“They were
sitting eating,” Buck stated.
“You hungry,
Buck?” Josiah asked, grinning. Wilmington smiled.
“We’ll bed down
in an hour. We can eat then,” Chris stated. “I want to put some
distance
between us and those scouts.”
“Probably just
take us closer to others,” Vin pointed out.
Larabee flicked
his eyes to his lieutenant. “Probably,” he conceded. “But I don’t want
to waste
the light.”
Chris turned to
J.D. His face softened and he nodded. “You did good, J.D.”
J.D. released a
deep breath. “I ain’t ever been that scared in my whole life.”
“You handled it.
Next time, it will be easier,” Josiah stated.
“How are you
holding up, Ezra?” Nathan asked.
“I can honestly
say, that I am not enjoying this at all.”
His companions
smiled. The light exchange had relaxed them.
“Alright, boys.
Let’s go.”
Part Three
Above the jungle
canopy, the sun was beginning to set. Soon, they would camp. J.D. found
he
couldn’t wait to sit down. His feet were aching and to be honest, he
felt both
physically and mentally exhausted. How had Buck and the boys kept this
up for
years in the jungles of Katinda?
Earlier,
splinters of light had illuminated the jungle floor. Now, those patches
were
merging with the shadows from the trees. J.D. remembered Buck saying
this was
the most dangerous time and thus the team always set camp at sunset.
The
integrating shadows gave the impression of movement and thus it made it
difficult to distinguish between true danger and the illusion created
by the
fading light. Nature’s innocent trick was dangerous. Either men failed
to
react, believing the movement they had sensed was just shadows, or they
did
react, cracking off a wild shot and alerting the enemy to their
position. It
took a very calm head to take point at this stage.
J.D. sensed the
increased tension among the men around them. Vin had slowed the group’s
pace,
taking more time to scan the jungle as he went.
Abruptly,
Tanner’s head snapped to the right, zeroing in on something ten feet
ahead. An
illusion? No! Hidden within the jungle, a rebel soldier levelled his
rifle.
Ambush!
Tanner withdrew
his knife and launched it with deadly accuracy.
“DOWN!” Chris
shouted.
The American
team dived for cover. Nathan spotted movement. A rifle! The medic
withdrew his
blade and threw it in one movement. There was a grunt from the foliage
-
evidence his knife, too, had found it’s mark.
“One more!”
Tanner shouted, disappearing into the jungle.
J.D. could hear
the sound of someone crashing through the undergrowth, trying to
escape. The
youth’s eyes doubled in size as his mind processed what had happened.
An
ambush? The rebels had been about to cut them down! At the last
possible
moment, he’d seen the rifle protruding from the jungle, but then, that
was only
because he’d seen Vin’s head move so sharply, warning him that
something was
amiss. There hadn’t been time to react... at least, not before Vin and
Nathan
already had done so. Now he understood why Tanner and Jackson took
point. Their
reflexes and senses were so finely tuned and their accuracy with a
knife was
amazing. The colonel had told his men the danger of firing their
rifles. A
single shot could alert anyone in the area to their presence. That was
why Vin
and Nathan had opted for knives.
“Josiah,
Nathan!”
The two men
moved swiftly.
Still reeling
from what had just happened, J.D. watched his companions step into the
jungle.
Each crouched and began to search the dead rebel soldiers. Thankfully,
the
thick undergrowth masked the bodies, but J.D. still found himself
feeling ill.
He had never seen men killed like this before. Sure, he’d shot at
people and
he’d seen people fall when his companions had fired, but he had never
been
close enough or stayed to see the result.
“We’re lucky
they didn’t get a shot off,” Buck commented, darkly. “You want me to go
after Two?”
“Two can
handle himself,” Chris growled, moving across to stand next to Nathan.
“Anything?”
“Yeah, they’ve
got radios.”
Chris frowned.
Would they have had time to radio Em7’s position before Vin and Nathan
had
taken them down? “Head sets?”
“No. Pocket
radios.”
“They probably
didn’t have time to get a message off, Sir. We would have appeared out
of the
jungle suddenly. It’s not as if they would have seen us or heard us
coming.”
“They didn’t get
a shot off, Colonel. Vin must have seen them before they saw us.”
“We’ve just got
to hope that the one that got away hasn’t been able to radio our
position.”
“He didn’t,” Vin
stated, reappearing at the edge of the path some distance from the
group. J.D.
physically jumped. There had been no warning of Vin’s return. No sound
had
accompanied the sharpshooter.
Chris and Vin’s
eyes met. You got him?
For a split
second, the emotionless mask on Vin’s face faltered. Yeah.
Chris eyed
his friend. The Colonel strode up to his sharpshooter and placed his
hand on
the younger man’s shoulder. It was a brief action, both men turning and
moving
back toward the main group, but the support had been there.
Nathan and
Josiah reappeared.
“Vin, any sign
of anyone else?”
“No, Sir.”
“Two, we
need to find somewhere off the track to camp.”
“Yes, Sir.”
**********
The team were
collected on the side of the ‘path’ they had been travelling along. All
were
still on edge, despite the fact that they had stopped moving. Vin had
gone to
find a place for them to camp and until he returned, there was a sense
of
trepidation. One of them was absent and possibly in danger. None felt
comfortable knowing Vin was on his own.
When the men had
first stopped, J.D. had attempted to sit, but his leader had ordered
him to his
feet crisply.
“First of all
son, you need to be ready to shoot and you can’t do that when you’re
sitting on
your fanny,” Buck explained in a hushed tone. They weren‘t supposed to
be
speaking but Buck could see J.D. needed something to ease the tension.
“And you need to
be ready to run like hell, if a squad appears out of nowhere,” Nathan
added,
quietly.
“And if you sit
down there, you’ll end up with leeches attached to your butt, and ain’t
no one
gonna help you get rid of them from there.”
Larabee glanced
at his men sharply. They were in the middle of enemy territory! This
wasn’t the
time for a chat! The conversation had finished instantly. Since then,
there had
been nothing but a tense silence.
Josiah flicked
his eyes to Nathan. Vin had been gone longer than expected. The trained
psychologist had seen the momentary look shadow his young friend’s eyes
after
the confrontation with the rebels. Josiah knew the incident had
triggered the
return of memories for Vin and he was concerned. Tanner seemed to have
everything under control, but there was no doubt he was suffering.
Every move
they made was a trigger. The jungle itself would reactivate memories of
Katinda
even without anything else happening.
Josiah felt
helpless frustration consume him. It wasn’t fair. If only Vin hadn’t
disappeared and had been able to return home with the boys after the
war in
Katinda. He would have been able to deal with the horrors they had seen
at the
same time as his team. Instead, the young man had to do so three years
later
and on his own. Worst of all, he didn’t remember ninety percent of what
had
happened. Unfortunately, his memories were returning continuously,
accosting
him with painful images from a war long forgotten by society.
Josiah began to
consider the advice he had given his leader. He had assured Larabee
that Vin
could handle it but... why should he have to? They should have left the
‘Kid’
at home so he didn’t have to confront the shocking images locked in his
mind.
Josiah stopped himself. He was becoming over-protective and that wasn’t
good
for anyone. Vin was a soldier. This was what he did for a living.
Tanner wanted
to be here,... or at the very least, didn’t want his team to be in this
type of
situation without him. There was a difference, Sanchez realized. Josiah
couldn’t help wanting to shield his young friend, though.
Nathan noted the
deep thought reflected in Josiah’s face.
“Okay?“
Josiah sighed
and nodded. “I hope so.“ The concerned sergeant glanced at his leader.
Chris
was just standing there. His face was excessively blank. Larabee was
worried.
Vin had been gone almost fifteen minutes and with the radio silence,
the
colonel couldn’t check on his sharpshooter’s situation. Josiah couldn’t
tell if
the anxiety his leader was displaying was a colonel’s concern for one
of his
men, or Chris’ fear for his best friend. The first was essential, the
second,
however, was destructive and distracting. Larabee needed to be focused
or his
entire team would suffer.
J.D. had sensed
the increased tension. He moved uncomfortably from one foot to the
other. He
hated standing around doing nothing! “I wonder what Vin’s doing?” the
youth
murmured.
**********
Tanner stood
staring at the carnage around him. Twelve men left where they had
fallen after
a volley of shots had cut them down. Vin hadn’t just stumbled upon
them. He had
noted the smell of death - of decomposing bodies - and he’d had no
choice but
to investigate. After all, it could have been ‘The Package’.
Thankfully, it
wasn’t. Despite the horrific sight that had greeted him as he had
entered the
scene of what could only be described as a massacre, Tanner felt
relieved. The
President was still alive. This was not his party. This was a squad of
soldiers
who had obviously been ambushed.
The relief of
knowing the country’s leader was safe caused Vin to lower his defenses
for a
split second. Unfortunately, that was all that was all that was needed.
**********
“He’s been gone
a while,” Buck muttered. Normally, Vin would only be minutes - five at
the
most. All he had to do was locate a place free of landmines and with
some sort
of protection from any passing scouts. “Colonel, maybe I should...”
Buck’s
voice faded, his eyes homing in on Larabee’s face. Chris looked
incredibly
intense. His brow was furrowed, his eyes distant. He was no longer
listening to
the sounds of the jungle. He was sensing... the ’knowing’ was prickling
the
back of his neck.
**********
The enemy
attacked Vin without warning. The young sharpshooter had no time to
move or
react to the brutal assault. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume, Vin found
himself
forced to his knees. His rifle slipped from his fingers as he grabbed
for his
head in a futile attempt to ward off the attack and offer himself some
protection.
**********
“Vin?” Chris
murmured, the word releasing him from the almost trance like state.
Immediately, Larabee switched on his headset. “Two?” Buck,
Josiah and
Nathan rushed to Larabee’s side. “Two, report!” Nothing! “He’s
in
trouble!“ Chris Larabee bolted into the jungle that had swallowed his
best
friend. Hot on his heels were the rest of his squad. Something was
wrong!
**********
Vin’s entire
world lurched sharply. He was drowning - drowning in a cascade of
memories that
had been prompted by the horrific scene he had stumbled upon. Vin had
come
across many massacres in Katinda and now, images and sounds from those
moments
in his life were recalled, but not in any logical order. Instead, the
recollections were random, flashing in his mind’s eye at a dizzying
pace. He
had to stop it! Consciously, he began to fight back. He had to halt the
downpour of pictures that were threatening to overwhelm him.
Through the haze
of his embattled mind, he identified the sounds of approaching men. Vin
knew he
had no need to fear. It was his team. Thoughts of J.D. filled his mind,
pushing
the memories back to where they had come from. He couldn’t let J.D. see
this!
“Stay back!”
Larabee burst
through the dense foliage, his rifle aimed ready. “Vin?!” The colonel
came to
an abrupt halt. “Oh, God,” Chris muttered as he took in the scene. The
soldiers
were strewn over a twenty-foot radius. The smell of death reeked in the
area.
Insects buzzed around what was left of the corpses. Chris averted his
eyes.
“It’s not the
President’s party,” Tanner stated, quietly. “Buck, keep J.D. and Ezra
back.”
“What is it?”
J.D. asked.
Josiah spun
around in front of the youth, grabbed his shoulders, physically turned
him
around and shoved him back in the direction they had just come. The
sergeant
had caught a glimpse of what lay ahead and like Vin, he didn’t want
J.D. to see
it. “Go!”
“But...”
“Ezra, get him
out of here.”
Standish had
paused scanning the scene. Unfortunately, he had looked rather than
heeding
Vin’s warning. The agent paled, bile from his stomach rising. Not in
all his
days working for ‘Secrets’ had he seen anything like this. Ezra turned,
walked
up to J.D. and inclined his head. “Come.” His voice was so soft and
full of
emotion that the younger man didn’t actually hear the words.
“But Ezra,...”
“Believe me,
J.D, you don’t want to see it.” Standish took J.D.’s arm and led him
away.
Buck ran his
eyes over the group of dead soldiers. The captain dropped his head,
trying to
gain control of his emotions. Like Vin, this brought back too many
memories for
him.
Josiah didn’t
look down and he didn’t look sideways. Instead, he walked straight up
to Vin,
took his companion’s elbow and led him out of the carnage. “Nathan,”
the
sergeant called insistently.
Jackson followed
his team mates back into the jungle. Josiah stopped once they were
several feet
from the massacre, placed both hands on Vin’s shoulders and peered into
the
younger man’s dilated pupils. “Memory rush?” he asked.
Tanner nodded.
“I’m okay. I think I’m learning to control it.”
Nathan placed
his hand on Vin’s neck, taking the sharpshooter’s pulse.
“I’m okay,
Nathan. Really. You were right, Josiah. It only happened because I
stopped
focusing on the mission.”
“Doesn’t change
the fact that it happened,” Nathan muttered. From a purely medical
perspective,
the memory rush was extremely draining, not dissimilar to an epileptic
fit.
Both involved a great discharge of erratic brain activity. “Your pulse
is
racing.”
“Bet yours is,
too,” Vin accused, quietly.
Jackson glanced
up from his watch. “Yeah. I don’t think any of us were expecting
anything like
that. Not here.”
“He’s very
pale,” Josiah muttered, staring at Vin.
“I’m okay. It
was just... I’m okay. I feel a bit sapped, but I’m okay.” Vin pulled
away from
his companions and turned to head back to Larabee.
“No,” Josiah
stated, firmly. “You don’t need to go back in there. Chris and Buck can
handle
anything the colonel needs done. Let’s get back to J.D. and Ezra.
They’re on
their own at the moment and they shouldn‘t be.”
“I’ll let the
Colonel know where you’ve gone,” Nathan stated. Vin considered the
proposal,
nodded and then he and Josiah headed back toward the path.
When the medic
reappeared, Chris beckoned him over. “Vin?”
“He’s okay.”
“I was hoping he
wouldn’t have to see anything like this again,” Larabee muttered.
“We’re lucky
he didn’t have a memory rush.”
“He did.”
“Where is he?”
Chris demanded... and it was Chris, not ‘the colonel’, making the
demand.
“He’s okay, but
it’s left him a bit drained. We need to set camp so he can rest.”
Larabee nodded,
forcing his emotions aside. Vin was okay. The colonel considered his
reaction
to Nathan’s report - it had been a personal, not professional response.
Larabee
squeezed his eyes shut. Katinda seemed like a distant memory. Chris
feared he
was no longer able to remain impartial when it came to his best friend.
He knew
that was dangerous, but he couldn’t deny his reaction. How had he ever
sent any
of his boys into danger and felt detached from it?!
Nathan patted
his Colonel’s shoulder, understanding the conflict. “It’s because now
we do it
by choice, Sir, ” the medic whispered.
Larabee’s brow
furrowed with thought. Nathan was right. In Katinda, while Chris made
the
decisions for his unit, he was not responsible for the fact they were
there.
Death was an occupational hazard and the blame lay with those who had
sent the
soldiers to the God forsaken hellhole in the first place. That wasn’t
the case
any more. Now, each of the men had chosen to place themselves in danger
and
just as easily they could have chosen to take themselves out of harm’s
way. No
one had made them take positions in Em7 and no one but Chris
made them
take any particular mission.
“We must be
crazy,” Chris murmured.
Nathan smiled.
“Yep.” The sergeant’s face became serious. He could see his colonel was
suffering from a momentary lapse - searching for reasons why. “We do it
because
no one else can; because we do it well and because we can do it
together.”
“Things are
different now,” Chris pointed out, more to himself than to Nathan. It
wasn’t
because Vin had returned, but because the priority between duty and
family had
blurred. The colonel hadn’t realized that until now. Once, the mission
had been
all that was important and if that meant sacrificing a man to achieve
the
objective then Colonel Christopher Larabee had been prepared to do
that. He was
a professional soldier - a damn good one and making tough decisions was
what he
did best. While he had never viewed his men as expendable, the lives of
thousands had always outweighed the lives of one or two and thus there
had
never seemed to be any ’decision’ to make. Chris was no longer sure
what he
would do if he were placed in a situation where he had to choose
between the
lives of a thousand faceless strangers or any of the men in his team.
After
all, his team had become his family - not just the men assigned to him.
He
shouldn't have allowed it to happen, but it had and he certainly didn't
regret
it.
Nathan stared at
his leader. “You would make the correct decision, Sir.” Blind faith.
Absolute
loyalty. Complete trust.
Larabee patted
Nathan‘s shoulder. The other man’s steadfast confidence saw the moment
of
self-doubt pass. Chris would handle any situation that arose and he had
to
believe he would make the correct decision. “Buck, anything?”
“Yeah. Badge on
this guy says ‘United Fighters’. They’re the other rebel group in the
area,
Colonel. Looks like they and the Ghosts don’t get along.”
“Come on. Let’s
get the hell out of here!”
**********
Once Chris,
Nathan and Buck returned to the group, Vin led them to the spot he had
selected
to camp. It wasn’t far from the massacre and the smell from the area
could be
detected every now and then on the slight breeze that had picked up in
the last
hour.
Ezra and J.D.
found themselves standing with nothing to do. On Larabee’s
command...”okay, set
camp.”... Vin and Nathan went to opposites ends of the area and climbed
trees
so they could scan for any approaching enemy. Buck and Josiah set about
clearing the spot of rocks and small bushes while Larabee took out some
cord
and began to string it up between several trees.
“Is there
anything we can do to help?” Ezra asked.
“No,” Chris
replied immediately. Standish decided not to press the point.
Once Buck and
Josiah had finished clearing the area, Josiah disappeared into the
jungle and
Buck began to pull large sheets of canvas from the men’s packs. These
he slung
over the rope Chris had tied. The captain pulled the sides out and
staked them,
forming a small triangular tent. When he had three such structures
completed,
he crawled into them and laid a sheet of waterproof canvass on the
ground.
“That’s
amazing!” J.D. cried. Using little more than a piece of rope and a
couple of
sheets of thin canvas, Chris and Buck had erected three two-man tents.
“Will that be
enough for all of us?” Ezra inquired.
“Only six of us
will be sleeping at any one time,” Josiah replied, reappearing with his
arms
full of wood for a fire.
“Is a fire
wise?”
“May not need it
at all. Will depend whether we need it to sterilize a knife.”
“Why?”
“Just in case
the salt doesn’t work,” Josiah grunted.
“I’m sorry,
you’ve lost me.”
Josiah bent and
rolled the leg of his trousers up to the calf. “Leeches. We’re all
covered in
the little bastards. Salt usually removes most, but if it doesn’t,
Nathan’ll...”
“LEECHES!” Ezra
cried. He attacked his own trouser legs with determination. Chris, Buck
and
Josiah all paused to watch him fascinated. To Standish’s horror, he
found two
slugs on one leg and one on the other. “How do I get them off?!” the
agent
shrieked in a high pitched voice.
“Relax. A bit of
salt...”
“Where’s the
salt?! Give it to me now!”
“Ezra!” Chris
snapped, sharply. “Lower your voice. We’re still in the middle of enemy
territory and we know the rebels have the ability to wipe out twelve
armed
soldiers.”
“Sorry, Sir. I
mean... oh, God, it’s burrowing into my leg! Help me get them off!”
“Josiah, get
them off him,” Chris ordered, a smirk on his face. All greenhorns
reacted this
way the first time they experienced leeches.
Buck shook his
head with an amused grin and went back to work.
Sanchez moved
over to his companion and in less than five seconds had removed the
leeches
from his friend’s legs.
“Thank you,
Sergeant Sanchez,” Ezra panted with quiet relief.
“Roll up your
sleeve and let me take a look.”
“What?“ Ezra did
so only to discover that the leeches weren’t confined to his legs. “Oh,
God.
Another one. What the hell do they think I am? A blood donor?!”
“Lift up your
shirt.” Once Josiah had rid Ezra of another two of the annoying slugs,
he
handed the salt to his companion. “Okay, you can do me now.”
“Mr. Sanchez,
please assure me that we will not have to go through this ritual every
evening?”
“Only if you
want to get rid of the leeches.“
Ezra began
muttering under his breath as he ‘de-leeched’ the sergeant.
“I got a couple,
too,” J.D. pointed out.
“Ezra, can you
do, him? I want to organize some food.”
“Are you telling
me that you put up with this for several years while fighting in
Katinda?” Ezra
asked as he set about removing the leeches from J.D.’s arms.
“Yep. You get
used to it.”
Ezra shuddered
at the thought. “I don’t recall any of you mentioning this entertaining
little
tid-bit when I signed on.”
“Think of it as
a perk.”
“A perk?! If
this is a perk, describe to me what you would consider a... no, on
second
thought, don’t.”
Josiah smiled.
“I’m done,” Buck
announced, immediately moving across to the tree Nathan was perched in.
Jackson
climbed down and Buck took his position. “Hurry up with that food,
Josiah, I’m
starving.”
“I do believe I
have lost my appetite.”
Seeing Buck take
Nathan’s place, Vin climbed down. The young man moved to the centre of
the camp
and sat near Josiah. The memory rush had taken more out of him then he
had been
prepared to admit. Nathan collected his medical bag and crouched beside
the
younger man. Without comment, the medic removed the leeches that had
attached
themselves to the sharpshooter and put iodine on the few scratches Vin
had
picked up. In the jungle, scratches could become septic quickly. Again,
Nathan
checked the sharpshooter’s pulse.
J.D. glanced at
Josiah. “Is Vin okay?” he whispered.
“I’m fine, J.D.
Nathan just likes to fuss. Makes him feel important,” Vin insisted.
Jackson ignored
his patient’s comment and tipped the sharpshooter’s head back to
examine his
pupils.
“For Christ’s
sake, Nathan, I’m okay. I dealt with it.”
“I know you did.
I’m not worried about that side of it. The memory rush has a physical
aspect as
well, Vin. You said you felt sapped, well there’s a good reason for
that. When
the rush took place, your mind was zapping electrical pulses through
your brain
at an incredible rate. That uses up a lot of energy.”
Vin listened and
then shrugged. “I feel okay.”
“But tired?”
“A little, I
guess.”
Nathan paused
his examination and smiled at his friend. “You’re impossible, you know
that,
don’t you?”
“I reckon you’ve
told me that once or twice before,” Tanner stated, grinning.
“How is he,
Nathan?” Chris asked, moving across to the pair.
“He’s...”
“I’m okay,
mother, relax.”
“He didn’t ask
you,” Nathan pointed out.
“I know, but I’m
telling ...”
“Shut-up, Vin.
Nathan?” Chris pressed.
“The memory rush
drained him. Some food with plenty of glucose and a good night’s sleep
and
he’ll be fine.”
“See, I told
you.”
Larabee winked
at his best friend. “Yeah, but I don’t believe a word you say.“
“Oh, that hurts,
Larabee. That really hurts!“
Ezra sat and
watched the exchange with fascination. These tough soldiers used
light-hearted
banter to debrief and relax. They were camped in a foreign country, in
the
middle of enemy territory and still they could find something to joke
and smile
about. It was no wonder they had survived the Katinda War. Then again,
it had
to have been horrific when they had lost Vin - missing in action. Lost
in the
jungle. For the first time, Ezra truly understood how hard that had to
have
been on the remaining four. He had just seen first hand what the jungle
could
do to a body. No doubt, those were the images in Larabee’s nightmares.
“Those soldiers
we saw?” Josiah asked.
“Dead probably a
day, maybe two,” Chris replied, sitting down next to Vin and placing
his rifle
within easy reach. All of the men kept their weapons close at hand. An
attack
could come at any time
“How far do you
think we’ve travelled?” Nathan asked as he joined the circle around
Josiah who
was preparing their cold meal.
“Further than I
thought we would,” Vin stated, thoughtfully. “Didn’t realize there’d be
trails
for us to follow.”
“At least there
haven’t been any landmines,” J.D. stated.
Josiah, Nathan,
Vin and Chris looked across at the youth sharply.
“There have been
landmines? When? I didn’t see them!”
“All the way
along the track.”
“God! I... I
didn’t realize.”
“I’ll point out
one to you tomorrow so you know what you’re looking for. Safer if ya
just
follow in Nathan’s steps though,” Vin mused.
“Who taught you
to spot landmines, Vin?”
Tanner shrugged.
“A sergeant I served with in Africa.”
“Africa?” Ezra
asked.
“Was in Africa
before I was posted to Kat.”
“I see.”
“Apparently, he
had trouble following orders,” Nathan chuckled.
“Still does,”
Chris muttered.
Tanner elbowed
his friend. “Shut-up, Larabee.” J.D. grinned. Some of the tension that
had
built up over the day was beginning to ease. The men’s voices were
hushed, and
their eyes still periodically searching the darkness, but they had
definitely
relaxed a little.
“Chow,” Josiah
announced, handing the plates around.
“What is it?”
Ezra asked, eyeing his plate with a healthy amount of trepidation.
“Don’t ask.”
“Just be
grateful Nathan didn’t prepare it,” Chris grunted.
“I heard that!”
If Ezra didn’t
know better, he’d swear they were camped out at Four Corners enjoying
an
evening outside. The pressures of the situation had abated considerably
as the
group took turns insulting Nathan’s cooking.
As soon as
Josiah finished his meal, he relieved Buck so the Captain could eat.
“How you doing,
Vin?” Wilmington asked as he accepted his plate.
“Just a bit
tired, Buck.”
“Go and get some
sleep. I want everyone bedded down in the next half an hour anyway.
Josiah can
take first watch. J.D., you’re next. After an hour, wake Nathan. Buck
you
follow Nathan. Then you, Ezra. I’ll take the last one.”
“What about
Vin?” J.D. asked.
Tanner smiled.
“I don’t take guard duty.”
“Why?”
“It’s one of the
perks of the job,“ Tanner chuckled.
“It pays to
ensure your point gets plenty of sleep. If he’s a bit tired and misses
a land
mine...”
“Say no more!”
“Vin, you said
you served in Africa?” J.D. asked, thinking aloud.
“Yep.”
“So you weren’t
conscripted to Katinda.”
“That’s a matter
of opinion.”
“Huh?”
“I didn’t
exactly ask to be sent there.”
“Vin was the
best sharpshooter in the God damn army so he was posted to our unit,”
Nathan
explained, pride dripping from every syllable.
Tanner rolled
his eyes and climbed to his feet. “J.D., why the questions about me
being
conscripted?”
“Oh... well...
you just don’t seem the type.”
Tanner’s brow
creased with puzzlement.
“The type to be
a soldier,” J.D. tried to clarified. “I mean... well, you don’t... I
mean, you
don‘t sort of listen to... take orders from other...”
“Vin doesn’t
suffer fools gladly?” Buck chuckled. “I think J.D. means you aren’t the
type of
person who would follow orders just because the guy giving them had
more
stripes than you.”
“I only follow
the orders of someone I respect and I can‘t say I‘ve come across too
many high
ranking soldiers that fall into that category,” Tanner stated.
“Always wondered
why you disobey every second order I give you,” Chris murmured,
grinning.
Vin winked at
his best friend. “So, you got any other questions, Kid?”
“Oh...I... no,“
J.D. fumbled, embarrassed. “It’s just that I thought you must have been
conscripted into the army.”
“Nope. I chose
to be a soldier, Kid.”
“You must have
been young,” Dunne pressed. His thirst for knowledge and need to
understand his
team mates forced him to persist.
“Yep, I guess I
was. Night, fellas.” Vin removed his over shirt and then, retrieving
his rifle,
crawled inside one of the simple tents.
“He didn’t
change or even take off his boots,” J.D. pointed out. “He must be
tired.”
“You don’t
remove your boots when you’re camping in the middle of enemy territory,
son.
You need to be ready to fight at any time.”
“Oh.”
“Does Mr. Tanner
always take point?”
“Yes, why?”
Chris asked.
“It just strikes
me that it would be an incredibly demanding job.”
“Nathan spells
him every couple of hours. He didn’t today because I knew it would be a
short
trek. Tomorrow, every two hours Nathan will give him a break for
fifteen
minutes.” Chris turned to the team medic. “He’s going to be okay,
tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“Today hasn’t
been easy on him.”
“I know.”
“He appeared to
perform his duty flawlessly,” Ezra commented.
“Vin always
does,” Buck confirmed. “If he doesn’t, we all die.” Cold, hard reality
in a
nutshell.
“It‘s the same
for all of us. That’s one thing about this job, you have to depend on
those
around you. Your life literally is in the hands of every man in the
unit.”
Silence enveloped the group.
The sounds of
the jungle serenaded them as they contemplated the life choices that
brought
them to this moment.
“I wouldn’t miss
this for the world,” Nathan whispered.
“That, Sergeant
Jackson, is because you are as crazy as you are exceptional at doing
this.”
Ezra smiled. “As for missing this, they say you must give everything a
go once.
To this point, my legs are aching, my skin irritated from his obnoxious
uniform, my head pounding from keeping my eyes directed at the ground
and my
mind perplexed as to my motivation.”
“Yep,” Buck
agreed.
“My feet are
killing me,” J.D. muttered.
“Another of the
perks of the job,” Buck laughed, the tension easing even more. “Well,
that’s it
for me. I’m off to bed.”
“We all should
be.”
The group rose
as one and headed toward the tents.
“Tonight, if
anything happens, the man on watch will signal the rest of us. Whoever
is in
each of the end tents will release the rope.” Before J.D. could ask
‘why’,
Chris explained. “The canvas will fall to the ground immediately so we
are less
conspicuous. Just pull the cord hanging and the knot will release
immediately.
Try to get some sleep. It‘s important.”
“In your
experience, do the creatures of the jungle make their way into the
tents?” Ezra
asked Nathan, eyeing a lizard that was passing by one of the structures.
“Creatures? Oh,
yeah, occasionally.”
Standish
shuddered. “You could have lied.” Nathan patted his friend’s arm with a
grin.
“Nathan,” Chris
summoned. The medic moved across to his leader. “Might be best if you
bunk in
with Vin tonight.”
Jackson smiled
and shook his head. “Physically, he’s fine. Emotionally - that’s
Josiah’s
department and I’m sure I know what his advice would be.” Larabee
frowned.
Nathan stepped closer. “I know you’re worried, Chris. I don’t want him
to have
to go through it all either, but he has to and the best person to stand
beside
him while he’s doing it is you. Every time something‘s happened, you‘re
the one
he needed. Besides, I really do think he is learning to control it.”
Larabee nodded.
He opened his mouth to say something, but his attention was drawn to
something
happening across the camp. Nathan followed his leader’s gaze. Ezra was
trying
to shoo a rather large lizard away from one of the tents.
“Now listen to
me, small and gruesome. I do not relish sharing my bed with you this
evening so
let’s get one thing clear from the outset. Should you invade my
personal space,
I shall have no option but to shoot you.”
“Found a friend,
Ezra?” Nathan called.
“Ha, ha, ha,”
Standish responded, sarcastically. “Surely, in our technologically
advanced
world, they have developed some sort of aerosol that contains something
noxious
enough to repel reptiles... and leeches.”
“That would take
the fun out of it all, Ezra.”
“Mr. Wilmington,
your definition of ‘fun’ and mine are, I fear, at opposite ends of the
spectrum.” Ezra glanced into the jungle around him. “It is
inconceivable that a
man such as myself is camping in the middle of an inhospitable jungle
without
any civilized comforts. I miss my down pillow.”
“You’ll
survive.”
“We shall see.
Besides...” Standish paused, his brow furrowing. “Do you see that bird?
It has
been following us all day.”
The other men
turned to study the small bright blue animal perched in a branch not
far from
where ‘the gambler‘ was standing.
“There are
probably hundreds of them,” J.D. decided.
“No, it’s the
same animal. I swear it is watching me.”
“Good Lord
you’re egocentric, Ezra,” Nathan chuckled. “Go to bed!”
“Hey, wait a
minute. Maybe it’s not real!” J.D. cried.
“You mean it’s a
figment of our imaginations?” Buck asked perplexed.
“No, I mean
maybe it’s really a mechanical spy bird and it’s got a camera in it
and...”
“Have you been
watching James Bond again?”
Chris Larabee
smiled. “Go to bed, boys.” The colonel strode across to Josiah.
“All’s clear,
Colonel?”
“Are you tired?”
If he was, one of the others could take his place.
“No more than
anyone else... and he’ll be fine.”
Chris winked at
the other man. “It worries me that you know me so well.”
“It worries me,
too,” Josiah laughed.
Part Four
“Ma, what time
is Chris coming?” Billy asked with excitement. The boy had assembled
his
birthday presents on the table. When his mother had said he could have
a party,
there were only two people he really wanted to invite; his grandfather
and
Chris. Mary Travis beckoned her son over. “Ma?”
“Billy, Chris
isn’t going to be able to make your party, either.”
“Why? He said he
would come. He said all of the boys would come.”
Mary picked up
her small son and settled him on her lap. “Chris and your grandfather
are doing
something very important for the country. Sometimes, they get called
away and
they don’t have a choice.”
Billy stared
into his mother’s face. He could sense she was worried. “They’ll be
okay, Ma.
Chris is the best. He‘ll look after Grandpa.”
Mary pulled the
five year old to her chest and lifted her eyes to the photo on the
wall. It was
one of Billy and Chris standing with fishing rods. Both were smiling
stupidly,
holding a fish each - fish that were two inches long. She cared about
Chris.
She cared about him more than she liked to admit. Why did he have to
have such
a dangerous job? Why couldn’t he have been a bank manager, or salesman,
or an
accountant?
“Chris can look
after himself. He‘s the best. Grandfather even said he was.”
“I know,
darling.”
**********
Ezra wriggled uncomfortably.
He had never slept on the ground before. He’d once been camping, but
they’d had
camping stretchers. Nathan crawled up beside him.
“Okay?” he
sergeant asked.
“No.”
Nathan smiled as
he pulled the blanket up over himself. “Try to get some sleep.”
“Easier said
than done.”
***
J.D. stared up
at the tent above him. He was lying on his back. Buck was beside him.
The youth
drew in a deep breath. He could hear the sounds of the jungle outside.
When the
group had been sitting outside together, he hadn’t noticed them. Now,
they were
frightening. At least he knew Josiah was on watch.
Without warning,
Buck laid his hand on the boy’s arm. The older man’s fingers curled
around it.
J.D. swallowed. “I’m a bit scared, Buck.”
“Good. The fear
will keep you alert.”
“You are so full
of crap.”
There was a
chuckle from the experienced captain. “You only working that out now?”
Buck
squeezed the boy’s arm.
“Buck, I found
some capsules in my webbing. What are they?” They boy’s voice was a
whisper. He
had an idea what they were, but he really didn’t want to believe it.
“Huh?”
“There are some
capsules that...”
“Ohhh, those.
Their blood capsules.”
“Blood
capsules?!” Not suicide pills.
“Yeah, think of
it as insurances. Sometimes it pays for the enemy to think you’re dead.
Crack
one of those between your teeth and you’ve got instant blood spewing
from your
mouth. You can use them on your clothes, too.”
“Oh.”
“What did you
think they... ” Buck patted J.D.’s arm again. “No, they ain’t that.”
J.D. shut his
eyes. “I wonder what the President is doing now?”
“Trying to
sleep,” Buck mumbled.
“Buck?” Deep
even breathing was the only response the youth got.
J.D. swallowed
and opened his eyes again. There was no way he was going to be able to
sleep.
***
Chris rolled
onto his side.
“Lay still,
Larabee,” Vin grumbled.
“Sorry.” Chris
found he couldn’t settle. It wasn’t concern about the mission that was
preventing him from clearing his mind. It was thoughts of a small boy.
“It’s
Billy’s birthday. With all that’s been going on, I completely forgot.
Told him
we’d come to his party.”
Vin rolled onto
his back. “The kid will understand.”
“Yeah.” But
Chris didn’t like letting the little boy down.
“So, you thought
any more about you and Mary?” Larabee turned sharply to stare at his
friend.
Where the hell had that come from? Vin was grinning.
“We’re in the
middle of the jungle, Tanner.”
“Yeah, so you
thought anything more about you and Mary?”
“I think we
should keep our minds on the job.”
“Yeah, so you
thought anything more about you and Mary?” Vin’s eyebrows bounced twice.
“You aren’t
going to leave this, are you?”
“Nope.”
Larabee rolled
onto his back. “Interesting question, considering I’m sharing my bed
with you
tonight.”
Vin snorted.
“You should be so lucky. So?”
“Yeah, I guess I
have.”
“And?”
“And I’m not
sure I love her. She’s a special lady, but I’m just not sure if she’s
the
reason I’m interested.”
“Huh?”
Chris sighed. He
felt confused. He wasn’t sure if his relationship was with the woman or
with
her child, for while Chris was uncertain about his feelings for Mary,
he knew
that he loved Billy. When he was with the child he was doing everything
he
envisaged he would have been doing with Adam. In which case, did he
love Billy,
or just the experience of being a dad again? Was the reason he
maintained
contact with Mary because he wanted to spend time with Billy, or was
there more
to it than that?
***
Ezra peered at
the picture of his mother he had taken from his pocket. He had thrust
it there
at the last minute when they had been leaving. Now, he stared at it in
the
darkness. He felt so far from her. Lying in the middle of the jungle
was almost
incomprehendable. It was eerie, too. He was now used to the sounds of
the
jungle and thus he no longer heard them. Thus, all he could hear was
the
silence.
Abruptly, Ezra
picked up the sound of a voice. Standish raised himself up onto one
elbow,
reaching for his rifle. Nathan, too, sat up. Across from the pair, Buck
and
J.D. emerged from their tent, both armed.
“Damn it, Chris!
Leave me be.” The words were whispered, but contained force.
All men lowered
their rifles. Ezra glanced at Nathan. Jackson was frowning.
“You’re hurting
me. Larabee... leave me alone! Damn it, Chris, it’s too small.” There
was
movement in Larabee’s and Tanner’s tent.
Ezra’s right
eyebrow shot skyward. “Is there something about those two you haven’t
told me?”
Nathan crawled
out of his own tent and strode across to his friends.
“Chris, let go.
God, damn it, that hurts. There isn‘t enough room in here. Just let me
do it
myself.” Nathan crouched at the entrance and discovered that Chris had
a hold
of Vin’s leg and was massaging it.
“Problem?” the
medic asked.
“He’s got
cramp,” Chris replied, quietly.
“It’s okay,” Vin
grimaced. The tracker swiped at the colonel with one of his arms.
“Leave it be!”
“Muscle’s all
knotted up,” Chris explained to Nathan, batting Vin’s hand away and
pushing the
younger man back down.
“It’s not
surprising.” After all, not two days earlier, Vin had spent over thirty
hours
standing on that leg on a land mine. “Come on out here, Vin. I’ll do
it.”
“Hell, no. You
hurt more than Larabee!”
Chris emerged
from the tent and then glanced back at his friend. “Come on.” All of
the men
were mindful of keeping their voices hushed.
Vin sat up and
began massaging his own calf muscle. “I can do it,” he grumbled.
“That isn’t
going to do anything. It really needs to be worked. Come out here. I
need to
work the muscle or you won’t be able to walk tomorrow,” Nathan argued,
quietly.
“It’s okay.
I’m...”
Chris reached
into the tent, grabbed Vin’s legs and dragged the sharpshooter out of
the tent
on his backside.
“Damn it,
Larabee!” Vin snapped. And still his voice was a whisper.
Ezra, laid down
on his stomach and rested his head on his hands. “Well, that’s a
relief. I was
wondering what you boys were getting up to in there.”
“Come on, J.D.,
back to bed. Ain’t nothing wrong,” Buck stated.
Nathan crouched
down and took Vin’s leg in his powerful hands.
“Oww. Oww.
Nathan, don’t. God, damn it!”
“Chris, get him
some salt. And you hush. It’s got to be done.”
“According to
you,” Vin muttered, grimacing. Nathan knew his friend was in
considerable pain.
Vin hadn’t fully recovered from the ordeal that had seen him remain on
a land
mine for a whole day; standing rigid, the muscle in this leg taut and
holding
him completely still.
Vin’s hands
balled into fists. He had a high tolerance for pain, but the muscle
felt like
there was a knife being twisted in it.
The medic
continued to knead Vin’s calf. The lieutenant’s face screwed up. His
entire
body jerked as Nathan’s fingers pressed into his leg.
“Sorry, Vin. You
should have said something sooner,” Nathan muttered. “Hell, it’s really
knotted
up.”
“No, kiddin’.”
Vin’s body jerked again.
Chris returned
with a salt tablet and a canteen.
“Nathan, yer,
gonna have to stop so I can swallow it.” Jackson paused. Vin tossed the
tablet
into his mouth and washed it down with water. The moment he had done
so, he
began to drag himself backwards away from Nathan.
“Look, I can do
it myself.”
Larabee lifted
his foot and placed it in the middle of Tanner‘s chest, his boot
pressing Vin’s
shoulders to the ground. “Go on, Nathan,” the Colonel ordered.
Vin tried to get
up, but Chris kept him pinned. Tanner scowled.
It was almost
fifteen minutes before Nathan was happy. The medic pulled the
lieutenant to his
feet and indicated for Vin to walk around and stretch the muscle out.
“Okay?” he asked
as Vin gingerly put his weight on it.
“Yeah. Thanks,
Nathan.” The words were sincere.
“Call me if it
cramps up again.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Vin glared at Chris and then crawled back into the tent.
Chris and Nathan
exchanged a smile. “It should be alright now.”
Abruptly, Chris’
blanket was tossed out of the tent. “Go find someone else to sleep
with,
Larabee.”
Chris winked at
Nathan, picked up his blanket and re-entered the tent.
“How’s it feel?”
“Okay. That’s
the last time I tell you anything, Larabee.”
Chris eyed his
friend suspiciously. There was a twinkle in Vin‘s eyes that told him
that the
apparent annoyance was little more than an act. It was then that the
older man
realized what his friend had done. “It backfired on you.“
“Yeah,“ Vin
agreed, smiling. Chris had asked him about Inez and so he had mentioned
the
cramp, hoping it would distract his friend. The distraction had worked,
but
he’d ended up in a worse predicament than merely explaining whether or
not he
had feelings for Inez.
The two men
became quiet. Outside, they could hear the rest of their team settling.
None of
them knew what tomorrow would hold. What they did know was that it
would be dangerous
and that rest was essential.
Chris grinned.
“So, you and Inez?”
“Gee my leg’s
hurtin’. And my back. Did I tell you about my back? And my big toe.
Hell, my
big toe‘s hurtin‘!”
“So, you and
Inez?”
**********
The rebel leader
scanned his enormous compound from his office window. One day, very
soon, he
would be scanning his country from the window of the President’s house.
One
day.
The sun was gone
now. Night had descended a few hours earlier. Juan Freleagus fingered
the
revolver on his hip. He was a soldier. He had become a soldier at the
age of
twelve. Years of fighting had earned him a reputation as a merciless
killer.
That reputation had seen him placed in charge of his country’s army...
until
his president had lost the election. Abruptly, Freleagus had found
himself
working for a man who wanted peace. Freleagus hated peace for, as a
soldier, he
felt he was only important in times of war. If there were peace, he
would lose
much of his power. So, General Freleagus had collected together those
men who
were loyal to him and he had attempted to overthrow the government by
force.
Unfortunately, the new president had got wind of the coup and had been
prepared. As a result, Juan Freleagus and his men had been forced into
the
jungle. It was only a matter of time until his army was ready to march
on the
government again... and this time, he would be successful.
There was a
knock on the door.
“Yes?“
A soldier
entered and saluted his superior. “Sir, Squad Zebra has just camped for
the
night. They believe they are closing in on those who were on the plane.”
Juan Freleagus
moved from the window and sat down at his huge desk, studying his
second in
command carefully. “Anything in the news about the plane?”
“No, Sir. Not a
word.”
The general
frowned. Why hadn’t there been anything? Normally, there would be some
sort of
report on television or in the newspapers. When the plane failed to
arrive at
its destination, there should have been an investigation - a fuss of
some
description.
“It’s as if no
one knows it’s come down, Sir.”
“Someone knows,”
Freleagus growled.
“According to
our men, the plane was quite large, but only carried eleven passengers.”
“Why, Zenaldo? I
want to know why?!” His voice was harsh.
Zenaldo licked
his lips nervously. His leader was an unpredictable and cruel man.
Upsetting
him was not a good idea. “I don’t know, Sir.”
“I want to know
as soon as the survivors are found. And I want them alive. Something
about this
doesn‘t feel normal.”
“Yes, Sir. I
have made it very clear to our men that you want the survivors alive.”
**********
Breakfast was a
brief, if not wholesome, affair. The food wasn’t appetizing, but Nathan
had
assured everyone, several times over, that it was full of everything
that would
stand by them.
The youngest
member of the group watched as Vin sat down. Nathan stretched the
lieutenant’s
leg out, Tanner nodding and speaking quietly to the medic. The boy
glanced
across at his other companions. They were all preparing to leave. The
camp had
been dismantled in minutes and now, there was little sign there had
ever been
one.
J.D. rubbed his
back. He hadn’t slept at all. He had dozed a couple of times but had
not slept.
The youth felt tired and his body was aching. The young man glanced at
Ezra.
Standish had been quiet this morning. That was unusual. Then again, no
one had
said much since Chris had summoned them from their beds. This morning
they
would encounter the rebels. Chris had made that clear as they had eaten
their
breakfast.
Ezra approached
Josiah. “Sergeant Sanchez, this may be an asinine question, but is
there some
sort of procedure that I need to follow when I relieve myself?”
“Huh? What do
you mean?”
“I am not
required to dig a hole or anything?”
Josiah grinned.
Ezra scowled. “I
am not enjoying this.”
“I am.”
“You will be
judged for your uncaring ways by a power greater than I,” Ezra muttered
as he
moved off. Josiah followed him. Ezra stopped. “Sergeant?”
“You can’t go by
yourself. Someone with a rifle has to come with you. We can’t have you
being
caught with your pants down.”
“Literally!”
Ezra exclaimed. Josiah signalled Buck and then accompanied Ezra into
the
surrounding bush.
“What about you,
Kid?“ Buck asked, checking that his rifle was loaded. It was not the
first time
he had done so. It was almost a nervous tic with Buck. He checked and
rechecked
over and over again. In its own way, this action relaxed him. “You need
to go?”
“No. Nathan and
I went earlier,” J.D. stated quietly, deciding to check his weapon.
There was a
tension this morning, different to yesterday. Today they would come
face to
face with their enemy. Buck and the others were so quiet - preparing
themselves
both mentally and emotionally. J.D. had no idea how he was supposed to
be
feeling.
Chris walked
across to stand above Vin. Nathan had the lieutenant’s foot and was
pulling the
young man’s toe toward his knee. “Everything okay?”
Jackson nodded.
“Yep, just warming it up before he starts.”
Vin glanced up
at his leader. They exchanged a silent message. You feeling all
right?
Yeah. I’m
fine, Chris. Tanner
had not
slept well. His slumber had been plagued with returning memories, but
he hadn’t
been alone. Chris had been at his side. Waking him. Talking to him.
Reassuring
him. Helping him to come to terms with the images that were surfacing.
“We ready?”
“Yeah. Just
waiting on Josiah and Ezra. Ezra had to go.”
Vin grinned.
Chris winked. Nathan chuckled.
The trio turned
as the topic of conversation returned. Ezra paused, noting he was the
centre of
attention. “The joys of being in the jungle are many,” he muttered.
“What other
delights am I yet to experience?”
Moments later,
the group set off. They were in the same order as the day before. J.D.
noted
that Vin was moving quite quickly. The lieutenant appeared more
confident this
morning.
The minutes
became hours. J.D. couldn’t believe how intense it was. Several times,
Vin had
stopped and all of the group had dropped to the ground. Then the
lieutenant
would disappear for several minutes before returning, nodding to Chris
and then
setting out again. What had he done? Had he encountered the enemy? No
one was
speaking. J.D. was actually feeling claustrophobic. If only they were
talking
to each other, but the youth understood how important it was to stay
quiet.
J.D. found his
mind wandering. He knew he was supposed to keep his eyes on Nathan’s
boots, but
he couldn’t stop thinking about the President. Had the President been
captured?
Had he slept on the ground last night? What would JD. say to him when
they
found him?
Vin and Nathan
swapped places so that Tanner could rest. The first thing J.D. noticed
was that
Nathan had slowed the pace... thank, God. The second thing he noticed
was that,
despite the fact that Vin was now directly in front of him, he couldn’t
detect
any sound coming from the lieutenant. Vin was literally moving
soundlessly.
“Break,” Chris
called in his harsh, but incredibly calm voice. The men paused to drink
from
their canteens.
“I can smell
gasoline,” Vin commented. “We must be getting close to the plane.”
“Good,” Chris
grunted, glancing at his watch. He hadn’t thought they’d find it for
several
hours. They were ahead of schedule.
Vin reached down
and stretched his leg. Nathan crouched beside him, his brow furrowing.
“It
troubling you?”
“A little.”
Nathan began
massaging the muscle. “It feels alright.”
“It isn’t
cramping. Just a bit sore.”
Words! They
sounded wonderful to J.D. The boy felt so relieved. He wanted to go and
talk to
Buck but his friend was acting as rear guard, his rifle trained into
the jungle
behind the group. Josiah was watching the path in front of them, thus
ensuring
that no one could sneak up on the resting group.
“See anything,
Buck?” J.D. asked.
Wilmington
didn’t turn, but raised his hand for silence.
“We almost
ready?” Chris asked.
“Almost,” Nathan
muttered.
J.D. scanned the
jungle around them. He noted a blue bird sitting on a branch above
Ezra. It
looked like the one that Ezra had pointed out the day before. The youth
grinned. “That bird is sitting above you, Ezra.”
“I am well aware
of its presence. I am positive it is mocking me.” J.D. crossed the path
to get
a better look at the small animal. The bird froze, staring at the boy
wearily.
J.D. stepped closer. There was a click. J.D. froze. All of the men held
their
breath.
“Freeze!”
Larabee barked. The men looked in the direction they had heard the
noise.
“J.D.?” Buck
called.
“I think I set
something off,” the youth whispered.
“Don’t move,”
Nathan ordered. The medic appeared beside the boy. “Trip wire,” the
sergeant
informed his companions. “J.D., don’t move. Everyone back.” Jackson
patted
J.D.’s shoulder and then disappeared behind the boy.
J.D. swallowed.
He could hear his friends retreating. What the hell was going on? Were
they
leaving him?! “Buck?”
“Relax,
brother,” Josiah stated calmly. “I’m here. The others have moved to
safety.”
“Josiah? What’s
going on?”
Sanchez crouched
beside the boy, examining the wire. “J.D., I need you to be absolutely
still.
If you move, we both meet our maker today. Understand?”
“Yes... They
left us?” the youth asked. He couldn’t believe it.
“The survival of
the unit is paramount. They’ve moved to safety. We’ll join them when I
have you
free. Now, son, stay absolutely still.”
J.D. shut his
eyes momentarily. “What have I triggered?”
“I’m a bit busy,
brother. Let me work... and stay absolutely still.”
Part Five
Larabee and the
rest of his men had moved several hundred feet away to ensure they
would be out
of any blast zone. Buck was crouched, his head down. Nathan placed his
hand on
the distressed man’s arm. Silent support. Chris flicked his eyes to
Vin, the
look conveying a thousand words. They knew this situation only too
well. One
false move and both Josiah and J.D. would be killed.
Ezra felt numb.
He stared at his companions in amazement. They had reacted so
clinically. So,
professionally. Nathan had made the assessment and then they had turned
and
left. Just like that. None of them had even glanced back. Not even
Buck.
“So, Josiah will
free him?” Standish asked anxiously. Nathan nodded. “How long will it
take?”
“A couple of
minutes. Josiah’s the best,” the medic stated with confidence.
“Stupid kid. I
told him not to stray from the path,” Buck muttered.
Nathan squeezed
Buck’s arm. “He’s in good hands.”
“Buck, cover
your sector,” Larabee snapped. Wilmington raised his head and his rifle
and
took up rear guard. Nathan moved off to covered point.
Ezra watched as
Larabee moved to Tanner and began talking to him. It was only then that
Ezra
realized just how distressed the lieutenant was. Vin was shaking his
head.
Chris stepped closer. Standish couldn’t hear the words, but it wasn’t
long
before Vin was nodding.
Every second
that passed was an eternity. Abruptly, Tanner’s head snapped up. The
other men
followed his gaze. To everyone’s heartening relief, Josiah and J.D.
appeared
out of the bush. Buck rose to his feet.
J.D. was as
white as a sheet. He smiled stupidly at Buck. “I’m okay.” The boy’s
legs were
trembling, he felt sick to the stomach and he was sure he needed to
change his
underwear, but he was alive.
“I told you not
to leave the path. I told you...” Buck stopped, overcome by emotion. He
placed
his hand on the youth’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I almost shit
myself.”
Wilmington
grinned. “Now, that would have been something.”
Buck turned to
Josiah and nodded once. There was no need for thanks. Despite the fact
that
Josiah had just risked his life to save the youth, Buck would only
insult his
friend by expressing his gratitude. Josiah had done what needed to be
done. No
more, no less.
“Josiah?”
Larabee asked.
“Standard trip
wire. Same as the ones in Kat.”
“J.D.?” the
Colonel demanded.
“I’m okay, Sir.”
“Don’t put your
feet anywhere unless the man in front of you has already put them
there. When
we stop, you freeze from now on. I don’t want you moving around at all.
Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.” It
was a reprimand, J.D. realized.
“And Buck, this
isn’t an official invitation for you to start acting like a mother hen.
Dunne
can take care of himself. The last thing we want is for you to start
clucking
around him!”
“Yes, Sir,” Buck
acknowledged. The captain winked at J.D. and moved away. Ezra flashed
the boy a
smile. Nathan brushed the youth’s shoulder as he passed. Vin’s head
bobbed
once. J.D. found himself beginning to relax. He’d made a mistake, but
they had
survived it. His companions were quietly letting him know it was all
right.
That meant a lot to him.
Dunne turned to
Sanchez and offered his hand. Only now was the reality of what had
happened
sinking in. Josiah brushed the boy’s hand aside.
“We’re a team,
Kid,” the big man stated with a grin.
“You saved my
life.”
“That’s what we
do for each other, son.”
**********
The rebel
compound was abuzz. They all knew something was going on. Six patrols
had been
sent to find the downed aircraft. Their leader was edgy, which they all
knew
was dangerous. All of the men were on full alert in case they, too,
were called
upon to join the search.
“Any word?”
General Freleagus demanded. Zenaldo shook his head. His leader cursed
softly.
“And there is still no report of a plane going down or missing?”
“No, sir.”
“Someone doesn’t
want people to know that plane went down. Why? The question is why?
What was it
carrying?”
**********
The smell of
gasoline was so strong, it was sickening. However, Ezra was aware of
another
smell wafting through the silent jungle. This was one he had only
recently
experienced for the first time - the smell of death when the jungle
claimed a
human body.
Ahead, Vin
signalled the men to stop. The tracker beckoned them forward. Standish
peered
beyond the team‘s scout. Vin pointed. Directly in front of them was the
plane.
Miraculously, it had come down in one piece. Both wings had been torn
off on
impact and the fuselage was leaning to the right side, but otherwise,
it was
still in tact. There was no sign of fire damage.
The jungle had
been cut and cleared around the downed aircraft. Someone had gone to a
lot of
trouble to do so. The rebels, Ezra decided. A few feet from the plane
were two
bodies, near them, a couple of blankets. Ezra shook his head and
diverted his
eyes. No doubt ’The Package’ had covered the dead members of their
group to
offer them some dignity in death. The rebels had not respected that.
Then
again, for the rebels, this was war and war afforded no one any
dignity.
Standish glanced
at his leader. Chris was crouched, his eyes roving around the small
pocket.
Finally, Larabee turned to Nathan and nodded. Jackson rose to his feet
and
disappeared into the foliage to the right. Larabee gave Vin a similar
signal
and Tanner moved off in the opposite direction.
“Why?” J.D.
asked in a hushed voice. He had reduced his question to just one word,
but he
felt it was important that he understand what was going on.
“Check for
rebels,” Buck whispered.
Ezra pursed his
lips. “If it were me, I’d leave someone on the plane.”
Chris directed
his attention to the aircraft and shook his head, thoughtfully. “Too
dangerous.”
Standish glanced
at his leader and then back to the plane. “Why?”
“Too easily
encircled. These men are soldiers. They wouldn’t make such a mistake.”
“Depends how
many they left behind to watch his back,” Standish argued.
Chris grunted.
“I doubt they left more than three. They’re interested in who was on
the plane,
not in who may come searching for them. We’ll know in a few minutes.”
**********
Nathan moved
slowly, sending his senses out in front of him. He knew the rebels
would have
left men to watch the plane, but how many? Two? Four? A dozen?
Jackson sensed
something. He froze, his eyes darting from side to side. Ahead, a dark
form
took shape near a tree. A rebel; a rebel well hidden and watching the
small
clearing. Nathan’s eyes narrowed. How did he handle this? He had
learned not to
view his enemy as a fellow human being. They were soldiers... and so
was
Nathan. In war, soldiers killed one another. Nathan had been in many
units
where the commanding officer had insisted that his men shoot to kill
and
court-marshalled men for not doing so. Chris Larabee wasn’t like that.
Larabee
had made it clear that his men were only to take lives when there was
no other
option. This was a philosophy that sat well with the medic. So, was
there
another option Nathan could take in this instance?
The sergeant
remained frozen. He realized he had entered his enemy’s line of sight.
Movement
may alert the other soldier to his position. Jackson withdrew his
knife. It
would need to be an accurate throw. Nathan’s eyes narrowed with
concentration;
the blade left his hand, spinning at an amazing rate. The handle of the
knife
struck the rebel and he sank to the ground without a sound.
Nathan moved
forward, swiftly. From his webbing, he extracted a piece of thin cord
and set
about tying up the unconscious soldier. A handkerchief in the man’s
mouth and
Nathan was done. Quickly, the sergeant searched his adversary. There
was a
radio in the rebel’s pocket. That was good. The rebels obviously didn’t
have
headsets. That gave Em7 the advantage of swifter communication and
sometimes
that could be the difference between life and death.
**********
Vin studied the
soldier ahead of him. The other man was fat and sitting on the ground
eating
noisily. His rifle was propped up against a tree, two feet from him.
Clearly, this
man was not expecting anyone, which meant that Em7’s presence had not
been
detected by the enemy.
Tanner crept
forward. He heard a voice! With relief, Vin realized the seated rebel
was
talking to himself, grumbling in a dialect the lieutenant wasn’t
completely
familiar with, though he recognised some words that were similar to
Katanese.
This soldier was not happy about having been left behind to guard a
‘broken
bucket of bolts that nobody would want because ain‘t no way anyone
could fix
it.’”
Vin smiled. The
rebel did have a point, but had obviously not understood that he had
been left
to watch for a rescue mission. Considering the man’s size, if the rest
of his
squad had wanted to move swiftly, the lieutenant could understand why
this
particular rebel had been chosen to stand guard.
Vin weaved his
way up behind the other man. The disgruntled rebel was far too
engrossed in his
meal to notice. Tanner stepped forward and placed his revolver to the
other
man’s temple.
“Howdy,” Vin
whispered in Katinese, at the same time using his boot to kick the
enemy
soldier’s rifle from his reach. The rebel froze. “Weapons, please.” The
other
soldier stared up at Em7 lieutenant wide-eyed. “Guns, knives?” Vin
clarified.
The rebel reached down under his heavy jacket and slowly withdrew a
revolver.
“Anything else?” The rebel shook his head, staring at Vin nervously.
“How many
of you were left to guard the bucket of bolts?”
“Two.”
Vin frowned. He
added pressure to the gun that was pressed against the other man’s
head. “How
many?!”
“TWO! TWO! We
weren‘t expecting anyone to get this far into the jungle undetected!”
Vin
believed that. It was exactly what Chris had expected.
“Where is the
other one?”
The rebel titled
his head with misunderstanding.
“Where is the
other soldier?” Vin asked more slowly.
The rebel shook
his head defiantly. “I will die before I tell you, dog!”
Vin snorted. In
one swift action, he slammed his gun against the other’s head. “Sorry,
pal.
You’re gonna wake up with a hell of a headache, but at least you‘ll
wake up.”
Quickly, Vin bound and gagged his captive, and then he turned to
continue with
his sweep of the area.
Ahead, he sensed
movement. He paused and raised his rifle. Vin listened. He lowered his
weapon.
Nathan appeared. Tanner remained perfectly still, not wishing to be
shot by his
partner. A split second later, Jackson spotted his companion.
“One,” Nathan
stated.
“Yeah, me too.
According to mine, there were only the two.” Jackson nodded and
together the
pair made their way back to their waiting team.
**********
Mary raced
across the room and scooped up the phone.
“Orrin?”
“Mary, I have
arrived safely.”
“Any word from
Chris or the others?”
“No. They are on
radio silence. We don’t know how sophisticated their enemy is.” For
several
seconds there was silence.
“Are you in any
danger?” Mary asked, quietly.
“I am at the
American Embassy in... Sorry. Top secret. Don’t worry, Love, I’m a long
way
from the front line. No one here knows what’s going on.”
“You’ll call the
moment you have any news?”
“Of course.
Mary, try to relax. They are doing what they do best.”
“I know that.
It’s just that... I know.”
**********
Larabee nodded
to Buck. The captain rose to his feet and stepped out into the
clearing. Vin
and Nathan had returned and reported. For several seconds the other men
waited,
just in case Buck’s appearance sparked a retaliation. Finally, Chris
rose and
joined Buck. His men followed him, their rifles raised at the ready,
despite
being confident there were no other rebels.
J.D.’s heart
pounded in his chest. He felt so exposed. They were out in the open and
an easy
target if there were any other rebels.
“Boys,“ Chris
ordered. Buck jogged across to the plane and began to examine the
exterior.
Nathan and Josiah headed for the open door. It was almost as if that
single
word carried with it a set of detailed instructions.
“Be careful,”
Buck warned. “I don’t think it’s real stable. She could topple.”
Josiah gave
Nathan a boost up. The opening was several feet above the ground and
there were
no stairs to climb. “I’ll check it out first,” the healer offered,
disappearing
into the interior.
“J.D., keep
watch,” Chris ordered.
“Yes, Sir!” The
youth felt so relieved. He had a job!
Vin moved to the
doorway of the plane, lowered his eyes to the ground and began to
decipherer the
many tracks.
Chris walked
over to the uncovered bodies. The colonel’s face flickered with
emotion. He
crouched beside the nearest. It was a woman in her mid thirties. Chris
shut his
eyes briefly. Death was never a pretty sight, though it was clear that
this
young woman had been pretty before the jungle had marked her.
Ezra watched
curiously as Chris removed the wedding band from the woman’s finger and
slipped
it into a pocket in his webbing. There was no way his team could carry
the dead
out of the jungle. These two, and the other four who were probably
still on the
plane, were destined to remain here, so many miles from home. Larabee
had
removed the ring to give to the woman’s family. It was something
tangible they
could hold on to. Something he could take home to them.
Life reduced
to a piece of jewellery, Chris
reflected. It was tragic, both for the dead and for those who
were faced
with the task of leaving the dead behind, but Chris knew how important
the
symbols would be to the families who had lost their loved one. Larabee
truly
understood that first hand. Sarah’s wedding band and Vin’s dog tags had
enabled
him to hold something concrete in his hand when he had been grieving.
The colonel
pulled one of the blankets up to cover the secretary and then moved to
the
second body. This was a dark-skinned man. He was in his fifties. There
was no
wedding ring, but he wore a watch and it was this that Chris removed.
Larabee’s
every movement echoed pain, but also the greatest respect. These were
real
people who had lost their lives in a tragic accident. Unfortunately,
the
accident had left them in a war zone.
Larabee paused
for a moment and shook his head. He honestly thought he had left this
sort of
barbarism in Katinda. More innocent dead who had to be left behind.
Ezra picked up
the blanket and covered the second body. The action enabled Larabee to
free
himself from the torment claiming him. Chris raised his eyes to his
companion.
“There is
nothing more we can do for them,” Standish murmured.
“Yeah,” Chris
growled, rising to his feet. The Colonel turned, searching for Vin.
Tanner was
crouched off to the far right. Chris glanced toward his explosive
expert.
“Josiah.”
Sanchez turned
and strode across to Larabee. The pair exchanged some words and then
Chris
headed toward Vin.
Josiah dropped
beside the two bodies and began to pray. Ezra walked away. He had to.
The
situation was becoming overwhelming.
“Lieutenant?”
Chris asked, stopping beside his companion. Vin glanced up at his
leader and
rose to his feet. “They went this way.”
“The rebels?”
“Yeah, they did,
too.”
“Can you tell
how many?”
Vin shrugged.
“It’s hard to tell. Maybe twenty.”
Chris frowned.
“That many?”
Vin nodded.
“Any idea how
long ago?”
At this, Vin
grinned. “I don’t have a crystal ball, Larabee. I’d say this morning,
but I’m
guessing.”
Chris winked.
“You’d better be right soldier, or I’ll sack you and give the crystal
ball
reading to someone else!”
Vin glanced back
at Josiah. Chris consciously moved to block his friend’s view. Their
eyes met.
Vin shook his head in frustration. Chris sighed. They simply couldn’t
perform
the impossible as much as they would like to sometimes.
“Focus on the
mission,” the colonel snapped, turning and heading back to the centre
of the
camp. “Buck?”
“She ran out of
fuel, Chris. That’s why this baby didn’t blow. It literally fell out of
the
sky.”
“How could it
run out of fuel?”
“Reckon that’s a
question that will be asked in the right circles.”
Nathan
reappeared and leaped from the plane. “Four bodies inside, Sir. All
died on
impact. There isn’t a lot of blood in there.”
“Nor out here,”
Chris commented.
“Which means,
‘The Package’ must be in fairly good condition. Not withstanding
internal
injuries.”
“Thanks,
Sergeant.”
Nathan handed
his leader three wedding rings and a watch. The soldiers stared at each
other.
Jackson’s face reflected Larabee’s own anguish. Chris reached out and
squeezed
his friend’s shoulder.
“I’d forgotten
what it was...” Nathan couldn’t finish the sentence. Like Chris, he had
thought
that this was something he would never have to face again.
Larabee nodded
his understanding. “I know.” The colonel turned to the rest of his men.
“Five
minutes. Eat and drink now. That means you too, Josiah.” Sanchez
climbed to his
feet, strode across to the plane and pulled himself up into it. He
wanted to
pray for those inside as well.
“I’ll make sure
he eats something,” Nathan offered. It wouldn’t be the first time
Josiah had
spent his rest period praying for those who had left this existence.
**********
“Eureka!” The
seated men glanced toward the plane. Josiah appeared with several
silver
containers in his hand.
“Josiah?” Chris
asked.
“I need a hand.”
The huge sergeant’s face was lit with true excitement. Buck and Nathan
strode
across to their friend. “Take these.”
“What are they?”
Ezra called.
“Just a minute,
I’ll be back.”
The other men
exchanged puzzled glances. Moments later, Josiah reappeared. “Buck,
take this
one, but whatever you do, don’t put it anywhere near that one marked
with the
small green cross on the bottom.”
Josiah leaped
out of the plane and gazed at the five canisters like a father gazing
at his
new offspring.
His friends
crowded around him. “So?” Buck asked, “It’s alcohol.”
“Alcohol?” J.D.
asked.
“Yeah. It’s used
to stop the engine from freezing in subzero temperatures,” Wilmington
explained. “Why so many?” Normally, a plane would only carry one - two
at the
most... and usually only when the pilot knew the temperatures were
going to be
dangerously low.
“That’s what I
thought when I saw them. Didn’t seem right. So I opened them up. Those
three,”
the explosive’s expert stated, pointing to the trio of the silver
containers he
had placed together, “are alcohol. But, the one there, with the small
green
cross, isn’t.”
“So what is it?”
“Hexophane.”
“So what’s that
in English?” Buck asked.
“It’s harmless.
So is the Dexophane in the container with the small red cross. However,
when
you mix a spoonful of Hexophane with a spoonful of Dexophane it causes
a
magnificent fireball.”
“So why was the
president’s plane carrying those two chemicals?” J.D. asked.
“Dexophane and
Hexophane are usually transported in separate vehicles and in
unbreakable
containers with very large warnings. Someone put the chemicals into the
alcohol
containers. I’d say the tiny green and red crosses where to make sure
they
could identify which was which when they were transporting it.”
“The plane was
supposed to go down,” Vin muttered, thoughtfully.
“Someone made
sure that there wasn’t enough gas,” Chris agreed.
“Put the
Dexophane and Hexophane on board believing that when the plane crashed
the
canisters would rupture and... hell, that amount mixing would really
singe your
eyebrows. There wouldn’t have been enough left of the plane to scrape
into a
thimble,” Josiah explained.
“Someone tried
to assassinate the President?!” J.D. cried.
“Looks that way,
Kid.”
“Why didn’t the
canisters break?”
Josiah grinned.
“The Lord works in mysterious ways.”
“How heavy are
they?” Larabee demanded, eyeing the two litre flasks.
“Light enough to
add to our packs. I really don‘t think we should leave them here for
the rebels
to find.”
“We don’t need
the alcohol,” Chris pointed out.
“Spoil sport,”
Buck muttered.
A grin leaked
out onto the colonel’s face. “That’s pure alcohol, Buck.”
“Yep. Like
Russian gin. Real smooooooth. A glass of that and you’re feeling mighty
fine.
Two glasses and you’re legless.”
“Three?” J.D.
asked.
Buck grinned.
“One way trip to lah-lah land.”
**********
“Good morning,
Mary!” Nettie Wells greeted with surprise as she stepped out of her old
pick-up
truck. It was Friday and thus her cleaning day at Four Corners. Chris
had
offered the elderly lady the job of looking after the place for a very
generous
fee. Casey brushed and fed the horses and Nettie cleaned the ranch
house and
did some baking.
“Good morning,
Nettie,” Mary welcomed, descending the two stairs and embracing her
friend
briefly.
“Now what on
earth are you doing out here?“
“I just decided
to come out for a few days.“
Mary often did.
Billy loved it at Four Corners and both mother and child knew they were
always
welcome.
“So, they’re
away?” Nettie commented. She had noticed that when Chris and his men
were on a
dangerous or extended mission, Mary came to Four Corners. Perhaps
because she
felt closer to Larabee here. Nettie had long suspected that Mary had
feelings
for the quietly spoken Colonel.
The housekeeper
patted the younger woman’s shoulder. “They’ll be okay, Love. From what
I’ve
heard, Colonel Larabee and that wild bunch of his are the best.”
Mary nodded.
“J.D. go with
them?“ Casey asked. The girl had been listening silently to this point.
“Yes.“ Casey
shrugged and then headed for the barn, apparently uninterested, but
both of the
other women knew that Casey was smitten with J.D.
J.D. Mary’s mind filled with an
image of the
smiling youth. God, watch over them all, please.
“When are you
expecting them back?” Nettie asked as she collected some articles from
her
truck and then followed Mary into the ranch house.
“I don’t know.
The General flew out as well. He said that this was one of the most
important
missions they‘ve ever performed.”
“Well, he’s got
the right men for the job.” Nettie paused in the large open entry foyer
and
shook her head. She could see into the lounge room and the study. There
were
things scattered everywhere. The elderly lady smiled to herself. She
suspected
that Chris and the others made a mess on purpose, just to give her
something to
do and validate their reason for keeping her on.
The housekeeper
moved toward the kitchen. “Picked these up from the local post office,”
she
informed Mary, depositing a bundle of pamphlets and letters, and a
small
package on the kitchen table. “Mostly junk mail, but Josiah likes to
read it.
Well, I ought to be startin’. I want to get the tidying up done first
and then
I want to do some baking. Vin likes chocolate brownies and that boy
doesn’t
half put them away! Have to bake twice as many these days.“
Mary found a
smile form on her face. Nettie had a soft spot for Vin. The pair had
only met a
couple of times, but the quiet tracker and the old lady had established
an
instant friendship.
“Good, Lord!
Those boys leave this place in a hell of a mess, don’t they?” Nettie
remarked,
sweeping her eyes around the kitchen as she reached for her apron
hanging
behind the door. “I’m going to start in the lounge room. Then up to the
bedrooms,” she stated, exiting the room.
“I’ll get
started in here,” Mary offered. It would give her a chance to keep her
mind
occupied while she waited on news of Chris and the others.
“Now, don’t you
be fussin’ too much, Mary. I can do it.”
“I don’t mind
helping.“ Mary opened the cupboard under the sink and took out some
cleaning
products. Quickly, she set to work wiping the benches and putting away
the
articles the boys had left from one end of the kitchen to the other.
When the
reporter came to the table, she picked up the letters to move them, but
her
attention was drawn to the foot-square package wrapped up in plain
brown paper.
It was addressed to ‘Mr. V. Tanner‘. “For Vin?“ she muttered,
curiously. The
return address was the Tascosa Ranch. “The rest of his things,“ she
reflected,
deciding that the box must contain some bits and pieces Vin had
forgotten to
have sent up originally. Mary set the box down on one of the side
benches
without a second thought and continued with the cleaning.
**********
Em7 had been on
the move less than an hour when Vin came to a halt. The tracker
crouched,
studying the ground.
Chris dropped
beside his lieutenant.
“They split up
here.”
Chris frowned.
“’The Package’ or the Rebels?”
“Both. ‘The Package’
split into two groups and the rebels did, too.”
“They must have
known they were being followed and tried to throw them off,” Chris
murmured.
“Even split?”
Vin took a deep
breath and eyed Chris with annoyance. “Larabee, I’m lookin’ at over two
dozen
tracks here and you want me to tell you if “The Package” divided into
two even
groups?!”
“Well?” the
colonel demanded.
Vin sighed
shaking his head. “You expect the damn impossible, Larabee. Yeah, I
reckon two
went one way and three the other.”
“How long ago?”
“A couple of
hours. No more. We’ve closed the gap. We’re moving a lot faster than
they are.”
Larabee nodded. He knew Tanner had been pushing Em7 hard.
Chris patted
Vin’s shoulder and rose to his feet, his brow furrowed with deep
thought.
“Do we go after
one group, or both?” Vin asked, standing up.
“We don’t have a
choice. We have to go after both.”
Vin frowned. “It
means splittin’ up.”
Chris nodded.
His and Tanner’s eyes met. Neither liked the idea, but as Chris had
stated,
they didn’t have a choice. “Who do you want?” the colonel asked,
quietly.
“We need to
separate J.D. and Buck.”
“Yeah. Who do
you want?”
“I’ll take Buck,
as usual. I guess Ezra‘s mine. You’ll need Nathan for scouting and
Josiah to
keep an eye on J.D. in case he makes another mistake.”
Chris nodded.
“Keep radio silence until you locate ‘The Package.’ Don’t engage the
enemy
unless you have to. We’ll rendezvous once we’ve both collected our part
of ‘The
Package.’
“Understood,
Sir.”
The rest of the
group watched from afar as their Colonel and Lieutenant muttered softly.
Nathan glanced
at Josiah. “Something’s going on.”
“I hope he isn’t
going to send Vin out to scout ahead,” Sanchez muttered. Both men felt
their
hearts launch into their throats as Chris and Vin grasped forearms. The
sacred arm
shake carried messages of luck, hope and love... and meant that Larabee
and
Tanner were about to be separated.
“He is sending
him off,” Nathan cried, astonished.
Chris and Vin
dropped their arms, but their eyes remained locked together. They knew
the situation.
They knew the dangers ahead. They hadn’t anticipated this. Fighting
side by
side was one thing, being separated in enemy territory was another
altogether.
Larabee and Tanner knew that if anything went wrong, there was a chance
that
this could be the last time they’d see each other alive. For Chris, it
was more
than anxiety. All of the emotions he had felt when Vin had disappeared
rose up.
Larabee stepped forward and hugged his best friend briefly. He had
never
expressed his emotions like this in Katinda and it was something that
had
gnawed at his soul for many years. As the colonel had suspected, he
found it
difficult to remain unattached these days. “You die out here on me and
I’ll
kill you,” he whispered.
“Ditto.” The
pair separated. The moment had passed. Emotions had to be put aside so
the two
soldiers could complete their mission and save ‘The Package’. They were
professionals and understood that there was no place for personal
feelings on
an assignment.
Larabee and
Tanner strode toward their men.
“They’ve
separated into two groups. Nathan, Josiah and J.D., you’re coming with
me. Ezra
and Buck, you’re with Vin. Radio silence. Watch your backs.”
The other men
stood stunned for several seconds before moving to collect around their
colonel. Chris placed his hand into the centre of the circle. One by
one the
others laid theirs on top.
“May God hold us
in the palm of his hand until we meet again,” Josiah preached quietly.
The men
glanced at each other, smiles claiming their faces. Their bodies were
flooded
with adrenaline. They knew this was not something their colonel had
planned and
they understood that dividing into two groups was far more dangerous
than
keeping their force together. However, separating was what their
colonel wanted
and thus, it was what had to be done.
“Hell of a
rush,” Buck cried. The group dropped their hands, turned away from one
another
and began to form their two groups. Buck lingered a few seconds. He
stepped up
to J.D. and grinned. “You’ll be fine.”
“Buck...” J.D.
couldn’t find the words he needed. Before he knew it, he was embracing
his best
friend.
“Yeah, me too,
Kid.”
Chris walked up
to Ezra and offered his hand. “You’ve done well. There aren’t many men
who
would have been able to deal with this without any true training.“
“You and
Lieutenant Tanner expressed confidence in me, Sir.“ That had meant a
lot and
had given Ezra the fortitude to fulfill the expectation.
“Listen to Vin.
Do everything he says. Don’t question him. Don’t even pause to
contemplate what
he’s asking.”
“I understand,
Sir.”
“I know you do.”
Larabee‘s face became serious. He stepped closer to Ezra and lowered
his voice
so that the others couldn’t hear his next comments. “You‘re taking my
family
with you.” The words were emotional. Ezra swallowed. He knew that Chris
loved
both Vin and Buck like brothers. “If Vin goes down, I can‘t tell you
how Buck
will react. I‘m giving you permission to take over command if that
happens. If
either of them say anything, the code is ‘mutiny‘. They won‘t question
you
after that.”
Ezra’s eyes
doubled in size. He couldn’t believe his ears. “But, Sir...”
“You’ll know
what to do,” Chris stated with complete confidence. “I don‘t envisage
any
problems, but... if Vin has a memory rush or is injured, I need someone
who is
thinking clearly to be in charge and that someone isn‘t likely to be
Buck.”
“I understand.”
Ezra understood, but he couldn’t begin to fathom the responsibility
Chris had
just given him - or the trust Larabee had in him.
Chris patted
Ezra’s shoulder with sincere gratitude and encouragement and then
turned to the
rest of his men who watching the pair. “Let’s move out!“
Nathan took up
point in Chris’ group and set about interpreting the tracks. He wasn’t
as
accomplished a tracker as Vin, but the prints were easy to find because
there
were so many of them. He would not have any trouble following them.
J.D. glanced
back over his shoulder. His and Buck’s eyes brushed. Wilmington winked
at the
youth before he turned and followed Vin and Ezra into the foliage.
Seconds
later, J.D. could no longer see or hear his best friend.
“Dunne, focus on
my boots,” Chris ordered. He hadn’t turned, but he seemed to be aware
of J.D.’s
lack of concentration. “We’re going to be closing the gap between us
and them.
From now on, you have to focus at all times. Understand?” The men set
off.
“Yes, Sir.” J.D.
noted that Nathan was setting a fast pace. The boy tried to clear his
mind, but
Buck’s face kept popping into it. Just like that, they had been
separated.
There had been no warning. No time to say... what would he like to tell
Buck?
Would he ever see his best friend again? Larabee and the others all
seemed so
emotionless, yet quietly confident of achieving their objective.
“How long before
you think we’ll catch up to the rebels?” J.D. asked. He knew he wasn’t
supposed
to talk, but he had to know.
“An hour and a
half. Two at the most.”
J.D. licked his
lips. “Do you think they’ve captured the President?”
“No more
talking,” Chris snapped. J.D. decided that Larabee’s failure to answer
probably
meant that Chris wasn’t ready to cross that bridge yet.
**********
Ezra found
himself in formation between Vin and Buck. Tanner was really moving
swiftly now
and Ezra was forced to jog every few steps to keep up with the
sharpshooter.
“Is there some
reason we are in such a rush?” Standish whispered.
“The quicker we
find the rebels, the quicker we find ‘The Package’, the quicker we
rendezvous
with the rest of our team,” Buck explained.
“Enough. We’re
getting close. No more talking,” Vin ordered.
For almost
twenty minutes Ezra followed Vin’s every footfall. Without warning,
Tanner
slowed his pace. Both Buck and Ezra raised their rifles. Vin stopped.
His brow
furrowed. He shut his eyes, blocking out all of the jungle noises.
“Damn.”
“Vin?” Buck
asked.
Tanner moved back
to his friends. His face displayed no emotion, but his eyes looked as
hard as
Hell itself. “We’re surrounded. I can hear’em on four sides. They‘re
movin‘ in
on us.”
“WHAT? But...”
Ezra cried, staring wildly into the jungle around them.
Buck held up his
hand to Standish, the captain’s eyes on the young sharpshooter. “How
many?”
“Eight, maybe
ten. I say we go ‘Black Creek‘.”
Wilmington
nodded.
“I’m sorry. What
is...”
“No guns, Ezra.
We can’t afford to warn any other rebels in the area,“ Buck growled,
withdrawing
his knife.
“What chance
will we have against armed men if we can‘t fire back?”
“The rest of the
squad is about ten minutes behind us. We can’t stop to eat now!” Vin
cried
loudly in Katinese, praying that the soldiers closing in around him
heard the
words and understood them... and reacted the way he expected. “Get
ready...,”
he whispered to Buck and Ezra.
Basically, Ezra
had no idea of what was going on, but knew now wasn’t the time to ask.
He
withdrew his knife and held his breath. Odds of ten to three were not
his
favourite, particularly when he was trying to fend off bullets with a
six-inch
blade.
Abruptly, nine
men appeared out of the foliage, knives drawn. Vin attacked. His blade
danced.
Two men fell. Tanner jarred the knife loose of a third, his fist
following up
with bone shattering power.
Buck roared as
he charged two soldiers. He successfully dodged the knives, his own
doing the
damage needed.
For a split
second, Ezra was surprised that the rebels weren’t using their guns.
Almost
instantly, he realized the purpose of whatever message Vin had cried
out in a
language ‘the gambler’ was unfamiliar with. Somehow, the lieutenant had
caused
the other soldiers to forego their rifles.
The rebels came
from everywhere, but that was okay with Standish. A soldier he wasn’t,
but a
black-belt he was. Ezra Standish was an expert at martial arts and any
form of
hand-to-hand combat. He leapt into the air, kicked and swivelled at the
same
time, taking down two men.
“Ezra, behind
you!” Tanner shouted. Standish landed and spun around. The knife arched
above
his head. Vin slammed into the rebel. The pair went down together,
rolling over
and over again.
Buck attacked
the final soldier. Ezra leaped to Vin’s aid. In less than seven
seconds, the
attack was over. The rebels had been completely out-classed.
Tanner,
Wilmington and Standish withdrew their revolvers and aimed them at the
fallen
men. More than half were still alive.
“On your
stomaches. Hands stretched out above your heads. Try anything and our
squad
will be here in seconds!” Vin claimed. Those rebels, who were
conscious,
complied. “Five!”
Ezra moved in on
his leader’s command and began to disarm their captives. It had all
happened so
quickly!
Buck chanced a
looked at Vin. The sergeant grinned. His body was charged with
adrenaline. That
had been easier than he had thought. The rebels weren’t well trained in
hand to
hand.
Without warning,
two more rebels materialized and attacked. They had remained hidden,
studying
their enemy carefully. Both dived at Vin. They had ascertained that
Tanner was
in charge and they wanted to take the foreigners’ leader out. Vin
didn’t have
time to react. He couldn’t pull the trigger of the gun in his hand
because of
the risk of alerting other rebels. Tanner was catapulted backwards by
the
double tackle and lost his footing. His knife snapped into his hand. He
thrust
it upward. One of the rebels cried out. The Em7 lieutenant fell
backwards, his
head smacking the truck of a tree with a sickening thud. Pain exploded
though
his being. Darkness washed over him. Vin’s body went limp.
“NOOOO!” Buck
cried. The Sergeant dived at the newcomers, roaring at the top of his
lungs.
There was no conscious thought. Vin was down!
Ezra stepped
back and attempted to cover the nine men on the ground with his
sweeping gun.
Buck slammed his
revolver against the head of one of the new rebel attackers and his
fist into
the face of the one clutching his bleeding chest. Both men dropped to
the
ground comatose.
“VIN?!”
Tanner lay
motionless on his back, blood seeping from the back of his head.
“OH, GOD! He‘s
hurt!”
Part Six
Chris’ stride
slowed.
“Colonel?” J.D.
whispered as his leader came to a stop.
“Sir?” Josiah
asked. He had seen that look before and recognized it. Father in
Heaven,
protect our brothers who are absent, I beg you.
“They’re in
trouble,” Larabee murmured. Nathan, who hadn’t realized the others had
stopped,
now paused to investigate.
“They’ll radio
if they need help, Sir,” Josiah assured his leader.
Chris flicked
his eyes to Sanchez and took a deep breath. “They can look after
themselves,”
Larabee agreed, but that didn’t change the gnawing he had in his
stomach.
Movement to the
group’s left!
“A scout!”
Nathan cried, taking off after the disappearing soldier.
“Down!” Chris
ordered.
J.D. dropped to
the forest floor panting. He stared at his colonel, waiting for more
instructions.
Larabee and Sanchez were both crouched and scanning the jungle around
them.
“Only one?”
Josiah asked.
“Let’s hope so.”
Larabee immediately pushed his concerns for Buck, Ezra and Vin aside.
He had to
focus on the survival of the men around him.
**********
“Buck!” Ezra
cried. The rebels on the ground were rolling onto their sides and
glancing up
at Standish, triumph written on their faces. Their enemy’s leader was
down and
the rebels had just realized that Em7 weren’t going to use their guns,
either.
In which case, there was nothing to keep them from getting up and
attacking the
remaining two men again. The gun the soldier standing above them was
holding
was a bluff!
“BUCK!” Ezra
glanced across at his partner. Wilmington was rushing toward Tanner -
totally
unaware of the renewed danger.
“Wings, I
need a hand!” Ezra pointed out as four of the rebels began to get to
their
feet. Ezra replaced his revolver and withdrew his knife. The firearm
was
useless.
“Wings!”
It was clear
that Buck couldn’t hear a thing. He was so desperate to check on Vin
that none
of his external senses were functioning. This was exactly what Chris
had
feared.
When Buck
reached Tanner he thrust his head to his young friend’s chest.
Terrified, he
listened. There was a strong heartbeat. Vin was alive, but he was hurt!
Bleeding! “Oh, God. Hang on, Kid. I‘m gonna...”
“Wilmington!”
Ezra found himself being encircled. He needed help! He needed Buck to
listen to
him. “WINGS, ‘MUTINY!”
It was the first
word Buck heard. The captain’s head snapped around.
“Wings,
the two on the left are yours. Move now, or we‘re all dead!”
Buck reacted,
instantly, attacking from behind and bringing three of the rebel
soldiers down
with a flying tackle. Ezra dealt with the fourth easily and then dashed
across
to assist his partner. Moments later, both men rose to their feet
panting. All
of the rebels were now littering the ground unmoving. The threat had
passed.
Buck stared at
Ezra for several seconds. “The colonel...?”
“Only if
something happened to Vin,” Ezra explained, rushing across to his
fallen team
mate. Standish thanked God that Chris knew Buck well enough to know how
the
captain would react and had had the forethought to provide a code that
would
place Ezra in charge in such an emergency. If he hadn’t... Ezra didn’t
want to
think about ‘what might have been’!
As Standish and
Wilmington crouched beside Tanner, the lieutenant stirred.
“Easy, Vin,”
Ezra soothed.
Tanner’s eyes
flickered. He moaned softly.
“It’s all over,
Kid. We got ‘em,” Buck encouraged, patting Vin’s shoulder. Both Ezra
and Buck
could see that their lieutenant wasn’t badly injured. He had an egg on
the back
of his head and the split was bleeding, but the injury wasn’t serious.
The wounded
man’s eyes opened. He looked up at the pair of concerned faces staring
down at
him. It took Vin several seconds to orient himself. “Any shots made,
sergeant?”
“No,
lieutenant.”
“Good.”
Buck smiled. Vin
was okay. His military response was proof of that.
“Help me up.”
Tanner ordered, attempting to draw himself up.
“No, I think you
better rest of a second.” Vin opened his mouth to argue. “At least wait
until I
can have a good look at your head,” Ezra insisted, firmly.
Buck smiled down
at Vin as Ezra worked. The big man’s face exuded relief.
Vin eyed Buck
and nodded. “I‘m okay, Bucklin. Just a headache. Fell backwards over
that damn
root when they tackled me. Lost my footing. Ain’t hurt. How‘s it look,
Ezra?”
“It could
probably do with a few stitches.”
“Go ahead,” Vin
grunted.
“You want me to
do it?” Standish cried, astonished.
“Someone’s got
to,” Vin pointed out. “Can’t let it keep bleeding. Go on.”
Ezra flicked his
eyes to Buck, licked his lips and then took out the small medical kit
from his
webbing. “I’ve never done this before.”
“You can sew on
button’s can’t ya?” Vin asked impatiently, grabbing Buck’s arm and
pulling
against it to sit up.
“Couldn’t
Buck...”
“Hell, no. I’ve
seen his stitching before,” Vin chuckled.
“What about
something for the pain?”
“Get on with
it!”
“Shouldn’t I
clean it with something first... to stop any infection?”
Buck’s eyes lit
up and he pulled a silver canister from his pack. “Pure alcohol!”
“I thought the
Colonel said...”
“What Chris
don’t know don’t hurt him, Ezra.”
“Besides,
Larabee put one in his pack, too,” Vin laughed.
Standish took a
deep breath and then poured some of the alcohol onto the inch and a
half cut at
the back of Vin’s head. Buck gripped Tanner’s arm, all the while
watching the
unconscious rebels. Vin grimaced.
“Still okay?”
“Yeah, stitch it
up, Ezra. We have to get going. Buck, go and tie up the ones who are
still
alive.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Ezra licked his
lips and performed the simple surgery as gently as possible. “Okay, I
think
that should do it.”
“Help me up,”
Vin ordered, his voice showing the slightest trace of strain.
Ezra pulled the
lieutenant to his feet, studying him carefully. After all, Vin had lost
consciousness, even if it had only been for a couple of minutes.
“You’ve a
considerable sized egg on the back of your head. Do you feel okay?”
Ezra asked,
examining his companion’s pupils just as Nathan had taught him.
“Yeah. How do
they look? Dilated?“ Tanner wanted to know if there was sign of a
concussion.
“They look
okay.“
“Good. You
almost done, Buck?“
“Yep.“
“Come on. We
need to keep moving. I...” Tanner paused.
“Vin?!” Buck and
Ezra cried as one.
Their friend’s
face had paled.
“The others are
in trouble.” Vin’s words were hushed and distant.
Buck swallowed.
He didn’t doubt Vin’s instincts for a moment. It wouldn’t be the first
time
Tanner had ‘sensed’ something was wrong and been right.
“How do you
know?” Ezra asked curiously.
“I... I just
know.” Vin shook the feeling off. He had a job to do and he had to
trust in
Chris‘ ability to deal with whatever was happening. “There’s nothing we
can do
to help them from here. Come on. Let’s get moving. We need to find our
part of
‘The Package’ so we can get back to the rest of the boys. The sooner we
do
that, the happier I‘ll be.”
**********
“It’s been too
long,” Josiah murmured.
“We’ll give him
a few more minutes.”
J.D. licked his
lips. Nathan had been gone almost a quarter of an hour. Both Chris and
Josiah
were showing notable signs of concern and that made the boy very
nervous.
“There haven’t been any shots,” the youth offered.
“Shhh!” both
Chris and Josiah snapped.
J.D. sighed. It
seemed that it was okay for everyone to talk but him.
Larabee reached
out and squeezed the boy’s arm. It wasn’t an apology, just reassurance.
J.D.
tried to smile, but the acid in his stomach was burning and making him
feel
sick. What if something had happened to Nathan? Chris had said he
thought that
Buck and the others were in trouble, too. J.D. found himself wishing he
were
anywhere but here.
Another three
minutes flew past. Josiah and Chris exchanged a glance. “Josiah, take
point. J.D.
stay right behind Three and keep your eyes open. We’re about
to engage
the enemy. Keep your hand off the trigger. Take out your knife, now.”
Dunne’s eyes
grew large. He wasn’t good with a knife. “I can’t use my rifle?”
“No. Josiah,
move out.”
The three men
started forward, moving very slowly and crouched. J.D.’s heart began to
gallop.
He was about to engage the enemy, with his knife! Oh, God, Buck.
Josiah’s eyes
searched the ground in front of him. This was definitely the path
Nathan had
taken - Josiah would recognise those size 14’s anywhere.
Ahead, the
preacher spotted a man-shaped bundle almost hidden by the shadows of
the jungle
around it. Father in Heaven, NO! Josiah raised his hand for the
others
to stop. J.D. peered past Josiah and spotted the silent form on the
ground.
“Nathan!”
“Quiet!” Chris
growled.
“Sir?” Josiah
demanded. His desperation to get to his friend was draining away his
need to be
cautious.
Chris scanned
the jungle. Where was the scout? Was he waiting for them to come for
Nathan? Was
the rebel scout alone?
“Sir!” Josiah
prompted, again.
“I’m going to
circle around. Josiah, give me two minutes and then advance.”
J.D. swallowed.
He wanted to help, not be left ‘out of the way’ which was why he
suspected he
hadn’t been given any orders.
“If anything
happens, Dunne, retreat quickly and quietly. Contact Two immediately
and
wait for instructions from him. Don’t engage the enemy no matter what
you see
or hear. You have to contact the rest of the unit. Understood?”
J.D. nodded. He
had no voice with which to acknowledge his Colonel’s order. Again,
Chris
reached out and squeezed Dunne's arm.
“Be careful,
Chris.”
Larabee released
the young man’s arm and then nodded to Josiah. Soundlessly, the colonel
disappeared into the jungle.
J.D. squinted ahead.
Nathan wasn’t moving. The boy glanced at Josiah. The huge man’s face
looked
apprehensive, angry and yet desperate.
The two minutes
took an eternity to pass. Finally, Josiah turned to J.D. and whispered
“Anything happens, Kid, retreat and call Vin.”
J.D. nodded.
Josiah rose to his feet and then began to move forward quietly and
carefully.
However, the closer he got to Nathan, the faster he went.
The youngest Em7
agent watched holding his breath. Please be okay. Please be okay.
“Thank, God!”
Josiah cried as he rolled the still form onto his back. “It isn’t him.
It’s the
scout!”
Chris
materialized out of the foliage and jogged to Josiah. The scout had a
knife
protruding from his chest.
“So where the
hell is Nathan?”
“Boys?!” Both
Chris and Josiah froze. It was Jackson’s voice, but it was muffled.
“Four?”
“Over here!”
J.D. trotted
across to his companions and followed Josiah and Chris to the left.
Abruptly,
Josiah stopped.
J.D. looked
down. Nathan was staring up at him from a deep pit.
“Sorry, Colonel.
I didn’t see it,” the medic explained.
“Are you okay?”
Chris asked, briskly.
“Yeah. Just my
pride’s bruised. Can‘t believe I didn‘t see it.”
“We found the
scout,” J.D. cried. He was so relieved to see his friend alive. The boy
began
talking. The words were so fast they were almost garbled.
Larabee raised
his hand for silence. “What happened?”
“I lost the
scout and when I started searching, I fell in here. He appeared at the
edge
where you are and...” The rest of the story was obvious. Nathan had
launched a
knife and the scout had stumbled backwards and got as far as the spot
Josiah
had found him before he had collapsed.
“How the hell
are we going to get him out of there?” J.D. asked.
Josiah lay on
his stomach and reached down. Nathan leaped as high as he could but the
distance was too far.
“What about the
cord we’ve got in our packs?” the youngest member of the group
suggested.
“No good. It’s
too fine.”
“Josiah, grab my
legs and lower me in there. J.D., cover us,” Larabee ordered.
“With a knife?!”
the boy exclaimed.
Chris knelt next
to the pit and crawled forward. Josiah grabbed his legs and lowered him
over
the edge. Nathan reached up and seconds later, Josiah dragged his
companions
back to safety.
All of the men
got to their feet hastily.
“You sure you’re
okay?” Josiah demanded, looking Nathan up and down.
“Yeah. Just a
bit bruised. Any word from Vin?” The last thing Nathan had heard was
Chris
proclaiming the rest of their team was in trouble.
“No. They can
handle themselves. Did the scout report?”
“I don’t know,
Sir. Sorry.”
Chris cursed
under his breath. If the rebel had got a message off, then the Ghosts
may know
of Em7’s existence and perhaps their whereabouts as well. “Water stop.
We move
in two minutes.”
**********
Several miles
away, Vin, Buck and Ezra had also stopped for a brief water break. Vin
was
acting as guard as the other two rested.
Buck glanced at
Ezra. “I owe you an apology. I reacted like a stupid greenhorn back
there.”
Buck lowered his face. He was still struggling to come to terms with
what had
happened. “I’m not going to make any excuses but... it’s just that... I
let him
down once and...” Wilmington shook his head as words failed him.
“It is okay, my
friend. We are alive.”
Buck glanced up
at his companion. “Chris trusts you. He wouldn’t have given you the
code to
take over if he didn’t.”
“I’m sure he
trusts you, too,” Ezra stated, quickly.
At this, Buck
smiled. “I’ve never reacted that way before, Ezra. Never. In Kat, I saw
each of
the boys go down once, Vin twice, actually, and I didn’t react like a
fool. I
don’t know what happened back there.” Buck snorted. “Chris knows me
better than
I know myself. I get the feeling he knew I‘d stuff up.”
“He anticipated
your reaction should Lieutenant Tanner run into difficulty. Colonel
Larabee is
a remarkable man.”
“Yeah. Listen,
it won’t happen again.”
“It’s alright,
my friend. I understand completely and am confident that should
anything else
befall our small group, you will react appropriately.”
“Thanks, Ezra.”
Buck rose to his feet and walked over to Vin. “Go and sit down for a
few
minutes. I’ll take over here.”
Vin glanced at
his friend. “You and Ezra have had a lot to say.” The lieutenant hadn’t
been
able to hear his friends’ hushed voices, but he had been aware of them
as he
tried to scan the jungle with his senses.
Wilmington
shrugged. “Just needed to get a few things straight, is all.”
Vin smirked.
“You talking about me, you bastards?”
Buck clapped his
young friend on the back smiling widely. “Hell no, Vin. How’s your
head?”
“Pounding a
bit,” Tanner acknowledged, fingering the lump. “My pupils still clear?”
Buck peered into
his friend’s eyes. “Yeah.”
Vin winked at
Buck, turned and strode across to Ezra. “You did well back there, Ezra.”
Standish smiled.
“Let’s just say that my enthusiasm is fuelled by my desire to complete
this
mission as quickly as possible.”
Vin nodded and
sat down. “What happened when I was out?”
“Nothing you
need to concern yourself with, Sir. Our objective was met.”
“So it’s nothing
I need to know?”
“No, Sir.”
Tanner shrugged,
took out his canteen and took several long swigs. “We better hope we
either
find ‘The Package’ soon or somewhere to fill our water.”
“Yes, I too have
been a little concerned about that.”
Vin grinned and
rose to his feet. “I won’t tell you some of the stuff I’ve had to
drink.”
“No, please
spare me.”
“Wings?”
Buck joined his
companions.
“That group we
took out was the one following ‘The Package’ from the plane,” Vin
explained.
“All things going well, any other rebels we encounter should just be
scouts,
not large groups.” This was the reason the men had become more relaxed.
“How far behind
‘The Package’ do you think we are?” Ezra inquired.
Vin pursed his
lips. “Not far. There are only two in our group.” Now that the rebels’
footprints weren’t cluttering the path, Vin had been able to identify
two
distinct impressions. “I’m betting we’ve got one of the security
personnel and
one of the leaders.”
“The body guard
is likely to shoot first and ask questions later,” Ezra mused.
Buck and Vin
exchanged a grin. “We know how to deal with that,” Wilmington chuckled.
“And are you
going to share your plan with me, or am I to receive a wonderful
surprise when
the bullets start flying?”
“Don’t you like
surprises?”
“No, Captain
Wilmington, I don’t.”
**********
The rebel
compound was alive with activity. Half an hour earlier, they had
received a
message from one of their squads. The eleven-man group was about to
attack a
small band of men who were scouts for a larger squad only ten minutes
behind
them.
“How could a
large squad of men slip through the jungle unnoticed with all of our
scouts?”
Zenaldo asked.
“I don’t know.
Obviously, they are very, very well trained,” General Freleagus
murmured.
“Whatever was on that plane is important enough to send highly trained
soldiers
in to retrieve it. Contact all of our squads and scouts. Warn them of
this
large group of men. Tell them to use their rifles as a last resort
only,
otherwise they’ll give their positions away. I want to know the exact
whereabouts of this squad.”
“Yes, Sir. And
the people on the plane? Do you still want them alive?”
“Yes. I have a
number of questions I want to ask them.”
**********
The attack came
suddenly and with very little warning. A dozen rebels burst out of the
jungle
wielding knives. Chris, Nathan and Josiah didn’t stand and defend.
Rather, they
charged and attacked their enemy. This caused their adversaries to
pause. The
Ghosts of Freedom had not expected such a reaction.
For J.D., there
was no time to think or plan. Before he could consciously decide on a
strategy
of attack, the young Em7 agent found himself locked in combat with a
man who
outweighed him by a good twenty-five kilograms! The other raised his
knife.
J.D. blocked the rebel’s arm with his own. The knife’s descent paused
and then
inched closer to the boy’s neck as the two struggled to control the
deadly
blade. The rebel was so much stronger. J.D. knew he had to do something
or he
would lose this battle... a battle that would his last!
The young agent
twisted sideways, threw his leg out and swept his attacker’s legs out
from
under him. As the rebel went down, J.D blasted his fist into the
other’s face.
The boy spun around to deal with other soldiers, but the only people
left
standing were his colleagues.
“They didn’t
fire on us,” Chris murmured, scanning the area.
“’Black Creek’?”
Josiah suggested.
“Vin’s been a
busy boy,” Nathan agreed, pulling cord from his pack and moving to
tie-up the
fallen soldiers.
J.D. stood
frozen, his chest heaving. Without warning, he began trembling. It
wasn’t fear,
but shock combining with the rushing adrenaline in his system.
Josiah
approached the young man and laid a hand on each of his shoulders.
“Breath
deeply, son. It’s all over.”
“I’ve never, I
mean...”
“I know. It’s
all over.” J.D. stared at the fallen rebels.
“Don’t look.”
J.D returned his
attention to Josiah. “You guys are amazing! “ Dunne had taken care of
one.
Between them, Josiah, Nathan and Chris had dealt with the eleven!
“They are very
accomplished at moving through the jungle and probably at using their
rifles,
but take their weapons away and it doesn’t leave much. They aren’t well
trained
in hand to hand by the look of it. That gives us the advantage, because
we
are.”
“I don’t
understand why they didn’t just shoot us. Black Creek?” J.D. inquired.
Josiah grinned.
“A long time ago, at a place called Black Creek, we convinced our
hidden enemy,
who outnumbered us five to one, that we were scouts for a squad that
was only a
few minutes behind us. The Kat Cong knew that using their rifles would
be
suicide because it would alert ‘our squad’. They attacked like this lot
did,
with only knives. Looks like Vin may have spread the word.”
J.D.’s breathing
was starting to come under control and he had stopped trembling. “You
fellas
are amazing,” he repeated, quietly.
Josiah sighed.
“We’re good at what we do. Unfortunately, it’s this.”
Larabee and
Jackson completed binding their enemy and then moved across to their
partners.
“You alright?”
Chris asked J.D.
The youth nodded
cautiously. Again his eyes fell to the unconscious, wounded... and
dead. “It’s
the first time I’ve ever been attacked like that. I... I mean...”
Chris patted the
J.D.‘s shoulder and deliberately moved to block his young friend’s view
of
their fallen enemy. “We should be fairly safe now. This is the lot that
was
following ‘The Package’ from the plane.”
“So, there won’t
be any more rebels?” J.D. asked with relief.
“Scouts maybe,
but this was the main group.” Larabee turned to Nathan. “Do you think
you can
pick up ‘The Package’s’ trail?”
“I can try,
Sir.”
**********
Buck peered into
the silent jungle ahead. The stillness was almost distracting. Moments
earlier,
Vin had heard or sensed something and so the trio had stopped and
sought cover.
Now, they were listening and waiting. Was it another squad or had they
finally
located ‘The Package’?
Wilmington
returned his attention to his leader.
Vin glanced at
the captain and nodded and then turned to Ezra and mouthed the word,
‘Package’.
How Tanner had discerned that fact, neither man knew, but they had
complete
faith in his ability to read the jungle around them.
Tanner indicated
for Ezra to stay where he was and for Buck to move to the left. Without
a word,
Wilmington and Tanner headed in opposite directions. Their plan was to
encircle
‘The Package’ to ensure they could make contact easily.
Ezra stared
directly in front of him. He tried to detect any sign of movement or
any sound.
As he listened, he picked up the hum of whispering.
Standish grinned.
Vin Tanner, you are good.
Ezra couldn’t
help feeling relieved. They had found ‘The Package’ which meant they
could
regroup with their companions. However, there was still one major
obstacle. How
were they going to ensure the bodyguard didn’t shoot at them the moment
they
attempted to make contact? Somehow, Em7 had to let the two tired,
probably
terrified, men who had been on the run for two days know that they were
a
rescue team and not the rebels who had been dogging them all day.
The seconds
ticked by. What’s that? Ezra’s brow furrowed. Was it whistling?
The
sound was very, very soft, but getting louder. As recognition settled,
Standish
found a smile creasing his lips. The chorus of ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’
built
until it filled the area and then faded away. Tanner and Wilmington
had, in
their very own way, ensured that ‘The Package’ recognised the identity
of those
surrounding them.
Vin‘s firm voice
filled the air. “Em7. We have been sent to escort you home.”
Silence. About
ten feet from Standish, a man stood up, his rifle still held
defensively.
Moments later, Vin rose to his feet to the bodyguard’s left and Buck on
his
right.
“Thank, Christ.
You fellas are a sight for sore eyes,” the exhausted man cried,
lowering his
rifle. He was large and powerfully built, but his face was ruddy and
his red
tinged eyes advertised his fatigue.
Vin approached
the man and offered his hand. “Lieutenant Tanner.”
The bodyguard
took the proffered hand and pumped it. “Agent Peter Miles. I’m one of
the
President’s personal bodyguards.”
“How is the
President?” Vin asked.
“He and the
Australian Prime Minister are with my partner. We separated.”
“There’ll be
time for explanations later,” Vin muttered, moving to his left. “Ezra,
cover
us.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Standish moved to the edge of the clearing and scanned the jungle for
signs of
any rebel scouts.
Tanner crouched
beside a thin man leaning up against a tree. “Sir,” Vin acknowledged,
tipping
his hat. This man was dressed in an expensive dark suit, though now it
was torn
and soiled. His face was lined with exhaustion and pain, but the
overwhelming
emotion was relief.
The New Zealand
Prime Minister managed a grin. “So, you’re Em7. The President said
they’d send
you. The best of the best. I didn‘t believe that seven men could...” He
couldn’t finish. He was so overcome with emotion that the words became
lost.
“You can rest
for a few minutes, Sir. Buck, check him out. I want to know the extent
of his
injuries. Give them some water and some beef jerky.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Vin patted the
Prime Minster’s arm and then turned to the bodyguard.
“How badly are
the others injured?”
“Bruises mainly.
We were lucky. We lost six in the crash.“
“Yeah, I know.“
“Lieutenant,
there’s a squad of rebel soldiers following us.”
“Not any more.”
“You... the
three of you?... Shit.”
“What was your
plan?” Tanner asked, indicating for Miles to sit and rest. The
bodyguard sank
to the ground without argument and gratefully accepted a canteen of
water.
“Thanks. We
haven’t eaten or drunk anything since the plane went down.”
“Your plan?” Vin
pressed. He knew this man was tired, sore and hungry, but Tanner didn’t
have
the luxury of time to offer any comfort.
“We decided to
separate,” the bodyguard stated, withdrawing a map from under his
jacket. He
unfolded it and pointed to a spot on it. “We’re both heading for here.”
Vin frowned.
“You had a detailed map of the jungle with you?”
“The President
did. A couple, actually. He and the two Prime Ministers were on their
way to
negotiate the extradition of the terrorists who blew up that flight,
and to see
if they could assist the government here defeat the rebels. It would
not be in
the United States’ interests if the Rebel leader were to take over
government.”
“So where are
we?”
The bodyguard
pointed. “We’re only about forty minutes from where we arranged to
meet. We had
hoped that we’d lose the rebels, but they know this jungle well and can
track.
I just pray the others have been as lucky as us. If they haven’t been
captured,
they should arrive at the agreed spot around the same time as we would
have.”
“Alright. Let
Buck have a look at you. We’ll be moving in ten minutes.”
Miles gazed at
Vin and released a long deep breath. It was obvious that this young
soldier was
very experienced and knew what he was doing. Peter Miles felt himself
relax. He
could hand over the responsibility of protecting the world leaders to
this man
now. “Lieutenant, I can’t tell you how... I mean, I really thought...”
Vin’s head
bobbed once and then strode across to Buck.
Wilmington
joined his companion a few feet away from the others so they were out
of
earshot. “The Prime Minister’s arm’s broken, but it’s been well
strapped. He’s
dehydrated and his feet are like hamburger. He isn’t going to be able
to move
at the sort of speed we‘re gonna need.”
“He has up until
now. He’ll need to keep that up for another hour. We should rendezvous
with the
others by then.”
“Then what? Look
at the canopy above us. We can’t cut through that. Besides, we know the
rebels
have numbers. The moment we start working, they’ll hear us.“
Tanner was
nodding.
“He can’t go on,
Vin. We’re going to have to carry him. And if the others are the
same...”
“We’ll cross
that bridge when we...” Tanner’s voice faded. His brow furrowed. His
eyes grew
intense. “Stay here.”
“Sir?”
“If I’m not back
in ten minutes, press on without me.” Vin appeared agitated. “Miles
will tell
you where you‘re headed.”
“Yes, Sir.” Buck
watched his leader disappear into the foliage. In less than five
seconds, there
was no sign of the young man.
“What’s going
on?” Ezra asked.
“I don’t know.
We leave here in ten minutes.”
“And Lieutenant
Tanner?”
“He’ll catch up
when he‘s finished doing whatever it is he‘s doing.”
**********
“Well?” The
voice was soft and laced with anticipation. The room was in darkness,
though
light was penetrating through the spaces in the weathered boards.
“They have
disappeared off the face of the earth, Colonel Kane.”
The leader of
the Hawks snorted. He rose to his feet and strode out of the
dilapidated shed.
Outside, his men were lounging on the ground. Kane stared across the
open land.
America was a beautiful country. Kane had travelled far and wide, but
he was
yet to come across a place like this.
“Sir, how long
will we be staying here?” his second in command enquired. The band of
vigilantes were getting restless. They needed to find a war to fight.
“Until I know
where they are.”
“But, Sir...”
Kane focused a
hard stare on his Lieutenant, reminding the other man of exactly who
was in
charge.
“Yes, Sir.”
The Colonel
disappeared back into the large, old shed.
“Well?” one of
the vigilantes asked the Lieutenant.
“We wait.”
“They’re only
seven men. What’s he so concerned about?”
Inside, the
Hawk‘s leader reached for the bottle of whisky on the upturned box he
had been
using as a table. Larabee was good. If the other colonel had
disappeared it
meant there was a damn good reason and Kane wanted to know what it was.
The
Hawks had returned to the States a couple of days earlier, but before
Kane did
anything he wanted to know what Chris Larabee was up to. Doug Kane
didn’t
exactly hate, Larabee. Rather, he was obsessed with him. Larabee could
achieve
any objective with only seven men. That was something that Kane found
astounding. Only an idiot would ignore the fact that Larabee and his
men
existed and Kane was no idiot.
“To the
S.T.T.1.,” the Hawk leader toasted. “May they rot in hell.”
**********
Vin moved
swiftly. He could hear movement - the movement of a large group of men.
Almost
ten minutes later, the Lieutenant slowed his pace. Ahead, there were
voices.
Vin moved in
closer. He had found yet another squad of rebels. There were ten in
this troop.
“I still can’t
contact the other units,” one rebel complained. “These radios are crap!”
“It does not
matter. Doyle’s group has been shepherding the two men from the plane
towards
us. The General has sent two more squads to comb the area either side.
We will
find them. We have them in the middle. They have nowhere to run. We
just have
to close the circle. Sooner or later, we’ll find them.”
Vin had heard
enough. Tanner withdrew, turned and sprinted back to his companions.
What the
hell was he going to do now?!
When Tanner
arrived, Buck was just organizing the group to leave.
“Lieutenant?”
Ezra asked, lowering his rifle.
Vin’s face was
severe, but his actions were calm and deliberate. “There’s a squad
ahead of us
and a couple more around us. We‘re surrounded.”
Buck’s eyes
hardened. “We aren’t going to be able to outrun them.”
“How far?” Ezra
demanded.
“The one in
front of us will be on us in minutes.”
“What are we
going to do?” Miles asked, frantically.
Vin’s mind
zapped at the speed of light. Buck was right. They wouldn’t be able to
outrun
the rebels and making a stand was out of the question.
“Black Creek?”
Ezra asked.
Vin shook his
head. There was a huge element of risk in hoping that the rebels would
decided
not to fire on them and Vin couldn’t afford to take chances with the
Prime
Minister’s life.
Every second
that passed was critical for it brought the advancing rebels closer.
“What if we just
hide?” Miles asked.
“They know
you’re here. They’re looking for two men and they won‘t stop until...”
Vin’s
brow furrowed. “Two men,” he repeated. Tanner’s eyes flicked to Buck.
Wilmington understood immediately. They didn’t have a choice. Normally,
surrender was out of the question, but it was the lives of five men
against the
lives of two.
Ezra seemed to realize
what they were going to do also. “Vin, no.”
“We’re going to
be taken anyway.” Vin couldn’t prevent the soldiers from capturing the
group.
They were encircled and as the rebel had said, sooner or later the
Ghosts of
Freedom would close the circle around them and the group would be
forced to
fight or be captured. Fighting was out of the question with the Prime
Minister
present. That only left surrendering and being captured. However,
Tanner knew
he could minimize the number seized. “If they think they’ve got the men
from
the plane, they’ll discontinue the search.”
“You’re going to
allow yourselves to be taken captive?” Miles asked, incredulously.
“They’ll
kill you.”
“No, they
won’t.” If the rebels had wanted ‘The Package dead, they would have
peppered the
jungle with bullets once they had closed in. For some reason, the
Ghosts wanted
the men on the plane alive.
Vin turned to
Ezra. “Keep them quiet. Wait about ten minutes. That should give Buck
and I
time to be captured and the rebels time to contact the other groups.
Let the
Colonel know what’s going on. He’ll take control.”
Ezra stared into
the calm eyes of his friend. Try as he might, he couldn’t think of
another
plan. Surely they could come up with something better than this?!
Unfortunately, they had run out of time. The rebel squad was advancing
even as
they spoke.
Vin offered his
hand. Ezra took it. The two men stared at each other. “They’ll keep us
alive
until they get us back to their camp. No guarantees after that.” Chris
would
know that and rescue the pair long before then. Vin had complete
confidence in
that fact.
“Good luck,”
Ezra whispered.
“You too. Keep
them quiet. Look after our rifles and headsets.”
“You’re going in
unarmed?“ Miles asked.
Tanner turned to
Buck. Wilmington nodded, winked at Ezra and then the pair jogged off in
the
direction of their enemy.
Ezra watched the
spot where his partners disappeared for several seconds. If only they’d
had
time to think of something else... anything else! Slowly, the reality
of the
situation sunk in. Vin and Buck were about to be captured by the
rebels! The
amazing thing was, neither man had shown any fear. They had faith in
their
team. Standish collected himself and took control of his emotions. He,
too, had
a job to do.
Ezra turned to
the two men who were now his responsibility. “No talking. None. Stay
down and
don’t move.”
Both men nodded.
Standish looked back to where his friends had gone. God in Heaven,
protect
them.
Part 7
Once Vin was
sure he had put enough distance between he and Buck, and the rest of
their
group, he stopped. Without discussion Tanner and Wilmington set to work
preparing to surrender.
Buck withdrew
his canteen and poured some water on his face and chest and then tipped
some on
Vin. Tanner yanked his shirt out and tore one of the sleeves in several
places,
Buck doing the same. Quickly, the two men shed their packs, webbing,
and caps
and hid them under some brush. They needed to look like two men who had
been in
a plane crash and had been on the run in the jungle without provisions.
From his
webbing, Vin withdrew a small capsule. He slammed it against his leg.
The
casing burst and the artificial blood inside spread quickly. Vin
stripped his
trouser leg from the knee to his ankle. The effect was realistic. It
looked as
though Vin had injured his leg in the crash. Buck picked up some mud
from the
ground and smeared it on his clothes and face. Tanner quickly did the
same.
Vin glanced at
his friend. Buck grinned stupidly. Vin looped his arm over his
companion’s
shoulder and the pair set off, Buck apparently assisting his wounded
friend.
They had come up with this idea after they left Ezra and ‘The Package.’
All
going well, it could be the difference between them successfully
escaping, or
dying in the attempt.
Less then three
minutes later, rebel soldiers burst out of the jungle around the two
men.
“Don’t shoot!” Buck
screamed, raising his one free arm above his head.
**********
Ezra heard the
distant sound of yelling. The young man lowered his head and prayed
silently.
He knew his friends had been captured.
Standish flicked
his head set into position. He knew his message had to be brief or
there was a
chance the rebels may triangulate his position. “Five to One.”
Larabee‘s voice
responded immediately. “Go, Five.”
“Two and Wings
have allowed themselves to be taken.”
“WHAT?”
Instantly, the colonel’s voice calmed. “How long ago?”
“Seconds ago. I
request permission to leave ‘The Package’ hidden here and to follow our
men.”
There was silence for several seconds. “Please, Sir. We need to keep
them in
sight. ‘The Package’ is quite safe here and the rebels will be
retreating as
they believe they have the two men from the plane. They have Two’s headset
so they can direct you here.”
Ezra waited.
“Permission
granted.”
“Thank you, Sir.
Five, out.”
**********
Chris shut his
eyes and stopped walking. His worst fears had just been realized.
“Sir?” Josiah
asked, coming up behind the stationary man.
“Vin and Buck
have been captured,” Chris whispered.
J.D. spun
around. “Captured?!”
“How?” Sanchez
asked. His voice was excessively composed.
“They allowed
themselves to be taken to protect ‘The Package’.”
“We need to
rescue them before the rebels get them back to their camp.”
Larabee nodded.
“They’ve been
captured?!” J.D. repeated. He felt physically ill. “We’ve got to rescue
them!”
“We will, but
right now, we have to complete our section of the mission.”
“Forget our
section of the mission!” J.D. cried. His only thoughts were for his two
friends.
“Sir,” Nathan
called, quietly. “I think I’ve found them.” Chris and Josiah jogged to
where
Nathan was standing. The land fell sharply. At the bottom of the
incline the
group could see movement.
“Come on,” Chris
ordered.
J.D. felt numb.
Buck had been captured!
“Focus,” Chris
growled at the youth as they descended the hill. The colonel could
sense the
boy’s distraction and while he could empathize, he couldn’t allow J.D.
to be
consumed by his own emotions.
J.D. licked his
lips and tried to clear his mind, but it was impossible. Buck and Vin
were in
trouble!
“Dunne, focus,”
Larabee repeated, in a hushed voice.
The young agent
knew he had to heed his colonel’s orders and so he consciously pushed
thoughts
of his friends aside.
“Stay here.”
Chris, Nathan and Josiah disappeared.
J.D. could feel
his heart pounding. Everything was falling apart! Buck and Vin had been
captured! How could the others remain so impartial?! How could they
think of
anything but rescuing their companions?!
Dunne held his
breath. There was a strange sound. Surely he was mistaken? No. No that
was
definitely Larabee, Sanchez and Jackson whistling “Yankee Doodle Dandy”!
Instantly, three
dishevelled men rose to their feet, wearily. All were muddy and tired,
but
exceedingly happy.
“Em7,” Chris
informed the group as he appeared out of the jungle. Promptly, the
Colonel
nodded to the President. He could not salute his leader in case there
were
enemy watching. Saluting would show that the man receiving the salute
was
important in some way.
“Colonel
Larabee, I knew they’d send you,” the bedraggled President claimed,
shaking
Chris’ hand.
“It’s good to
see you, Sir. Unfortunately, we don’t have time for talking. We need to
move
out, now. Josiah and J.D., give them some water. We move in three
minutes.”
The President
stared at Chris, surprised. He had hoped that Larabee would provide
some sort
of medical assistance, not to mention food.
“We need to
locate the rest of your group, Sir,” Larabee stated, simply.
“We are being
followed.”
“They have been
dealt with, Sir.”
The President
nodded as he accepted the canteen.
“We are tired
and could use a rest,” the bodyguard claimed. Like Miles and the New
Zealand
Prime Minister, these men were exhausted. Their feet were badly
blistered,
their bodies aching and their stomachs growling.
“I need to find
the other two members of your party and get you out of this jungle.
Nathan,
check their injuries and do what you can. I want to be moving in two
minutes.”
**********
The rebels
stood, their rifles aimed at the two men they had been searching for.
As they
had suspected, the pair were worse for wear. One was leaning heavily on
the
other, his leg splattered with blood.
For several
seconds there was silence.
Vin’s hand moved
to rest on the revolver hidden under his shirt. If he had been wrong
and the
rebels didn’t want the men from the plane alive, then today could be
the day
Tanner met his maker. If that were the case, Vin would take as many of
the
rebels with him as he could.
One soldier
stepped forward. His face was harsh and the unusual insignia on his
shoulder
indicated that he had some sort of rank in the rebel army. “Drop your
weapons!”
“What?” Buck
asked, apparently confused.
The rebel glared
at Wilmington and repeated the command.
“He wants us to
drop our guns,” Vin panted. “I speak a little Katinese. My friend
doesn‘t.” The
statement was ludicrous. Buck had taught Vin the language, but having
to
translate instructions to Buck would help to slow things down and that
was
essential. The pair had to provide Larabee with as much time as
possible to
find them before they reached the rebels’ base.
Buck and Vin
threw down their revolvers.
“Search them!”
The rebel leader ordered. Two soldiers approached the pair. One pulled
Vin from
Buck. The younger man collapsed to the ground with an effective gasp.
“Leave him
alone, you bastard. He’s hurt,” Buck bellowed, lunging at Vin.
Buck was dragged
back roughly and he and Vin searched. The rebels found their knives and
removed
them and then pulled the two men to their feet. Vin started to fall
again, but
Buck grabbed him.
“Can’t you see
he’s hurt! Hang on, Kid,” Buck stated quietly as he again threaded
Vin’s arm
over his shoulder. Their act appeared effective. The rebels around them
were
already relaxing, having decided the two men were no threat.
“They have
nothing else, Sergeant Parkus. No water or food either. They are
beaten,” the
Ghost of Freedom fighter claimed.
“Who are you?”
Parkus demanded.
“I don‘t
understand. We need some water.” Vin replied.
“Who are you?!”
“Our plane
crashed,” Tanner panted.
The rebel leader
frowned. He could see that this man could not understand a lot of what
he was
saying. The soldier eyed Tanner’s leg and then looked Buck up and down.
“Where
are the other men who were on the plane?”
“Yes, our plane
crashed.”
“There were
others on the plane.”
“We crashed
yesterday,” Vin replied, looking confused.
Parkus cursed.
“We’ll take them back to headquarters. General Freleagus speaks
English. He
will be able to get answers out of them. Radio the other groups and let
them
know we have found them. Tell them to meet us back at headquarters.”
Vin and Buck
exchanged a quick glance. Their objective had been met. The rebels were
calling
off the search.
“What of the
other three from the plane?”
“There are two
squads closing in on them. They’ll find them.”
Buck swallowed.
He hoped Larabee knew there was more than one out there tracking his
section of
‘The Package‘.
“Water?” Vin
repeated. “We need some water.”
Again, the rebel
leader stared at Tanner. He turned to one of his men and nodded. The
solider
passed Buck a canteen. Wilmington attacked it like a man possessed.
After
several long drags he passed the canteen to Vin. Once Vin had had a
drink, the
solider took the canteen back.
“Do you want me
to tie them up?” Both Vin and Buck held their breath. The entire idea
of Vin
being unable to walk unassisted was to ensure that they were left free,
ready
to make an escape attempt the moment the opportunity presented itself.
“No. He can’t
stand. Let the other one help him. They are too tired to try to
escape,” Parkus
commented, assessing the condition of the two men. “They are defeated
and
unarmed. They won‘t give us any trouble.”
Again Buck and
Vin exchanged a glance. So far so good.
The rebel
inclined his head. Another soldier gave Buck a shove and the group
started
moving north. Vin limped and Buck half carried him, effectively slowing
the
group’s progress.
**********
Chris had Nathan
set a fairly brisk pace. The three members of ‘The Package’ were having
considerable difficulty, but Larabee couldn’t afford to slow down. He
had to
find the other part of ‘The Package’ and then rescue his men. Trying to
keep
his personal emotions out of this was not easy, but Chris was managing
to at
this stage. Vin and Buck’s lives depended on him keeping a cool head
and
reacting professionally.
The minutes flew
by. “We are approaching from your right. Don’t shoot,” Chris snapped
into his
head set.”
"I copy
that, Sir,” an unfamiliar voice confirmed.
“Colonel
Larabee, we need to rest,” the bodyguard whispered. Every muscle in his
body
was screaming out in pain.
“Another fifteen
minutes. I’m sorry. I wish things were different, but I have no choice.
We need
to press on.”
**********
Ezra could hear
the rebel group moving now, which was a blessing. It saved him trying
to follow
the tracks, something that he had little experience doing.
Ahead, he
detected raised voices, but he couldn’t understand the language. As
Ezra got
closer, he identified Buck’s voice.
“We need to
rest! He’s hurt. Can’t you dickheads understand that?!”
The acid in
Ezra’s stomach began to churn. Vin was hurt!
“Tell him to get
you on your feet.”
“Calm down,
Buck. Help me up.... Ahhh!”
Vin’s cry
crystallized Ezra’s thoughts. He had to rescue his friends and he had
to do it
now! There was no time to wait for Larabee.
Standish crept
in closer. He could see the rebels crowded around Buck and Vin. Buck
was on his
feet and lowering Vin to the ground.
“I just need a
few minutes. Please,” Vin claimed.
The rebel leader
eyed both men and then snorted. “We rest for five minutes. Give them
some more
water. We don’t want to have to carry them. Marcus, watch them.” The
soldier
selected acknowledged the order with a nod and sat down several feet
from the
captives. The rest of the group moved away, most sitting down. The
rebels were
surprisingly cheerful and relaxed. They had found what Freleagus was
looking
for and for that, they would be well rewarded.
“The whisky will
flow tonight!“ one man cried.
“How far back to
the compound?”
“Only about an
hour. We will be treated like heroes. The general wanted these men real
bad.”
“I’ve won my bet
with Benson. I told him we’d find the mongrels first.”
“What did you
bet?”
Vin and Buck
were surprised by the relaxed banter. These soldiers did not fear
retaliation.
They believed themselves safe here. Clearly, they didn’t believe anyone
would
come this close to the well-guarded and well-armed rebel base.
Buck propped Vin
up against a tree and began fuss around him. Ezra studied his friends.
He could
see Tanner’s injured leg. A knife wound perhaps? There hadn’t been any
shots.
Standish counted
the rebels. Ten. With his rifle he would be able to take down half,
hopefully
before they responded. However, he’d need Vin and Buck to take care of
the
other five, but how? His friends were obviously disarmed and Vin was
injured.
Ezra knew he had
to let his partners know he was there and somehow he had to get some
weapons to
them. The Em7 agent crawled on his stomach toward his seated partners.
Most of
the rebels weren’t paying their captives any attention. They were too
busy
talking and celebrating their success. Only the rebel leader and the
single
guard appeared truly interested in Vin and Buck.
“Where are the
others?”
Vin lifted his
head and shrugged. The soldier crouched in front of Vin. Buck tensed.
If the
rebel leader laid a hand on Vin, it would be the last thing he ever
did.
Parkus stared at
Tanner. “Where did you learn Katinese?”
“Yes, I speak a
little Katinese,” Vin replied.
The rebel
snorted, giving up. There were too many words the young man didn’t
understand.
He would get his answers soon enough. Moving off to the left, the rebel
soldier
turned to talk to one of his men.
Ezra crawled up
behind Buck, his eyes never leaving the guard watching his two
companions.
Withdrawing his own revolver, Standish slid it across the ground so
that it was
only inches from Wilmington’s hand.
Vin’s eyes
narrowed. He sensed a presence behind him. There was only one person it
could
be. “Ezra?”
“Gun behind your
right hand, Buck,” Standish whispered. Ezra moved several inches to the
right
and pushed his small derringer into Vin’s waiting hand. The gun only
held two
bullets, but two were better than nothing.
“If we fire on
them, we’ll alert the other groups in the area,” Vin murmured.
The guard peered
at his captives, but he couldn’t understand their muttered conversation.
“’Broadcast’?”
Buck suggested.
“That‘s what I
was thinking. Ezra, don’t kill the rebel leader. We‘re going to need
him.”
“Understood.”
“We’ll have to
wait until a good opportunity presents itself,” Buck whispered.
“It better
present itself soon. Apparently, we’re only an hour from the rebel
compound,”
Vin replied
“There’s only
one of them watching us now,” Buck pointed out.
“He’s too close.
If he moved back a little, we may have a chance to get behind these
trees
before he started firing. Just be ready, Ezra.”
“I’ll stay
close,” Ezra confirmed. Standish started to back away.
Abruptly, the
guard stood up and walked across to the two men. He stared at them,
intently.
Ezra froze.
Buck’s fingers
curled around the revolver.
“Enough
talking!”
Vin and Buck
just stared at him with puzzled looks. The soldier cursed, turned and
started
back for his position. The perfect time had just presented itself. No
one was
watching Buck or Vin directly. They weren’t likely to have another
chance like
this!
“NOW!” Vin
cried.
**********
“Mr. President!”
Miles exclaimed as the United States’ leader appeared out of the jungle
with
the rest of Larabee’s group.
“Alright,
everyone, quiet. Nathan, I need them ready to move in an hour.” All
five men
who had survived the plane crash, dropped to the ground exhausted and
began to
greet each other.
Jackson
approached his leader. “Colonel, they aren’t in any condition to be
going
anywhere.”
“We can’t risk
operating on the canopy. The jungle is crawling with rebels. Winching
them is
out. We’ve got to get back to the road so Ollie can pick us up,” Chris
growled.
“It’s going to
be slow going. I’ll bandage their feet, but, Sir, they are all on the
point of
collapse. They’re suffering dehydration, exposure and...”
“Just get them
ready to move,” Larabee dismissed. Nathan sighed. There were times when
his
colonel expected the impossible, but then, it was that determination
that
usually saved his team’s hides.
“Josiah, J.D.”
“Sir?”
“We’re going to
rescue the others. Nathan will stay here for an hour and then get this
group
moving back towards the road. Once we’ve...”
Muffled, distant
gunfire filled the air. The shots echoed for several seconds and then
there was
a deafening silence. Chris flicked his headset into position and
waited, his
heart launching into his throat.
“Sir?” J.D.
asked. “Sir, what was that? Do you think that was Vin and Buck
escaping?!” The
words were almost shouted.
“The rebels have
found your friends,” Miles commented. “I’m sorry. They sacrificed
themselves
to...
“Shut-up!” J.D.
roared. “They’re not dead!”
Josiah placed
his hand on J.D.‘s shoulder and drew him closer to Larabee. They needed
to
wait. Nathan rose to his feet and joined his companions. Together they
stood,
praying and hoping.
**********
Ezra lowered his
rifle. The battle was over. The rebels had only got off a couple of
shots. Thankfully,
he, Buck and Vin had survived unscathed due to the fact that they had
reached
the trees before the rebels could return fire.
Buck quickly
disarmed those soldiers who had survived the encounter.
“Your knife,”
Tanner demanded of Standish. The young lieutenant was high on
adrenaline. Ezra
handed his leader the blade. Standish couldn’t help smiling, his face
flooding
with relief. Vin didn’t appear to be badly wounded after all. “Get
these men
tied up,” Tanner ordered.
Vin moved across
to the rebel leader who was nursing his bleeding shoulder. “Where is
your
radio?” Vin growled.
The soldier’s
eyes widened. Gone was the thoughtful stutter that had permeated
Tanner’s voice
earlier as he had struggled to use the Katinese language. Parkus
withdrew his
two-way radio.
“Call the other
groups and tell them your men came across a large squad and have dealt
with
them.” Vin needed the other Ghosts of Freedom fighters to believe that
the
shots had been part of a battle the rebels had won so they wouldn’t
come rushing
in this direction.
“You speak
Katinese very well!”
Tanner raised
his knife. “Do it. Try anything and it will land you in a shallow
grave!“ The
rebel sergeant was a hard man who had been a soldier all his life. As
he stared
into Vin Tanner’s eyes, he found he believed every word.
“Parkus to
Base.“
“Base: One of
the other squads reported shots in your sector! Are you under attack?!“
Parkus
and Tanner glared at each other.
“Everything is
under control.“ The rebel leader paused. Vin lowered the knife to the
man’s
throat. “We encountered a large enemy squad. I have lost three men, but
we have
taken six captives.” Vin waited.
“That will
please the general! Great job, Parkus. I’ll tell the other squads.
Bring the
captives in. General Freleagus will probably want to question them
along with
the men from the plane. Base, out.”
Vin nodded and
snatched the radio.
“Who are you?”
“No one,” Vin
replied. “Tie him as well,” Tanner ordered.
Ezra handed Buck
more cord from his webbing. “That‘s the last of it. Where is your gear?”
“We ditched it.”
“Boys, grab a
few of their uniforms. They may come in handy later.”
“Are you
alright?” Ezra asked Vin, eyeing his leg.
Tanner patted
his friend’s arm and took Standish’s head set. “Two to One.
‘All
clear‘. Repeat ‘all clear‘.”
“I copy that, Two,”
Chris replied. His voice betrayed his relief.
“They’re okay?”
Vin heard J.D. shout in the background.
Tanner smiled.
“Tell Six we’re on our way back, Sir.”
“I‘ll do that. One
out.”
**********
Chris drew in a
long deep breath and nodded to his men. “They’re safe and on their way
back.”
“YES!” J.D.
cried, punching the air.
Chris patted the
Dunne's shoulder. “Calm down, son.” Josiah and Nathan exchanged a
relieved nod.
“What about
those shots? Every rebel for two miles will be converging on this area.”
“Vin gave the
‘all clear’.” Such a statement meant that all contingencies had been
covered.
“He must have
captured a radio,” Nathan mused, moving back to his five patients.
“Convinced
the rebels that the shots were nothing.”
Chris felt his
constricted chest relax for the first time since Ezra had informed him
that
Buck and Vin had been captured. “Josiah, they need to eat. Organise it.”
“We could use
something ourselves, Sir. Not to mention a couple of minutes rest. We
haven‘t
stopped all day.”
Larabee
considered Josiah’s words and then conceded. It was important they all
kept
their strength up. They had a long, hard trip ahead. They still
couldn’t risk
attempting to winch ‘The Package’ in light of the rebels milling around
in the
jungle.
**********
The rebel squad
watched as their experienced tracker examined the imprints in the damp
ground
at the bottom of the incline. They had been in front of the group
escaping from
the plane, ready to cut off their retreat. There was another squad
following the
trio. The rebels’ plan had been to surround the escaping men, but
something was
wrong.
“A group of
three met another group of three or four men here.”
“What?”
“Perhaps the
other men from the plane circled around?” one soldier suggested.
“The other two
have already been captured. Which way did they go?”
“This way, Sir.”
The squad leader
radioed the rebel base. “We have come across tracks we believe to
belong to the
men from the plane. However, they appear to have been joined by several
others.”
“Others?”
“Yes, Sir. We
have tried to contact Anka’s squad, but they aren‘t answering.“
“We’re having a
lot of radio troubles this afternoon. Anka’s group should only be a few
miles
from you. Follow the tracks. Once Anka comes across them, he‘ll follow
yours.“
“Yes, Sir.“
The rebels
regrouped and followed their scout. It would not be long before they
caught up
with their enemy. They had heard about Parkus’ success in capturing,
not only
the men from the plane, but also some unidentified soldiers who had
probably
been sent to rescue those on the plane.
The rebels knew
that if they could track down this group as well, Freleagus would be
very
happy, and when he was happy, things were far more pleasant for
everyone! Juan
Freleagus was an outstanding leader but he kept command through fear,
not
respect. His men had seen his cruelty first hand and none of them
wanted to be
on the receiving end of it. Failure was something that Freleagus simply
did not
tolerate.
“Come on. Let’s
get moving.”
**********
When Buck, Ezra
and Vin appeared, J.D. rushed them. He threw his arms around Buck and
held his
best friend for several seconds before shoving the larger man hard.
“You let
yourself be captured! What the hell were you thinking, you crazy
bastard?!”
Wilmington
grinned. “Good to see you too, Kid.”
J.D. stared at
his friend and smiled. “Ya scared the shit out of me, Buck.”
“That’s the
second time on this trip that you’ve shit yourself and I‘ve missed it!”
Chris, who was
seated eating and who had had no intention of allowing his emotions to
get the
better of him in front of ‘The Package‘, leaped to his feet at the
sight of
Tanner. “Nathan!” he cried, rushing his lieutenant.
Vin appeared
surprised. Both Nathan and Chris shepherded him into the centre of the
temporary camp. The President and the rest of the group watched
wide-eyed. It
was only then that the lieutenant noted that everyone was preoccupied
with his
leg. “It’s a blood capsule, guys. I’m fine.”
It took several
seconds for the message to sink in. “Thank, Christ,” Larabee muttered.
Vin grinned.
“Sorry.”
“His head wound
is real enough,” Buck pointed out, accepting some food from Josiah. “He
lost
consciousness for about sixty seconds, Nathan. You better have a look
at him.”
Jackson pointed
to the ground. Vin sighed and obeyed. “So ya found the others?” Tanner
asked
Chris, glancing at the five men who were seated eating.
“Yeah. ‘All
clear’?”
“I got the squad
leader to broadcast for us. Here’s his radio. The rebels are going to
start
getting suspicious soon, especially as a quite a number of their men
won’t be
reporting in - thanks to us. I reckon we‘ve only got a window of about
an hour.
The squad that captured us reported they‘d be back to base within the
hour,
which is in about forty minutes, Sir. They‘re too close for us to
attempt
clearing the canopy and winching them.”
Chris nodded.
Em7 was fast running out of time. When the rebel squad failed to arrive
with
their captives, the Ghost’s of Freedom would send more troops. It was a
race
against the clock now. “He okay?” the colonel asked his medic as Nathan
rose to
his feet.
“Fine. Buck’s
stitching has improved.”
“Ezra did it.
Standish’s a hell of a fighter, Chris.”
Larabee glanced
at the topic of conversation, who was currently in an earnest
discussion with
the President. “...furthermore, Sir, I feel that it is imperative that
if we,
the civilized majority, allow...”
Chris grinned.
“I think the President may have met his match.”
Vin nodded. “Did
you take care of the two squads in your section?”
“Two?” Both Vin
and Chris froze. Both knew instantly that they were in trouble. There
was still
a squad out there and on their trail! “Shit.”
Larabee turned.
“Pack up, we’re leaving. Now!”
Nathan grabbed
his Colonel’s arm. “Sir, hang on. This isn’t going to work. It will
take us
three, maybe four days to cover the distance we did in one and a half.
How long
are the rebels going to wait for their squads to turn up before they
start
getting suspicious?”
“He’s right,”
Vin agreed, climbing to his feet. “Another couple of hours and they’re
gonna send
reinforcements whether we take care of that last group or not. We can’t
outrun
them, Sir. And we can’t hold them off.”
“So, what are
you both suggesting? That we surrender?!” All of the men became silent.
The
members of ‘The Package’ stared up at their rescuers.
An adrenaline
fuelled smile lit Tanner‘s face. “I have a plan.” Larabee waited
expectedly.
“You aren’t gonna like it.”
“Since when have
I ever liked any of your plans, Cowboy?” Chris signalled his team to
gather
around. It was time to design their next move. Right from the beginning
Larabee
had known that he would have to make some major decisions once they had
located
’The Package’. Decisions based on ’The Package’s’ condition and on the
situation.
“Excuse me, Mr.
President. We will continue this stimulating conversation at a more
appropriate
time,” Ezra stated politely, rising and joining his partners.
“They have a
landing strip,” Vin pointed out.
“You mean get
Ollie to fly in here and pick us up? Won’t work. The moment we contact
him,
they’ll triangulate our position,” Chris argued.
“Didn‘t mean
that. They gotta have a plane.” Larabee and Tanner glanced at Buck.
“I’ll get
whatever bird they’ve got into the air,” the pilot confirmed.
Chris started
shaking his head as he searched for flaws in the idea. “They’ll ground
us
before we can take off.”
“I’ve brought
charges with me, Sir. I could plant them in and around the compound.
Enough to
make them think Judgment Day has arrived,” Josiah claimed.
Chris considered
the idea. “It won’t be enough. These men are soldiers. They aren’t
going to be
fooled.”
“So far, we’ve
out-classed these so-called soldiers at every stage,” Ezra pointed out.
“Exactly,“ Vin
agreed. “I have no doubt they can fight and we know they can track, but
they’re
rusty. It doesn’t look like they’ve had a decent fight in ages. They’re
used to
battling unorganized and poorly trained men. We are neither. I think we
can
catch them off guard. They aren‘t expecting anyone to attack their
compound.”
Chris frowned.
“He may have a
point,” Nathan agreed.
“Look, Colonel,
if Buck can sneak into the plane and if Josiah can plant some charges
to give
‘The Package’ time to board, one soldier, well placed, could keep the
rebels
occupied for two or three minutes - long enough for Buck to get the
bird in the
air.” The former members of the S.T.F.1 knew what Vin was suggesting
for it was
a strategy they had used in the past... a strategy they all hated.
“I’m not leaving
you behind,” Larabee growled. In Katinda, he may have considered it.
Never
again.
“We don’t have
any choice, Colonel. ’The Package’ can’t go on and we know there’s at
least
another squad of soldiers out there following your tracks. Hell, they
could be
here any minute. If they radio for back up, we all die. The answer is
staring
us in the face. We steal a plane. In the confusion created by the
explosions, I
can keep them busy enough for you to get off the ground.”
Chris glared at
his determined Lieutenant.
Vin lowered his
voice. “Chris, it’s the only way and you know it.“
Larabee cursed
under his breath. “J.D., I need that aerial map of the rebels’
compound.“
“Yes, Sir.“
Still Larabee
and Tanner stared at each other. The other men knew a silent argument
was
taking place; a clash of wills. However, Larabee’s request appeared to
signal
that Vin had already won... or lost, depending which way you looked at
it.
I’m not
leaving you!
Colonel, we
have to get them out of here.
Not by
sacrificing your life.
The life of
one man is expendable. We both know that.
The life of
any other man is expendable. Yours isn’t!
It’s the only
way, Chris. You know it is. Otherwise, we’re all dead. “We need to ensure the safety
of as many
men as possible.” Tanner’s words were hushed. He knew Larabee would see
sense,
eventually. Chris was one hell of a leader. They had to ensure the
survival of
the majority, even if it meant leaving a man behind to cover their
backs.
J.D. dragged the
bundle of maps from his pack and held out the one of the rebels’
compound.
Larabee didn’t seem to notice.
“Sir,” J.D.
prompted, quietly.
Chris snatched
the map, crouched and laid it out on the ground. “Josiah?”
“I can probably
plant one here and one here,” the explosive expert muttered. “It’s a
long way
from the main compound, though.”
“Why can’t you
plant some closer?” J.D. asked.
“It would mean
having to get through this area, and by the look of that hardware,
they’ve got
a fancy security system. I can’t get through that.”
“But I can,”
Ezra mused. Chris glanced at Standish. “If Josiah has his little
surprises
ready to go, I could get in there and plant them.”
“You sure?”
Ezra smiled.
“They have yet to create a system I can’t bypass.”
“You’ll only
have minutes.”
“Then minutes
will have to be enough,” Ezra stated, simply.
Larabee nodded.
“Buck?”
“If we’re lucky,
there’ll be a plane on the runway. If not, they should have something
in the
hanger. You’ll have to give me time to get to the plane and make sure
the baby
has some fuel. Once I turn her on, everyone’s going to know we’re
there.”
“That’s when
Josiah’s charges will have to go off. Nathan and J.D. will get ‘The
Package’ to
the plane. Best place to hide, in the meantime, is here,” Chris stated,
indicating on the map. It would mean a hundred metre sprint to the
plane over
open ground.
“It’s risky,”
Nathan murmured. “What if we try to sneak them to the plane before Buck
starts
it?”
Wilmington shook
his head. “If I can’t get that baby started, we don’t want ‘The
Package’
sitting out there on their fannies twiddling their thumbs.”
“Vin?” Chris
asked.
“Yeah, I’m
looking. The best spot for me will be here. I’ll climb up on this wall.
I’ll
have to position myself there before the explosions. I can cover you as
you
move to the plane and pepper the rebels when you’re taxing down the
runway.
Once you’re in the air, I’ll retreat back this way.”
“You mean, you
won’t be coming on the plane with us?” J.D. asked, quietly. He had
suspected
that was what Chris was so angry about, but the boy hadn’t been
prepared to
accept the fact that Vin would be left behind. “Vin, you aren‘t coming
with
us?”
“No, Kid. Someone’s
got to provide you with cover.”
“But... Colonel,
we can’t leave him behind!” A stifling silence blanketed the group. “We
can’t
leave him on his own!” J.D. repeated.
“I won’t be,”
Vin muttered, glaring at his best friend. He knew Larabee intended
staying.
Chris could see sense, but only up to a point.
The colonel
flicked his eyes to his Lieutenant and shot him what Buck had labelled,
‘The
Larabee Glare’. “I’ll position myself, here,” Chris explained.
“Yeah, I though
you might,” Tanner growled.
“I wasn’t asking
for your opinion, Lieutenant.”
“You mean,
you’re both staying?” J.D. confirmed.
Chris nodded.
“Between us, we’ll have a better chance of holding them off until
you’re in the
air.”
“And if you
survive, then what?” Josiah asked, quietly.
“We’ll retreat
to this point,” Vin suggested. “Then, back through the jungle to the
road.
We’ll radio you once we get there.”
“Or see you in
hell,” Chris murmured.
J.D. was amazed
that no one was arguing against this absurd idea. “How on earth are
just the
two of you going to hold off all of those soldiers?”
“We only need to
keep it up for two minutes. Three tops. Vin and I can do that. Just
until the
plane is out of rifle range.” It was then that J.D. processed Josiah‘s
words
and Larabee’s response. The others were only half expecting Chris and
Vin to
survive! The colonel and lieutenant believed that they could
successfully avoid
being killed for two or three minutes, but after that...!
Again the group
was swallowed by an uneasy silence. No one liked the plan, but they
were out of
options. They needed to get moving or risk being found by one of the
rebel
squads. ‘The Package’ was not going to be able to outrun the rebels
once the
Ghosts of Freedom mobilized, and standing and fighting would be
suicide.
The plan they had
developed should ensure that the three world leaders, the bodyguards
and five
members of Em7 survived the mission. That was far better than none of
them
surviving.
“What do you
think your chances will be?” Ezra whispered.
“Better than
fifty, fifty,” Vin estimated. “If we survive the initial fire-fight, it
will
just be a matter of outrunning them. I reckon we can do that as long as
we
haven‘t taken any bullets.” The key words were ‘if we survive the
initial
fire-fight’, Standish realized.
J.D. swallowed. He
waited for Buck, or one of the others to say something.
“Alright, get
ready to move,” Chris ordered.
“Sir... I... I
don’t like it,” J.D. whispered, emotionally.
“Neither do I,
Kid, but it’s the best we can come up with at the moment.”
Part Eight
In the small
town less than fifteen minutes drive from Four Corners....
The postmaster
could hear the telephone ringing but he was in no hurry to answer it.
Life here
was slow and relaxed, which was just the way he liked it. The elderly
man
shuffled across the room and picked up the receiver.
“Ben Hoover,
Postmaster.” He listened for a few seconds and then began nodding.
“Yep, I
remember the package. The housekeeper picked it up earlier... Yep. No
problem.
Have a good day.”
**********
The rebel
compound was awesome in both size and sophistication, considering where
it was.
“It must house a
couple of hundred men,” Nathan muttered.
Chris ran his
appraising eyes over the premises. There were eight main buildings,
including
the hanger. Two of the structures were two-storied. There was a
twenty-five
foot high brick wall that surrounded approximately three quarters of
the
compound. Recently, the wall had been knocked down in the remaining
quarter to
allow the construction of the runway. Now, a simple electric fence
replaced it.
The brick wall had a wooden platform around the inside, about five feet
from
the top so the guards could patrol easily. At the moment, there were
only six
men on duty.
The security
devices themselves looked competent enough, but appeared to involve
sensors
only. Ezra should be able to put them out of commission without too
much
difficultly.
Chris’ brow
furrowed. Perhaps Vin was right. The rebels’ security was notably lax;
most
likely because they hadn’t encountered a proficient enemy in a long
time. The
Ghosts’ main weapon appeared to be their sheer numbers. Unfortunately,
number
was the one thing that Em7 couldn’t counter. Larabee also suspected
that once
these soldiers realized that they were under attack, it would be a
different
matter.
Vin pointed.
Chris nodded. At the top of one of the buildings was a set of antennas
and a
satellite dish. No doubt the rebels had set up similar devices around
the
jungle and could easily triangulate an enemy’s position.
“So why haven’t
they yet? We’ve been on the radio a couple of times.”
“Haven’t had any
need to be looking, I suppose. They think that they have everything
under
control. Once we hit them, it will be a different matter, though.”
“The compound
looks empty,” J.D. remarked.
“It don’t sound
it.“ From indoors, there was the sound of rabblerousing. The rebels
were
celebrating.
“Alright, let’s
review the plan,” Chris prompted. The other eleven men gathered around
the
colonel. “Buck goes for the plane.” Unfortunately, there wasn’t one
conveniently on the runway. “Ezra and Josiah set the charges. Vin and I
take
care of the guards on the wall and move into our positions. As soon as
Buck
starts the plane, Ezra and Josiah begin detonating. Nathan and J.D.
escort ‘The
Package’ to the plane.”
“The Package?”
the New Zealand Prime Minister asked.
“You, Sir. Ezra
and Josiah head for the plane the moment the explosions start. Vin and
I’ll
cover you until Buck gets the bird in the air and out of rifle range.
Then
we’ll retreat and head back through the jungle. We won’t be able to
contact you
until we reach the road where we stashed the jeep.”
“But that’s over
a day!” J.D. argued.
Chris inclined
his head to the antennas and satellite dish. “They’re a bit lax on
their
monitoring by the look of it, but once they know we’re out there,
they’ll be
searching for us. We can’t afford to make contact or risk giving our
position
away.”
The members of
‘The Package’ were exchanging nervous glances.
“Relax. We’ll
get you on that plane,” Chris assured them.
“But what about
you? Are you truly intending to stay behind?” The President asked.
“Colonel, Josiah
and I could stay as well,” Ezra offered. The four of us...”
Larabee was
already shaking his head. “No, I want as many of you out of here and
safe as
possible. Vin has to stay. His rifle will be deadly from up there.
He‘ll
provide you with the cover you need to lift off.”
“And you’re
staying because...?” Vin urged.
“Because I make
the decisions.” Don’t push me, Vin.
It doesn’t
make sense that you should stay.
We’ll make
our stand together.
Vin started
shaking his head, but then, if the shoe were on the other foot, he
would have
insisted on staying to mind Larabee’s back. “Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance
Kid,” Tanner chuckled.
Chris smirked at
his friend. “Any questions?”
Most of the men
were shaking their heads, but their faces revealed that they were not
wholly in
support of the plan.
“Isn’t there any
way that you two can make it to the plane?” J.D. asked.
Chris shook his
head. “Our bullets will be the only thing stopping the rebels from
grounding
you.” Chris flicked his eyes around the group to see if there were any
more
comments or questions.
“We commandeered
two rebel uniforms,“ Ezra informed his leader. “I suggest that I use
one and
Buck the other. It may help us to slip in there unnoticed.“
“Good.“
“Sir, give me a
few seconds to repack your and Vin’s packs with some essentials. We
won’t be
needing anything,“ Nathan pointed out.
Larabee nodded.
“Make it quick.“ Nathan moved swiftly, grabbing things from the others’
packs
and stuffing them into Vin and Chris’. After all, Tanner and Larabee
would have
another few days in jungle - if they survived the initial clash.
The medic
transferred all of the water into the lieutenant and colonel’s canteens
and
removed things from their packs that would be excess weight. The
seconds were
ticking by. At any moment the rebels may begin to put two and two
together and
come up with the fact that their men were failing to report because
they had
been attacked and defeated.
Buck and Ezra
pulled on the uniforms they had requisitioned from the rebels.
J.D. glanced at
Buck. He was still hoping that his best friend would somehow talk Chris
out of
this, but everyone seemed resigned to the fact that this was the only
option.
Dunne grabbed his friend’s attention. Buck laid his hand on the boy’s
arm. He
didn’t know what to say. He wished he could come up with another way.
“Nathan?” Chris
urged.
“I’m done, Sir.
It’s the best I can do.”
Larabee nodded.
“Time to move. Nathan, J.D., get ’The Package’ around as close to the
hanger as
possible. Go.”
Jackson peered
at his colonel for several seconds and then thrust his hand out. Chris
and Vin
laid theirs over it. For several seconds the trio stared at each other.
J.D.
laid his on top and then Josiah, Buck and Ezra followed suit.
“Give’ em hell,
boys!” Buck cried. Nathan stood and, gathering ‘The Package’ together,
led them
off. J.D. lingered for a moment, staring back at Chris and Vin. Tanner
winked
at the young agent and then J.D. raced after his group.
“Okay, Josiah
and Ezra, off you go. Ezra, we need those sensors out.“
“I understand.
Give me five minutes before you try to cross them.“
“Be careful.”
“You too,
Colonel.”
“Come on, Ez.
Now the fun starts.” Standish followed Josiah and didn’t look back. He
couldn’t. If he did, he may not be able to control the deep emotions he
felt.
Right now, he needed to focus. He had to take out the sensors so his
colonel
and sharpshooter could enter the compound.
Chris, Buck and
Vin watched their companions disappear. “Buck, radio Travis as soon as
you’re
clear of here. Give us forty-eight hours.”
“And then?”
“And then go
home.”
“But Chris!”
“Those are my
orders, Buck.”
Wilmington
glared at his oldest friend. Abruptly, the big man embraced his leader.
“You’re
a stubborn bastard, Larabee.” Buck released Chris and then grinned at
Vin.
“Come here, Kid.”
“Kid?!” Tanner
protested as Buck wrapped him up in a bear hug. “Kid?!”
“I’ll be
expecting to see ya some time tomorrow,” Wilmington whispered.
Vin stepped
back. “We’ll do our best.”
“Remember, Ezra
wants five minutes. Go, on, Captain. We’re wasting time.”
“In your ass,
Larabee,” Buck muttered as he turned and hurried off into the jungle.
Tanner and
Larabee’s eyes locked together. Their arms snapped together. Their
souls
touched for several seconds.
Good luck.
Watch your
back.
The pair parted
and headed in opposite directions. There was no turning back now.
**********
Zenaldo entered
his leader’s office, tentatively. Earlier, the good news that Parkus
had
captured a group of soldiers and some of the men from the plane had
caused
celebrations. Freleagus had even smiled. Since then, however, the
rebels had
lost contact with a lot of their fighters. The general didn’t know
that... yet.
“Is Parkus
back?” Freleagus asked as Zenaldo entered.
“No, Sir.”
The general
frowned and looked up from the papers he was studying. “What’s taking
him so
long?”
“I don’t know,
Sir. He said that the men from the plane were injured. They must be
slowing him
down.”
“Well, call him
and tell him to hurry up!”
Colonel Zenaldo
licked his lips nervously. “We’ve lost contact with him.”
Freleagus pulled
the cigar from his mouth, his ice black eyes flashed. Zenaldo
unconsciously
stepped back. “Lost contact? What the hell does that mean?”
“We’ve been
having trouble with the radios all day and... I’m sorry, Sir.”
“Having trouble
with the radios?“ Freleagus repeated. “You mean that you’ve lost
contact with
others as well?“ The colonel nodded. “Who aren’t you able to contact?”
“Three squads
have missed their call -in‘s and we haven‘t been able to reach them. It
isn‘t
the first time the radios have played up like this, Sir. We have also
lost
contact with the guards at the plane and several of our scouts, but
again, it
isn‘t the first time that the radios...”
“What!”
Freleagus shouted, rising to his feet. The other man took another step
backwards. “Why the hell wasn’t I informed?!”
“We did not feel
there was any crisis. Our technicians have been working on the problem
all day
and as we had captured two of the men from the plane and two of our
squads are
closing in on the other three survivors, we didn‘t feel there was any
threat.”
Freleagus glared
at the other man. “Any threat! What about that large squad of soldiers
that was
reported? Or the men Parkus captured?”
“Well... I...”
“You idiot! Did
it occur to you that the reason we may have lost contact with so many
men was
because these foreign soldiers had captured them?!”
“When we lost
contact with the first few scouts, we suspected that they may have been
captured, but there is no way that three full squads could have been
defeated.
I am sure it is just a simple technical problem.”
Freleagus’ men
honestly believed that there was no way anyone could penetrate the
jungle and
attack them on their own terms. For years the rebels had held this
ground
easily. Others had tried to hunt them down or wipe them out and had
lost their
lives in the attempts. Every now and then the other rebel group, who
also hid
in the jungle, tried to cause trouble, but the Ghosts of Freedom had
never had
any difficulty dealing with them. They were a loosely formed group who
lacked
discipline or purpose.
In the past, the
government had sent assassins to murder Juan Freleagus, but all
attempts had
failed. None of the hired killers had ever reached the rebel base. They
were
detected and killed by the Ghosts’ intricate network of scouts that
were
scattered throughout the jungle.
General
Freleagus was his country’s most wanted man because he was organising
an army
to take over the government by force. At the moment, the experienced
solider
had to bide his time. His one hundred and fifty-eight men were well
trained,
but he knew they were becoming stale and perhaps even over-confident.
Not to
mention the fact that that they needed more work on close range
fighting.
However, the general believed that hand-to-hand combat was an outdated
practice.
All his men needed to know how to do was to shoot accurately, and that
they
could do.
The Ghosts
hadn’t had a real battle in almost eight months. The government troops
were
afraid of coming into the jungle and no one outside of their country
was
interested in their internal struggles, or so Freleagus believed. The
rebel
general was ready to attack, but he wanted to wait until the new
shipment of
arms came in. In it there were a number of goodies that would make his
take-over easier.
“I assure you,
Sir, we are on top of the situation,“ Colonel Zenaldo told his leader.
Like his
companions, the colonel assumed that the Ghosts of Freedom were
untouchable
here. When they left the safety of the jungle and attacked elsewhere,
that was
a different matter, but here, they were practically invincible. The
well-armed
army had set up a system of trails, landmines and traps to protect
their
territory. Anything that moved in the jungle was reported by one of the
scouts.
Their base was a good day’s hike inland and impossible to reach without
being
detected. All of this Zenaldo believed passionately.
“Once Parkus
arrives with his captives, we can question them and find out about this
foreign
squad. We are under no threat, Sir.”
**********
Josiah scanned
the area. He was covering Ezra as the gambler tinkered with... whatever
it was
on the fence he was tinkering with. Seconds later, Standish signaled
his friend
and then Ezra scaled the electric fence. The compact agent was
deceptively
agile, but then Standish hadn’t been selected for Em7 by chance. He
was,
literally, the best in the business.
Josiah listened.
The hum from the wire structure, which had been audible before, was now
silent.
No sooner did Ezra’s feet hit the ground on the other side and the
drone
recommenced. Josiah shook his head. Standish truly was a master when it
came to
security systems. If Ezra had disengaged the electric fence for more
than a few
seconds, no doubt someone would have come to check what was wrong.
Josiah
watched as his partner put on a set of goggles that would enable him to
see the
laser beams that cris-crossed the area just inside the fence. Standish
lay on
his stomach, crawled for several feet and then stood up and stepped
over some
invisible obstacles.
Sanchez kept his
eyes on the guards patrolling the wall. If one of them turned in Ezra’s
direction, Josiah knew he would have to take the sentry out, but that
single
shot could ruin everything.
Thankfully, it
took Standish only seconds to successfully breach the rebels’ security.
The Em7
agent darted into the shadows, made his way passed two buildings before
entering the middle structure. Casually, Ezra walked inside, the cap on
his
head pulled down low over his eyes.
**********
He’s in, Vin noted. Like Josiah, the
young
sharpshooter marveled at how easily Ezra was able to infiltrate the
enemy
fortress. Now, Tanner had to wait for Standish to find the control
centre and
disengage the laser sensors that ran around the circumference of the
compound.
While Ezra was able to crawl under and over the sensors, the rest of
his team
needed them out of action so they could do their job. The only way Ezra
could
ensure every security device was out of commission, without setting off
the
alarms, was to turn them off at the source.
**********
Nathan held his
hand up for silence. His small group was crouched as close to the
runway as
possible. Here, there was only a barbed wire fence to cross, but
Jackson could
see signs of landmines and no doubt laser sensors also protected the
area. The
sensors shouldn’t be a problem. Ezra was taking care of them.
“There are
landmines. When we leave here, you’re going to have to follow in my
footsteps.
A few inches either way and we won’t need the plane.”
The men crouched
behind the sergeant, exchanged tense glances.
**********
The room was
empty, but Ezra could hear the sound of celebrating close by. The
voices were
loud and raised. Standish couldn’t understand the language. The former
’Secrets’ agent could speak, read and write French, Spanish, German,
Italian,
Japanese and several Chinese dialects, but not... whatever that was.
Counting his
blessings, Ezra crossed the empty room and entered a long hallway. He
had to
find the control centre and he suspected it was in this building
because the
antennas and satellite dish were on the roof of this block. He
predicted that
the security command centre would be directly under them.
Abruptly, a man
appeared in the hall ahead of Ezra. Standish lowered his head, the peak
of the
cap covering his eyes. The soldier muttered something, but passed the
Em7 agent
without interest. Ezra started breathing again. He glanced at his
watch. He had
about two minutes before the others would attempt to cross the sensors.
Ezra increased
his pace. Ahead, there were two doors. From one room he could hear
talking.
Standish stopped just short of it and then edged closer until he could
see
inside. A relieved grin lit his face. He’d found it. As he had
suspected, the
control room was directly below the hardware on the roof. The smile on
his
face, however, was a result of the fact that the room contained only
two
technicians and no security guards.
Ezra withdrew
his revolver and calmly, he entered the command centre. Neither of the
technicians seemed to notice. They were locked in a heated debate.
Standish
shut the door quietly and then walked up to the pair. It was only then
that the
rebels looked at him.
“No, we haven’t
fixed it yet. Tell Zenaldo that... Who the hell are you?”
Ezra levelled
his weapon and smiled. The two rebels raised their hands. They were not
fighters.
They were technicians who had joined the revolutionaries because of the
promise
of power and money.
Ezra beckoned
them from their seats and pointed to the wall. The men exchanged a
glance. Ezra
cocked his weapon. The rebels moved swiftly. Standish indicated for
them to
turn around. Hesitantly, the pair did so. Ezra withdrew his knife. With
the
handle of the blade in one hand and the butt of this revolver in the
other, the
Em7 agent simultaneously whacked his captives against the back their
heads. Both
men slumped soundlessly to the ground.
Ezra glanced at
his watch. Forty seconds! He rushed to the computers and sat down, his
experienced fingers dancing across the keyboard. He had to shut down
the
electric fence, the sensors and any other alarms that may be a threat
to his
team.
**********
Buck licked his
lips. Ezra’s five minutes were up. The captain looked toward the
awesome brick
wall to his right and watched the guard who was patrolling closest to
him.
Wilmington could not move until Larabee and Tanner took care of the
wall
sentries and Chris and Vin couldn’t do that until Ezra had taken out
electronic
security. Hell, Ezra. You better have it down.
Wilmington
waited. He licked his lips. If Vin or Chris set off the alarms, all
would be
lost. Abruptly, the closest guard disappeared. Buck looked to the other
side of
the compound. There, he could just make out a guard’s head. Wilmington
blinked
and the sentry was gone.
Buck took a deep
breath. They were in. Ezra had done his job. As soon as the guards had
been
taken care of, Buck would head for the hanger, and Ezra and Josiah
would begin
planting Josiah’s little surprises.
**********
“That’s the last
one,” J.D. muttered, watching as the last lookout disappeared. The
youth turned
toward the hanger watching for any sign of Buck. “There he is!” the boy
cried.
Nathan nodded.
“Fingers crossed and get ready. The moment we hear the engines start,
we go.
Remember, don’t take your eyes from the boots of the man in front of
you or
this will be the shortest dash in history!”
**********
Josiah placed
the last of the three small devices he had. The explosive expert
depressed the
button that activated the timer. Each of the devices had a different
clock
setting. There should be about forty seconds between the explosions, if
everything went to plan. It should be enough time to allow everyone to
get to
the plane and for Buck to get it in the air.
Josiah had
planted his three bombs outside the buildings. Ezra’s two were meant
for
inside. Sanchez hoped that Standish had completed positioning his and
was
making his way to the plane.
The big sergeant
peered around the compound. The open area was empty. Em7 could not have
been
luckier. Everyone was inside having one hell of a party to celebrate
Vin and
Buck’s capture. The irony of it tickled Josiah’s fancy.
Hugging the
walls of one of the outer buildings, Josiah headed toward the runway.
It was
only a matter of time now before the explosions started and pandemonium
reigned.
**********
Buck swaggered
into the hanger. The four men seated towards the back, looked up from
their
card game.
“Hi there.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m the mug who
had to leave the damn party because the boss wants me to see if I can
see
anything from the air. I mean, I’m just starting to get happy! Hell.
Don’t know
why I get the job. Probably because I’m the new boy.”
The four men at
the table continued to stare at Buck, suspiciously. This man was not
strictly
speaking their language. Katinese was similar, but not the same.
“How come a Yank
like you speaks Katinese?”
“That would be
because I served in Katinda a few years ago. Been looking for a war
ever since.
You boys are about to wage war, I hear. This baby fuelled and ready to
go?”
Buck asked, inclining his head toward the plane.
“Yeah.”
“Good. I’ve
heard that Freleagus is a bit of a hard-ass and I don’t want to get on
his
wrong side. Hell, I’ve only been here a few days.”
“Did you come in
with that group of mercenaries on Thursday?”
Buck grunted and
glanced at the plane. “This baby looks like she’s done some miles.
Keys?”
One of the men
got up and collected the keys that were hanging on a nail on the wall.
Buck
tried not to show his relief.
“I reckon we
should radio and clear this first,” one of the mechanics insisted.
“Yeah, you go
ahead,” Buck suggested. “Last I saw, everybody but you guys were in
drinking
themselves silly. You heard that Parkus captured them fellas from the
plane?
The boss is real happy. Hell, does Freleagus ever smile? He‘s a sour
looking
bastard!”
All four men
relaxed. Clearly, Buck was one of them. He appeared to know the general.
Buck Wilmington
truly had the gift of the gab.
“I’ve known
Freleagus sixteen years and I’ve never seen him smile,” one of the men
chuckled.
“What are they
hoping you’ll see from up there?”
“God, knows. But
hey, I just follow orders. A man stays alive longer that way. Besides,
the
sooner I can finish this, the sooner I can get some more of that
whiskey into
me.”
“Whiskey?! They
got real whiskey this time?!”
“Nah. Just that
other shit. But hey, I ain’t complainin’.” Buck winked at the men and
then
walked across to the plane. He boarded quickly and raced to the
controls.
“Get ready,
boys. We’re about to get this show on the road!”
**********
Chris moved into
the small guard tower that was situated on one of the corners of the
wall. From
here he could see the entire compound and he had good cover. Larabee
peered
across to the guard tower opposite him. A rifle barrel was visible over
the
barricade. Vin was in place.
Larabee scanned
the empty compound. Once Buck started the plane, Chris expected the
party
inside to finish quite abruptly. Hopefully, the explosions would go off
on time
and provide the distraction needed.
Chris had seen
his pilot disappear into the hanger. Come on, Buck. Everything
now
rested with Wilmington getting the plane out onto the runway.
**********
Buck pulled the
headphones on and flicked several switches. The engine sprang to life.
He waved
to the rebels who were watching him and then taxied out of the hanger.
**********
“There he is!
Follow me and don’t be distracted when the explosions start going off!”
Nathan
cried, leaving the safety of the jungle. The three world leaders, two
bodyguards and J.D. followed him without question.
*********
Vin centred his
attention on the building where all of the celebrating had been taking
place. A
group of soldiers wielding rifles rushed through the door and out into
the open
to investigate why the plane was taking off. Tanner opened fire. All
four men
fell where they stood. The doors were yanked shut by those inside.
The compound was
rocked with a deafening explosion! Even from where he was, Vin could
hear the
yelling and chaos indoors.
**********
Further to the
left, another door opened. Two soldiers raced out. Larabee fired. One
fell. The
other man retreated.
**********
Buck could see
Nathan and his charges weaving their way across to the runway.
Wilmington
brought the cargo plane to a halt.
**********
“WHAT THE HELL
IS GOING ON OUT THERE?!” Freleagus yelled.
“We don’t know,
Sir. There’s been some sort of an explosion and we are being fired upon
from
the guard towers!”
“Send a group of
men through the tunnel. Have them come up near the cookhouse!”
“Yes, Sir!”
Zenaldo disappeared.
The general
raced to the security monitoring room. “What the...” he cried, seeing
his two
technicians on the ground unconscious. His enemy had actually been in
here!
They had more than simply breeched the security! They were inside!
Freleagus
grabbed the microphone. “This is General Freleagus!” The words echoed
across
the compound. His men paused to listen to his orders.
Vin fired,
taking out one of the four loudspeakers. The sharpshooter shot again,
taking
out a second.
Another
explosion rocked the base!
“Move to the
doors, now and rush these bastards. Do it NOW!” the rebel leader
bellowed. His
men grabbed weapons and then, through every door, soldiers rushed into
the
war-zone outside.
Vin and Chris
began firing, drawing the enemy's attention.
**********
“Come on, come
on!” Buck cried, watching as the seven men drew closer. Abruptly, the
compound
was over-run with rebels. “Come on!”
**********
“KEEP GOING!”
Nathan shouted. The rebels had not seen them yet. They were preoccupied
with
the men in the guard towers.
**********
Ezra raced
toward the plane from the right. Josiah from the left. Ezra reached the
aircraft and dived on board.
**********
A group of
soldiers spotted Nathan and his group running to the plane. The rebels
turned.
Vin peppered the soldiers. One rebel got a shot off... one shot was all
it
took!
**********
J.D. catapulted
forward. He hit the ground hard and lay still.
Nathan glanced
back. “Go!” he ordered the other five. The sergeant raced back to his
fallen
companion. Out of nowhere, Josiah appeared. The huge man dragged the
wounded
agent up onto his shoulder and then he and Nathan sprinted for the
plane.
**********
“NOOOOOOO!” Buck
roared when he saw J.D. go down. Instinctively, the captain leaped to
his feet,
wanting to go to his friend’s assistance, but he had a job to do here.
“Yes!
Yes!” Buck cried, spotting Josiah.
Wilmington
revved the plane’s engines. He heard people piling on board. “Buckle up
if you
can and hang on!”
“GO!” Nathan
shouted as he and Josiah leaped aboard. Buck needed no further
encouragement.
The big man sent the aircraft hurtling down the runway.
**********
The rebels
spotted the plane. They turned and began to fire on it. Just as they
did so,
another explosion rocked the compound sending the rebels scurrying for
cover.
Chris watched
the plane lift into the air. “Go. Go. Go!” The plane took off, and
arced to the
west. Seconds later, it was out of rifle range. The others were safe.
“Thank,
God.” However, Chris had seen J.D. hit. The boy was in Nathan’s care,
now.
Bullets sprayed
the guard tower. Chris ducked. “Vin?” he called into his headset.
“What’s up,
Cassidy?”
Despite the
severity of the situation... or perhaps because of it, Chris grinned.
He, like
Vin, was high on adrenaline. “Sundance, I’m pinned down. You make a run
for
it.”
“That would be a
bit difficult, Butch. I’m pinned too.”
Both men were attacked
again by a wave of firing. The wood around them was beginning to
splinter. Soon
it wouldn’t hold out the bullets.
“Chris... I get
the...” Bullets exploded around Tanner. “I get the feeling this may be
our last
stand, Cowboy. I...” Tanner swallowed.
“Yeah, me too,
Vin.”
**********
Buck stared out
the side window. He could see the soldiers on the ground moving toward
the
guard towers. Chris and Vin were outnumbered and out-gunned. The last
thing
Buck saw was a hail of bullets peppering the gun towers.
Tears welled in
the captain’s eyes. “Give ‘em hell, boys!”
Behind him, Buck
could hear Nathan shouting orders. J.D.! “Is J.D. alright?”
There was no
answer. “What’s going on back there?” Buck glanced back over his
shoulder and
what he saw caused his heart to freeze. Nathan was performing E.A.R
(Expired
Air Resuscitation.) J.D wasn’t breathing! “Oh, God, no! Ezra?! Ezra,
get up
here!”
Standish
appeared in the doorway, his poker face flushed with concern.
“Call Travis.
Tell him the mission has been accomplished and that we’re on our way to
the
airport. We need a couple of ambulances.”
Standish nodded,
withdrawing his small cell phone from his webbing. Buck glanced back
again.
Nathan was still blowing life-giving air into J.D. Josiah was fussing
around
the youth’s head also. “Josiah, where did he take it?” Sanchez didn’t
answer.
Buck clenched his jaw. “Damn it, someone tell me what’s going on!”
Ezra reached for
Buck’s shoulder. He needed silence. “General Travis?”
“Ezra?”
“Yes, Sir. Our
mission has been accomplished. We are on our way back to the airport.
The five
individuals are tired and sore and need some medical attention, but
they are
alive and safe. We need several ambulances to greet us.”
“They’ll be
there. And congratulations. Where’s Chris?” Why was Ezra providing the
report?
“Colonel Larabee
and Lieutenant Tanner stayed behind to cover our retreat.”
“I see. Several
ambulances?”
“Yes. The five
people we collected are fine, but will need medical attention. Agent
Dunne was
been shot.”
“Bad?”
Ezra flicked his
eyes back into the fuselage. Nathan had stopped E.A.R. Did that mean
that J.D.
was breathing or... ? “Bad enough.”
“I’d like to
speak to... him.” Neither man wanted to use the President’s
name on this
unsecured line.
Ezra took the
phone to the President, who was seated on the floor. “Sir, General
Travis.”
The President
nodded and accepted the phone. “General Travis?”
“It is good to
hear your voice, Sir.”
“It is good to
be heard. Orrin, you were right. They’re incredible. Larabee and his
men... I
was hesitant to support their creation two years ago, but I am very,
very
pleased that you convinced me of their importance. I have never met
more
competent men, or braver men. Two of them stayed behind to ensure we
got away
safely.”
“I would expect
nothing less of them, Sir. Ambulances will be waiting when you arrive.
I will
contact your family and the families of the other four men to inform
them of
your successful rescue. I’ll speak to you soon.”
Ezra returned to
the cockpit. He didn’t want Buck to be alone at the moment.
“Ezra, for
Christ’s sake! Tell me what’s going on? Is J.D. okay?”
“He’s
breathing.”
“Thank, God.” Thank
God. “Where did he take it?”
Ezra reached for
Buck’s shoulder. “The head.”
“WHAT?! Oh, no!
God, no!”
Standish
squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “Nathan’s working on him now.”
Buck’s entire
world was crashing around him. Chris and Vin left behind. J.D. badly
injured.
“Buck, I...”
Ezra didn’t know what to say. He, too, felt numb. They had completed
the
mission successfully. They had saved the President and yet there was no
feeling
of celebration.
“Boys,” Josiah
called. Ezra glanced back. Sanchez grinned. “It grazed his skull.
There’s no
bullet in there.”
Ezra patted
Buck’s shoulder. “I don’t know why we were concerned. I have always
suspected
that Agent Dunne is thick skulled!”
Buck burst out
laughing. His relief was overwhelming.
“What is his
condition?” Ezra asked.
“Nathan’s not
sure how much internal bleeding there is. He’s not out of danger yet,
but the
bullet didn’t penetrate his skull. There’s a chance that his skull may
be
fractured. It’s too hard to tell, yet. We need to get him to hospital
as
quickly as possible,” Josiah explained.
“You tell
Nathan, we’ll be at the airport in about forty minutes,” Buck informed
his
friend.
“I’ll do that,
Brother.”
**********
Nathan examined
the stitching he had just completed. Happy with it, he placed a medical
pad
over the wound and began to bandage it. The medic glanced up as Josiah
returned.
“How’s he
doing?”
“Okay. His
breathing’s strong now. We just need to monitor his condition until we
can get
him to hospital. If there isn’t too much bleeding, he’ll be fine.”
“If there is?”
Josiah asked quietly, staring down at his unconscious friend.
“We could lose
him on the way there.”
Part Nine
Mary raced to
collect the ringing phone. She prayed that it was good news regarding
Chris and
the boys. “Hello?”
“Mary. I thought
you’d be there.”
“Orrin! What is
it? Is everything okay?” Mary could feel her heart galloping. For
several
seconds there was silence. “Orrin?”
“Chris and Vin
stayed behind to ensure the safe retreat of the rest of the team.”
“What does that
mean, exactly?”
“I don’t know. I
only spoke to Ezra, briefly. J.D. was injured as they escaped. Again, I
don’t
know how serious. I’ll ring you as soon as I know more.”
“Thank you. Send
them my love.” Mary replaced the receiver and sank down into the chair
next to
the telephone. Her emotions were in turmoil.
“Mary?” Nettie
asked, stepping into the room. The younger woman opened her mouth, but
tears
filled her eyes and stole the words. “What is it?”
Mary rose to her
feet and hugged Nettie... clung to her.
“Easy there,
Love.”
“J.D.’s been
hurt and... Chris and Vin were left behind.”
Nettie set her
jaw. She was a strong woman and at the moment she needed to be strong
for
Mary’s sake and for Casey’s. Nettie knew her niece had strong feelings
for J.D.
There would be time for her own tears later, if they were necessary.
“Come on.
Looks like we both need a strong cup of coffee. And we need to tell
Casey. She
has a right to know.”
**********
Buck stared at
the floor. His elbows were on his knees and his chin was resting on his
clenched hands. He and his team had arrived at the hospital almost a
half an
hour earlier. Travis had arranged four ambulances to greet them at the
airport
. Also present were a number of security guards from the embassy to act
as
bodyguards for the world leaders.
The convoy had
made its way to the hospital in a flurry of flashing lights. Travis and
‘The
Package’ had been led off to another section of the hospital. Em7 had
come
here. At the end of the hallway was the operating theatre. Normally,
non-medical personnel were not allowed on this floor, but Buck had
insisted...
he had been very insistent!
The distraught
captain glanced up at the clock on the wall. Nathan was in the
operating
theatre with J.D. Wilmington knew his young friend was in good hands.
Vin and
Chris on the other hand... Buck’s mind kept replaying the
heart-wrenching image
of the Ghost’s of Freedom firing on the guard towers. What chance did
Chris and
Vin have? Had they escaped? Were they still alive?! It had been over an
hour
and a half now. Buck shut his eyes. Josiah, who was seated beside him,
slipped
his arm across his companion’s shoulders.
“You must have
faith, Brother. J.D. is where he needs to be.”
“I was thinking
about Chris and Vin,” Wilmington murmured, emotionally.
Josiah nodded.
“They were under heavy fire,” Sanchez agreed.
At that moment,
Nathan emerged from the theatre and gave his friends the thumbs up as
he walked
towards them.
“Nathan?”
“He’s fine.
There is some bruising, but that’s to be expected. He has a hairline
fracture,
but we’ve put a staple in it and it will heal quickly. Outside of a bad
headache, he’ll be back to himself in no time. A little weak in the
next few
days, but with rest, he‘ll be fine.”
Buck shook
Nathan’s hand. “Thanks, Pard. Can I see him?”
“In a few
minutes. He’s being transported to a private room. I... General
Travis?”
The General
stepped out of the elevator and strode toward the group. “Boys. How’s
J.D.?”
“Thankfully,
Agent Dunne has a thick skull.”
“He’s going to
be fine.”
“Good. I’m
escorting the ‘five men’ to the embassy. They’ll be safe there.
The
doctors have said that they need some rest. I suggest you bring J.D.
back there
as soon as possible. We really don’t want to have to explain our
presence to the
local authorities. Considering the fuss you caused at the airport when
Buck
landed on the same runway as a plane taking off, I imagine there will
be people
looking for us.”
Nathan pursed
his lips. “As soon as J.D. regains consciousness, we’ll join you there.
I can
look after him at the embassy. He doesn’t need to be in hospital.”
Travis nodded.
He stared at the four men. “What are Chris and Vin’s plans?”
“Retreat and
head back through the jungle to the spot we entered,” Ezra explained.
“How long will
that take?”
“The colonel
ordered us to wait forty-eight hours,” Buck whispered. The other men
glanced at
him. They had not been told that.
“And then?”
Travis prompted.
“And then if we
haven’t heard from them... we go home.” Wilmington’s voice broke as he
spoke.
The last three words were difficult to say and would be impossible to
carry
out.
Ezra’s head
snapped around. “What?!”
“Those were his
orders.”
Standish
couldn’t believe his ears. “We can’t just leave them!”
Buck turned to
Travis. His face set like stone. “Order us to go back.”
Travis eyed the
determined captain, carefully.
“Sir, order us
to go back. If you give us the order, we can.” All of the men stared at
Travis
expectantly.
“And what would
you do if I did? Where would you start? The rebel base? You’d only be
killed or
captured yourself.”
“Give me thirty
men and I won’t be captured!” Buck cried.
“I can’t do
that, you know I can’t,” Travis whispered.
“Sir, please.”
Buck was prepared to beg to save his friends. “I’m begging.”
“You haven’t
given me a reason to.”
“A REASON!” Buck
bellowed, hysterically. “Chris and Vin are back there fighting against
a #$@%$
army!”
“Buck,” Josiah
soothed. “Calm down. The general’s right.”
“He’s right?!”
Buck cried. “How can you say that?!”
“Buck, if we fly
a plane back to the airstrip they’ll blow us out of the sky.”
“We know we
can’t parachute into the jungle close by so that would mean entering
where we
did last time,” Nathan added. Despite wanting nothing more than to go
back to
collect his friends, Nathan understood what Travis was getting at.
“Then we do
that!” Buck was desperate. “We go back via that road!”
“And then make
our way through the jungle to where? To the rebel base?”
“Yes!” Buck
couldn’t believe that Josiah and Nathan were arguing with him.
“Think about it,
Brother. We all saw what they were up against.“
“They aren’t
dead!“ Buck insisted.
“I didn’t say
that. Perhaps they escaped.” Josiah lowered his voice. “Perhaps they
were
captured... but, do you really think they’ll be taken alive?”
Buck swallowed.
“No.” No, he didn’t believe that. He knew his friends would never be
taken
alive.
“If they’re
alive, they’ll be making their way to the jeep. If we go back there, we
could
miss them. It is better that we wait.”
“And then what?”
Buck asked, quietly. He knew Josiah was right but how could they wait
forty-eight hours without knowing? How could they just leave after the
forty-eight hours were up if Vin and Chris hadn‘t called them?
“And then we
carry out Chris’ final request. We go home. The five of us going back
into the
jungle and losing our lives would be disrespectful. Chris and Vin
sacrificed
themselves so that we might live,” Josiah preached. “We can not
belittle that
sacrifice by endangering the one thing they gave their lives to
protect.”
Buck shut his
eyes. Two solitary tears rolled down his cheeks. “They aren’t going to
get out
of this.” He had seen the numbers. He wasn’t stupid.
“I don’t think
they ever expected to,” Nathan commented, softly.
“God reunited
them for six weeks. I dare say, those six weeks have been the happiest
in both
of their lives for a long time. Now, God has given them the opportunity
to die
as they would have chosen for themselves; standing at each other’s
shoulder.”
Ezra stepped
back and raised his hands, palms out. He refused to be caught up in
this. Buck,
Nathan and Josiah were talking as if there was no hope... as if Vin and
Chris
were already dead! “And just perhaps they are alive and making their
way to the
jeep as we speak. I refuse to believe anything else!”
Josiah glanced
at Ezra and nodded. “No one is suggesting that any of us believe any
different.
If anyone can survive, they can.”
**********
J.D. blinked up
at Nathan groggily. Jackson smiled. His patient’s colour had already
improved
and all of the tests had come back clear. “Welcome back. You’re in
hospital.
You took a graze to the head, but you’re fine.”
J.D. swallowed.
He could feel a dull ache in his temples. “A graze to the head?“ the
boy
mumbled, pushing the final wisps of unconsciousness away.
Buck appeared
above him and grinned. “What the hell did you think you were doing
stopping
that bullet with your head? This time it was me shitting myself... and
I
actually did it. Had to change my shorts and everything.”
J.D. blinked
several times as he oriented himself. He flicked his eyes around the
room. Ezra
and Josiah were there, too.
“It is good to
see your eyes open, Brother.”
“We had a few
tense moments with you, Mr. Dunne.”
J.D. frowned.
His mind filled with a number of images. “Vin and Chris?” he asked,
quietly.
Buck licked his
lips, picked up J.D.’s hand and squeezed it affectionately. “Hell, kid.
Give
them time. We don’t expect to hear from them until tomorrow some time.”
J.D. studied his
best friend’s face. Buck’s mouth was curled in a stupid grin, but his
eyes were
crying out in pain.
“There were so
many soldiers,” the wounded man whispered.
Buck placed his
other hand on J.D.’s shoulder. “They’re the best. If anyone can get
home, they
will. Listen, we need to move you to the embassy. We’ll wait for the
boys’ call
there. You reckon you can sit up in a wheelchair for us?”
J.D. consciously
considered the question and then nodded.
“Hang on. He’s
not doing anything until I get some answers from him,” Nathan scolded.
For
almost fifteen minutes, Nathan flashed lights in J.D.’s eyes, made the
youth
move each of his appendages and asked him a barrage of questions.
Satisfied,
the medic signalled Josiah to bring the wheelchair close to the bed.
With Buck
and Nathan’s assistance, the youth was moved to the chair. Josiah
covered the boy
with a blanket.
“How are you
doing?”
“I can hardly
keep my eyes open,” J.D. mumbled.
“Then go back to
sleep.”
“You’ll wake if
me you hear anything?”
“Of course we
will. Just relax.” J.D.’s heavy eyelids fell. In his mind’s eye, he
could see
the rebels cascading out of their barracks. There had been so many of
them. How
were Vin and Chris going to escape? It was with those thoughts in mind
that
J.D. slipped into a drugged slumber.
**********
The American
Embassy was a three storey building on an acre of land. The gardens
were quite
spectacular, as was the decor inside.
There were
guards posted on the heavy metal gate and around the circumference of
the
property. These men had been flown in by Travis specifically to guard
the
President. The leader of the host country had been only too happy to
grant
permission for the extra security. He was hoping to secure some
American help
to overthrow Freleagus’ Ghosts of Freedom, hence his particularly
accommodating
nature.
Em7 had been
placed in the guest wing on the second floor. The area was large and
expensively furnished. There were five bedrooms, all leading off the
main
common room. Josiah and Ezra were standing in the middle of this huge
room
waiting for news on J.D.
Buck exited the
room muttering curses under his breath. Nathan had just thrown him out.
“Buck?” Josiah
urged.
“Nathan says I’m
in the way,” the captain grumbled. “Oh, yeah, the Kid’s fine. Nathan
reckons he
just needs some rest. He was damn lucky. Another inch and Nathan would
have
been digging a bullet out of his skull.”
The three men
stared at each other. Their minds instantly moved to thoughts of their
absent
friends.
“I guess we’ll
have to leave J.D. here tomorrow when we go and pick up Chris and Vin,”
Buck
stated, quietly.
The words hung
in the air for several seconds before anyone responded.
“I guess so.”
“Sounds sensible
to me.” Unfortunately, their voices held no conviction. The trio stood
studying
each other, trying to determine what the other two were thinking. “So,
what do
we do now?” Ezra asked.
“We wait,
Brother.”
“We should
probably order some food. We haven’t had anything decent for two days,”
Ezra
pointed out.
“Good. You do
that.”
“Any
preferences?”
The other two
shook their heads. Ezra left the room in search of someone who could
provide
his team with something to eat.
Buck and
Josiah’s eyes met again. “What do you think their chances are?” Buck
asked. Up
until this point he hadn’t been prepared to voice the thought.
Josiah shrugged
his shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“We never should
have left them,” Buck growled. Anger was replacing the concern.
“Don’t, Buck. We
did what needed to be done.”
“Don’t feed me
that bullshit!” Buck exploded.
Josiah sighed.
“We followed the colonel’s orders. We saved three world leaders. Nine
out of
our party of eleven escaped and are safe.”
“Yeah, but
they’re back there... ” Buck lowered his face. “I can’t stop thinking
about...”
Josiah patted
his friend’s shoulder. “Neither can I.”
Nathan strode
out of the bedroom and closed the door quietly. “He’s asleep. The
bruising is
already coming out. He’s going to have two black eyes.” Jackson scanned
the
room. “Where’s Ezra?”
“He went to find
us some food.”
“Good. I’ll
start our physicals while we’re waiting. Who wants to go first?” Chris
always
insisted on a full medical check-up after a mission like the one they
had just
completed. Neither Buck nor Josiah responded. Traditionally, the
prospect of
being examined by Nathan would initiate verbal sparring, complaints or
insults
but the men were feeling so numb that the comic relief they usually
used to
help debrief after a mission could not find roots and take hold.
Nathan sighed.
“Come on, guys. It’s going to be a very long forty-eight hours if we
keep this
up.”
“Forty-five
hours and thirty-seven minutes,” Buck murmured.
Silence. A
silence so deafening that Ezra heard it from the other end of the
hallway.
Standish entered
the room and stood for several seconds before speaking. “They are
sending
something up for us. I was promised something special.”
“Buck, I’ll
start with you,” Nathan ordered. Wilmington followed the medic into one
of the
bedrooms without further comment. Once again, Ezra and Josiah found
themselves
alone in the huge room.
“Has this
happened before?” Ezra asked, sinking down onto one of the couches.
“Leaving someone
behind to cover our retreat? Yeah. A couple of times,” Josiah answered,
moving
to the window and gazing out over the property.
Ezra frowned. “I
admit, I was astounded when Colonel Larabee agreed to such a plan. I
didn’t
think you would ever leave anybody behind.”
“Ezra, we’re not
a football team. It’s not like refusing to leave for the big game until
everyone’s on the bus.” Josiah turned to his friend. “We’re not
television
heroes who can always save the day without losses. Sacrificing one or
two men
to save the squad is not something we do through choice. The bottom
line is,
we’re soldiers. We follow the colonel’s orders whether we like them or
not -
whether we agree with them or not. The survival of the majority and
achieving
the objective of the mission have to be the squad’s first priority,
otherwise
we’re ineffective.” Josiah’s voice progressively got softer. His words
were the
truth and he accepted them, but that didn’t change the ache in his soul.
Abruptly, the
muffled sound of a cell phone filled the guest wing. Buck and Nathan
rushed out
of the bedroom. For a split second they all stood frozen. “WHERE‘S OUR
GEAR?!”
The men had shed their webbing and packs at the hospital and General
Travis had
had it sent to the Embassy.
“Must be in one
of the bedrooms!”
“Find it! It
could be Chris trying to ring us!” The men scattered. Buck rushed back
to check
the nearest bedroom. Ezra headed for the one next door. Josiah and
Nathan
rushed into the remaining two.
“In here!” Ezra
shouted. The packs had been dumped on top of each other in the corner
of the
opposite side of the bed. Frantically, Standish began riffling through
them,
trying to identify which of the packs the ringing was coming from.
The other three
men rushed into the room. “I can’t find which one it is!” Suddenly, the
ringing
stopped.
“DAMN! It could
have been them!“
Each of the men
dragged a bag up onto the bed and began hauling everything out of it.
Nathan
found a cell phone and checked to see if it listed a ’missed’ call.
“Not this
one.”
Buck, Josiah and
Ezra did the same. “It’s this phone!” Josiah cried, handing it to Buck.
Wilmington quickly dialled the message bank to retrieve the message.
The other
men crowded around him, each willing it to be good news.
“Come on, hurry
up!” Buck yelled, impatiently. Finally, the message started to replay.
“I can’t
make it out!” The message was warped and there was a lot of
interference. “Wait
a minute! That’s Chris’ voice!” Buck shouted. “They’re alive! I’m sure
that was
Chris’ voice!”
“Thank, God!”
“What did he
say?”
“I couldn’t make
it out. It was distorted!”
“We’ve got to
find out what he said! They may be calling for backup!”
“So, how to we
make the message clearer?”
“I know someone
who can!” Buck raced into J.D.’s bedroom with Nathan, Josiah and Ezra
hot on
his heels. The youth awoke startled.
“J.D., I think
Chris rang, but I missed the call and it went to the message bank, but
it’s
distorted and I couldn’t understand it. Is there any way to...”
“Yeah. Help me
up!” The boy was eased to his feet, but J.D. began to sway. His head
was
spinning and his legs were too weak to hold him.
“Easy. Sit him
down,” Nathan ordered.
“No. I’m okay. I
need my computer.”
“I’ll get it,”
Ezra shouted, racing off to collect the laptop he had seen in one of
the packs.
As Ezra started back for the bedroom, Nathan and Buck guided J.D. out
to the
table. Ezra put the computer in front of the computer technician and in
seconds
the boy had it unpacked and warming up. “Ezra, grab all of the cords
out of the
front flap of the bag. Buck, I need the phone.”
Josiah, Nathan,
Buck and Ezra watched as J.D. attached cords to the phone and the
computer.
“Well?” Buck
prompted.
“It’s
downloading it now. Once it’s done that, I’ll try to clear up the
message, but
it may take a while.”
“How long is a
while?” Nathan demanded.
“Half an hour.”
“HALF AN HOUR!
J.D. we’ve got to know what Chris said!”
“Buck, I can’t
perform a miracle! I don’t even know if my software will be
sophisticated
enough to do it!”
“Calm down,
Brothers. Shouting at each other is not going to help. J.D. we need it
as soon
as you can.”
Buck placed his
hand on his young friend’s shoulder. His eyes flashed an apology. J.D.
nodded.
He understood. They were all on a knife-edge.
As soon as the
message had been downloaded, J.D. set to work trying to eliminate the
distortion. Ezra, Josiah, Nathan and Buck paced around him, their minds
filled
with possibilities to explain the call.
“Kid?” Josiah
asked after twenty minutes.
“Almost done.
Hang on... and that’s got it.” J.D. glanced up at his companions. There
was a
sense of dread in the room. Chris had clearly stated that he would not
contact
them until he and Vin had reached the jeep. So, why had he called?
There was no
way they could have crossed the jungle in the short few hours they’d
had.
“Go on,” Buck
prompted, nervously.
Dunne hit
‘play’. There was an explosion of static. “J.D.? It’s still full of...”
“That’s not
static! It’s gunfire!” The heart of every man in the room missed a beat.
“Oh, God.”
“They’re in
trouble!”
“I heard a voice!
J.D., can you make the voice louder.”
“Yeah, just a
minute.” The boy’s nimble fingers went to work.
General Travis
entered the room, unexpectedly. “Boys?“
“We think we’ve
received a message from Chris.“ Travis rushed across to join Em7.
“Okay, let’s try
again,“ J.D. murmured, re-starting the message. The sound of gunfire
filled the
room and then... “Wings! We’re pinned down between...” A barrage of
shots.
Josiah covered his mouth. Nathan began shaking his head. It was what
they had
all feared. Chris and Vin were fighting for the lives. “We’re pinned
down
between a squad and the rest of the army. I... Larabee your left!”
the
men heard Vin shout. A of volley of bullets echoed from the phone. “Chris,
hurry up and tell them!”
J.D. stared up
at Buck, his eyes wide with terror. Buck remained focused on the phone.
Larabee cursed
loudly. “Boys, no rescue mission... Cold day in hell!”
“Nooooooo!” Buck
shouted. The cry was his soul being wrenched from him. The huge captain
grabbed
the nearest chair and flung it across the room.
Josiah dropped
his head into his hands. “Lord, guide them, please. Forgive what
they’re about
to do.”
Nathan continued
to stare at the phone stunned. “No. Please, no.” While he was stunned,
he was
not truly surprised. The moment the phone had rang the medic had feared
this.
“Repeat. No
rescue mission. We’re completely surrounded without options.” Larabee’s
voice
was drowned out by the battle waging around him. “Repeat, ‘cold day in
hell‘!
The phone went dead.
“Nooooooo!” Buck
wailed again. His heart was shattering. The grief-burdened captain
grabbed the
phone and hurled it against the wall.
Ezra stared at
his friends. “What did he mean? Nathan? Nathan, what’s going on?!”
Nathan lowered
his face. Real tears escaped his eyes and began to roll down his face.
Ezra was
becoming more alarmed by the second.
“We’ve been
ordered not to go back.” Nathan’s voice broke. “’Cold day in hell’. Oh,
God.“
“Nathan?“ J.D.
asked. The youth’s voice was high pitched and horribly distorted. He
wasn’t
game to think what the message had meant.
“’Cold day in
hell’ is code. It means they won’t be taken alive,” the medic
whispered. His
voice trembled as he spoke. “They... they won’t be taken alive.”
“I don’t...
what...?”
Josiah raised
his head. “It means they’ll save the final bullet for themselves.”
“But why?!
Surely they should surrender and at least have a chance of surviving!”
J.D.
cried. His mind was rejecting such a preposterous idea.
Judge Travis
shook his head, tragically. “They know too much,” he whispered. “As
soon as the
rebels find out who they are, they’ll try to get information out of
them.
National security could be breeched. Chris won‘t take the chance. The
country
comes first. Two lives against the lives of millions.”
“But they
wouldn’t say anything!” J.D. shouted. This couldn’t possibly be
happening!
“As soon as the
Ghosts of Freedom find out they’ve got Colonel Christopher Larabee,
they’ll
know they have someone very high up in the US military. They’ll use
whatever
means they have to break him.”
“Torture,” Ezra
muttered. Standish shut his eyes in horror.
“I’m afraid so.
Chris knows that. He won’t risk national security. That’s why he and
Vin will
take their own lives,” Travis finished.
“Try to call
them back!” J.D. yelled, desperately. “Tell them not to do it! We’ll go
and get
them!”
“It’s too late,
Kid,” Josiah whispered. “Chris radioed because he wanted us to know
what they
were going to do. He didn’t want us to spend the rest of our lives
wondering
what had happened to them.“
“Wondering what
happened? Call them back! Tell him not to do it! We’ll go back there
and get
them!“ J.D. was unable to accept anything he was hearing.
“It’s too late,
son. Chris rang almost thirty minutes ago. He... It‘s too late.”
“What?! NO! No,
they couldn’t have!”
“J.D., it will
all be over by now,” Travis explained, gently. “They gave their lives
for their
country.”
“I... but... No!
I...” J.D.’s head was reeling. At some stage, the distraught youth had
leaped
to his feet. Now, he began to sway.
Buck had moved
to the opposite end of the room. The captain’s heart was hammering in
his
chest. Cold day in hell! Those words were screaming in his
head. “NO!”
Buck slammed his fist into the wall. Plaster flew everywhere. Blood
splattered
his hand.
Ezra moved
swiftly. “Buck!” Standish placed himself between the wall and his
friend to
ensure Buck didn’t hurt himself, further. Wilmington stared at Ezra.
The rage
he felt drained away as he looked at the sheer horror written across
Ezra’s
pale features. Standish raised his right hand to Buck’s shoulder and
then his
left to the opposite shoulder.
“Ezra... I...”
Standish stepped
forward and wrapped his arms around Buck. He didn’t know what else to
do.
Buck broke down.
Wilmington was a strong man who had seen atrocities horror movies could
not even
begin to emulate. He had experienced both tragedy and loss in his life,
but
this was different. He had left Vin and Chris behind. No
matter which
way he looked at it, even if he accepted that there had been no other
option,
the fact remained he had flown that plane out of the jungle
without
them. “Oh, God, Ezra. They’re gone,” he whispered. “They’re gone.”
Josiah’s head
was lowered as he prayed in earnest for Chris and Vin’s souls. Nathan
sank down
onto the couch. He was trembling with grief. He simply couldn’t fathom
what had
happened, despite having suspected that this would be the outcome from
the
moment Vin had suggested the plan.
J.D. blinked
several times. The room was spinning. Before he knew it, his legs
buckled under
him. General Travis, who was the only one who had noted the boy
swaying, caught
J.D. as he fell.
“Nathan!”
Jackson leaped
to his feet. “Let’s get him back to the bedroom.” Between them, Jackson
and
Travis half carried the semi-conscious boy back to his bed. As they
lowered him
down, J.D. began pleading.
“We have to go
back. We don’t know that they did it! What if they didn’t?! Nathan?!”
Buck
appeared above the boy. “Buck?!”
Wilmington shook
his head. There was something very final about the action. In Buck’s
eyes, J.D.
saw that all hope was gone. Vin and Chris were dead. Dead? The
youth
swallowed. Tears welled in his eyes.
“Lay back, J.D.
You need to rest,” Nathan urged. The medic’s voice was firm but hushed
and
distorted with his grief.
Wilmington and
Dunne continued to stare at each other. Without warning, J.D. threw
himself at
the older man. Buck wrapped the boy up in his arms. Together they
silently
mourned the passing of their partners... brothers.
**********
When General
Travis returned an hour later, the guest wing was silent. Nathan had
sedated
J.D. and the youth was sleeping. The medic had spent the sixty minutes
fussing
about his patient. He checked and rechecked J.D.’s vitals; recorded
everything
in his notepad; prepared the next round of painkillers.... basically,
did anything
to keep himself busy.
Outside in the
main room, Ezra couldn’t sit still, either. The young man was wandering
aimlessly around the room. His emotions were cycling. One moment he was
in
denial, unable to believe or accept the death of his companions. The
next
minute, he was grieving their loss and fighting back the tears. Still
the next,
he was battling pangs of guilt. Vin and Chris had stayed behind to
ensure his
safe escape. What sort of a coward did that make him? Then, his head
would fill
with memories. Of the stupid things they had done together and the joy
they had
shared. Without warning, the cycle would start again and he was in
denial,
simply unable to believe that his friends were dead.
Buck was seated
on the floor in front of the couch. He was staring at nothing. The
despair he
felt was crippling and more painful than any physical wound that could
have
been inflicted. Tears continued to silently fall down his pale face.
They would
stop briefly, before recommencing. Ezra walked across to his friend,
sat down
on the couch next to him and placed his hand on the grieving man’s
shoulder. He
still didn’t have the words he needed. All he could offer was his
physical
presence.
Josiah had taken
refuge on the balcony. The ex-preacher was praying. He knew his God was
one of
love and mercy and he was praying that the Lord forgave his friends’
sins and
accepted them into the Kingdom of Heaven, despite how they had left
their human
existence.
General Travis
knocked politely before entering the room with his three very important
guests.
Both Buck and Ezra rose to their feet. Wilmington saluted the President.
“Relax, Captain
Wilmington.” Buck’s hand fell to his side.
“The President
would like to speak to all of you,” Travis prompted. Ezra went to
collect
Nathan and J.D., while Buck fetched Josiah.
“I’m sorry, Sir.
Agent Dunne is heavily sedated,” Nathan explained as he entered the
room and
saluted his leader.
“Of course.
General Travis tells me he is going to be alright.”
“Yes, Sir.”
All of the men
took seats, Josiah and Buck content with a patch of carpet.
“I want to tell
you how sorry I am for your loss,” the President stated, earnestly. “I
know
that does not even come close to being enough.”
“They were doing
their job, Sir,” Nathan whispered, softly.
“I know, but
remaining the way they did took more genuine courage then I have ever
seen in
my life.”
“I, too, want to
express my sympathy,“ the Australian Prime Minster added, sincerely. “I
can not
possibly find an adequate way to express my sorrow. However, I can say
that
their bravery and their selfless sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
“Thank you,
Sir,” Josiah responded on behalf of the group. “They died as they would
have
wanted to. Together.”
The New Zealand
Prime Minister added his sympathy and deep gratitude. “You and your
team
achieved something that I honestly didn’t feel was possible.” Following
the
statement, an uncomfortable silence enveloped the room.
The President
rose to his feet. The other occupants of the room followed his lead.
Handshakes
were exchanged and then the men left the room. Now was not the time for
discussions. There was little more that any of them could say or do to
ease
Em7’s pain. These men deserved privacy to grieve.
General Travis
closed the door and returned to the room. “Is there anything you need?”
Nathan shook his
head.
“I can have
counsellors flown in.”
Again, Jackson
shook his head. “Not yet. We just need some time.”
“Of course. Sit
down, boys. There are a few things you need to know.”
Josiah eyed the
general as they re-took their seats. “Sir?”
Travis didn’t
answer immediately. His eyes were drawn to Buck. The usually talkative
and
upbeat Captain had not said a word, nor had he raised his face apart
from
greeting and farewelling the world leaders. Orrin Travis’ heart bled
for the
likeable man. He knew how close Chris and Buck had been, and he knew
how
protective the captain had been of the young sharpshooter. The other
men
appeared to have showered and changed, but Wilmington was still covered
in
battle soot and torn fatigues.
“Sir?” Josiah
prompted, again.
“Sorry, first, a
request. The President has asked that once you’re ready, you document
as much
about the rebels and their base as you can remember. He is hoping to be
able to
give the information to a special task force being set up to liaise
with the
government.”
“I’ll get
started on that straight away,” Nathan offered. There was a certain
amount of
relief in Jackson’s voice. The task would give him something to focus
on.
“Thanks,
Nathan.” Travis paused. His eyes once again flicked to Buck. The
general had
been successfully controlling his emotions, but as he stared at
Wilmington, he
found his stoic resolve crumbling. “I’m heading home this evening. I
need to
tell Mary and I can’t over the phone. Will J.D. be ready to travel
tonight?”
“Wait a minute!”
Ezra cried. “We aren’t going anywhere this evening. We fully intend
carrying
out our Colonel’s orders.” Travis wasn’t surprised. True, Vin and Chris
were
dead and so, complying with Larabee’s instruction to wait forty-eight
hours
before going home might be deemed pointless by some. For the boys,
however, it
was a mark of respect. They would follow Larabee’s order to its
completion. It
was more than just empty loyalty... much more.
“I understand.
If you need anything, speak to the ambassador.” Travis’ eyes swept
across to
the hotdog covered table. They had been made up specially - an American
treat -
but none had been touched. “You boys need to eat something.”
“We will, Sir.
We just aren’t ready, yet,” Nathan explained. “I’ll make sure they eat
before
retiring tonight.”
Travis nodded.
He glanced down at the silent captain. “I know Vin doesn’t have any
family. Did
Chris have any left, Buck?”
When Buck failed
to answer, Ezra nudged him gently.
“Huh?”
“Does Chris have
any family you would like me to contact?”
Wilmington
stared at Travis. He was looking straight through the other man. The
words
simply weren’t registering. Wilmington’s mind was lost somewhere else.
When Ezra
started to re-pose the question, Travis interrupted. “It doesn’t
matter. Later.
If there was anyone close, we would have known about them.” The general
rose to
his feet. He scanned the faces of the team he had created; men who were
now his
friends. “I’m so sorry.” Travis’ eyes moved from Buck to Josiah. “Is he
okay?”
Josiah shook his
head. “No, but then, I guess none of us are. I’ll keep an eye on him,
Sir.
Right now, he needs to grieve.” It was clear to all of the men that
Buck was
oblivious to the conversation. “Once J.D.’s up and about, Buck will
have
someone to focus his attention on,” Josiah predicted.
There was one
other thing that the general had to tell the men. He considered leaving
it
until tomorrow, but he couldn’t. They had to know. “There was
discussion of a
state funeral with full military honours but I’m afraid that is out of
the
question now.“
Ezra frowned.
“Why?“ If ever anyone deserved full military honours, then surely Vin
and Chris
did. They had given their lives for their country and had rescued the
President
as well.
“Boys, the
mission had been classified top secret. The public will never know that
the
President or his two counterparts crashed in the jungle.”
Ezra’s brow
furrowed. “People have a right to know.”
“It would only
cause panic. Someone tried to murder the President. A number of
suspects are
already in custody. We need to keep this under wraps. Letting the
public know
that someone was able to...”
“Wait a minute!
Are you saying that no one will ever know of the sacrifice that Chris
and Vin
made?!” Ezra cried, leaping to his feet.
Travis shook his
head. “I’m sorry. The mission is deemed to be...”
“No. No, way! I
won’t let their deaths go unnoticed! General, Chris and Vin sacrificed
their
lives to save three world leaders!”
“I’m sorry,
Ezra. There is nothing any of us can do. The decision has already been
made and
the President has endorsed it.”
Ezra was
furious. “They can’t do this! They can’t!” Standish stormed off into
one of the
bedrooms.
Travis looked to
the other men. “You understand, don’t you?”
Josiah and
Nathan nodded. They knew how things worked. They had seen it all before.
“I better get
going. I’ll call when I get home. I...” The general wanted to say so
much more,
but he didn’t know any words that would ease the men’s pain. “I’ll
call.” With
that, he rose to his feet and exited the room. None of the occupants
saw the
single tear trail down his cheek.
Part Ten
More than a
thousand miles away, a chilling celebration was beginning. A small
group had
moved out of the earshot of the rest of their colleagues. These men
were
’Hawks’. The mention of their name evoked fear. They were mercenaries
of the
highest calibre.
“It’s been
picked up!” the mercenary cried. His eight accomplices collected around
him
grinning with satisfaction. They had recognised that the bane of their
leader’s
existence was the S.T.F.1. and so, they had prepared a little gift that
should ‘take
care’ of the problem. Kane didn’t know, yet. They had wanted it to be a
surprise.
“Come on, let’s
tell, Kane!”
“No.”
“No?! Hell, if
he knows we’ve done this it might cheer up his moody arse and get us
out of
here!” The other members of the select group of Hawks were nodding.
They were
extremely pleased with themselves.
“Look, I say we
wait. We know Larabee has disappeared. It all may be a bit premature.”
“Yeah and maybe
he’s dead.”
Dalton shook his
head. “I doubt it.” Dalton was one of the original members of the
Hawks. He had
come face to face with Larabee and his men in Katinda. He knew how good
they
were.
“I can’t
understand what the hell the problem is. The twenty-five of us could
wipe the
bastards off the face of the earth in a couple of minutes. There are
only seven
of them, aren’t there?”
Dalton snorted.
These men didn’t understand. They were vigilantes without soul or
conviction.
Between them
they had fought so many wars they had lost count. Yet, Dalton feared
they could
not hold a candle to the S.T.F.1... or Em7 as they now called
themselves. The
Hawk knew that was why his leader had not taken down his nemesis. Kane
had a
healthy respect for his opponents which Dalton thought was very
sensible.
This group of
‘idiots’, however, had decided to take things into their own hands by
attempting to eliminate the S.T.F.1 for Kane. Dalton had found out
about their
plan only after everything had been set it in motion. “Don’t
underestimate
Larabee and his men. Others have with fatal results.”
“But there are
only seven of them.”
“Seven of the
best,” Dalton growled.
“Seven dead men.
Our little surprise will see to that!”
“Whoever opens
that parcel is in for a one-way trip to hell!”
**********
Darkness held no
respite. Night had descended some hours earlier. Ezra had retired, but
he
couldn’t sleep. He lay staring up at the ceiling. In his mind’s eye he
could
see Vin and Chris pinned and firing at their enemy. He couldn’t imagine
how
they had felt. Had Chris ordered Vin to... no, probably not. Tanner
would simply
have known.
Standish found
himself wondering what he would have done in the same situation. What
if Chris
had ordered him to stay? Would he have been able to...?
Ezra suddenly
felt alone. He found himself questioning the very object of life. Was a
man’s
purpose in being born, simply to die?
Standish sighed.
The restless agent rolled onto his side. He began to contemplate the
future of
Em7. Without Larabee, there wasn’t a team. Would Travis ask one of the
boys to
take the role of leader? But who? Perhaps Travis would try to replace
Larabee
with an outsider. Even as the thought passed through his mind, Ezra
rejected
it. There was no way to replace Chris - for the same reason Larabee had
never
tried to replace Tanner after the sharpshooter had disappeared. It was
impossible. So, where did that leave the remaining five?
Once again, the
cycle of emotions started. Denial, guilt, grief... questions. Could
they have
done anything differently? Should they have accepted the mission in the
first
place? Ezra knew the answers to both questions. No, they couldn’t have
done
anything differently and yes, they had made the correct decision in
taking the
mission. Larabee and the others had the experience needed to rescue the
world
leaders. Few other military and security groups could boast such
experience.
Standish had
thought he would react differently to meeting his country’s leader. He
had
wanted to say so many things and yet, now none of that mattered.
Actually, very
little in his life felt like it had any meaning. All the money he had
was
useless. It had not prevented the loss of his friends nor was it able
to bring
them back.
Ezra’s mind
filled with thoughts of his mother. He had rung her four times since
they had
escaped from the jungle. Just to talk to her. To hear her voice and to
tell her
that he loved her. Naturally, she was curious at first. Ezra was not
usually so
free with his emotions. Then, after the third phone call, she had
become
notably worried. So, he had told her what had happened - as much as he
could without
breeching security. It had felt good to be able to talk to her about
how he
felt. They had never done that before, or, at least, he had never felt
she had
listened.
Ezra rolled onto
his back. He couldn’t settle. Eating away at him was the fact that no
one would
ever know of his friends’ bravery or of their selfless sacrifice. That
was
wrong! An idea formed in his tortured mind. He would ensure that the
world knew
and to hell with the consequences! He would document what had happened
and have
J.D. send the report to every military and security person on the
planet, just
as the youth had done with Chris’ request for a three-minute work
stoppage.
Ezra collected a
piece of paper and a pen from the table in his room, sat down at the
bureau and
began to write.
To whom it
may concern,
I am writing
this on this day to ensure their lives were not lost in vain. We have
already
been told that the mission has been classified top
secret - the world will never know what took place in that
wretched jungle. I can not allow that to happen. While I am loyal to my
country
and am willing to die serving it, I will not permit their sacrifice and
bravery
to go unnoticed... not while I have breath left in my body!
I am Ezra
Standish of Em7: Executive Mediation Seven. Three days ago, my seven
man team
was called in to rescue the President of the United States and his
Australian
and New Zealand counterparts when their plane crashed into a section of
the
South American jungle that is held by merciless rebels. Below you will
find a
detailed account of what happened.
For several
hours, Ezra detailed the mission. He wanted to get it all down.
Finally, after
checking and re-checking it, he felt pleased with the result. Tomorrow,
he
would have J.D. send it.
The young man
turned off the light, returned to his bed and laid back feeling a
little more
content. His friends’ deaths would not be overlooked because of the
whims of
bureaucrats!
Once again,
Standish attempted to settle and sleep, but it was impossible. His mind
would
not stop stewing over everything. Deciding it was pointless to remain
in bed,
Standish got up and walked out into the dark common area. There was a
light on
in Josiah’s room. Ezra stole a look in there. The huge preacher was
seated on
the side of the bed reading his Bible.
Standish moved
to the next room where J.D. was asleep. Nathan was seated in a chair
beside the
bed.
Like Ezra, the
medic was unable to sleep. “Okay?” Jackson asked.
“Yeah. I just
can’t seem to settle.”
“I know.”
“Can I get you a
cup of coffee?” Ezra asked.
“Sounds great.”
Ezra moved
toward the kitchen, passing the room that had been allocated to Buck.
The bed
was untouched and the room empty. The fingers of panic gripped ‘The
Gambler’.
Quickly, Ezra
raced into the bathroom, but that, too, was empty. Just as Standish was
about
to raise the alarm, he spotted a shadowy form on the balcony. The
relieved
young man started toward his companion, but paused. He decided he had
no right
to disturb his friend. As Josiah had stated earlier, Buck needed to
grieve.
**********
It was just on
dawn when the general’s chopper set down at Four Corners. Billy raced
out to
greet his grandfather. The general scooped the boy up in his arms and
then
waved the pilot off. Travis watched the aircraft lift off and then
carried his
grandson to the house where Mary was waiting on the veranda in her
dressing
gown.
The adults’ eyes
met. Mary’s filled with tears. She didn’t need to be told. The look on
her
father-in-law’s face was enough. Something had gone wrong.
“Okay, Billy, You’ve
met your grandfather, now run back up to bed.
“But Ma, I’m
awake now. Look, the sun is coming up.”
“Go, on, Billy.
Do as your mother says,” Orrin encouraged, lowering the little boy to
the
ground.
Billy could
sense the tension. “Is something wrong, Grandpa?”
“Your mum and I
have some things we need to discuss. Adult things. You run along.”
Reluctantly,
the child complied.
The general
waited until Billy disappeared into his room and then turned to Mary.
Tonight,
the elderly man felt his age. He was weary from the long trip and the
burden he
carried. “Come and sit down,” he urged, softly.
Mary did so, her
eyes once again filling with tears.
Orrin Travis had
done some difficult things in his life, but this one of the most
difficult he
could remember. “Love... I... We’ve had word that Chris and Vin didn’t
make it.
They gave their lives to ensure the escape of the others.”
Mary began to
sob. She had known the moment Orrin had refused to say anything over
the phone.
Her father-in-law stepped forward and hugged her. “I’m so sorry, Love.
You need
to know they died side by side.” For some reason, Travis had found that
a
comfort. He hoped that Mary would, too.
**********
When J.D. awoke,
it was almost noon. Both of his eyes were black... and blue, green and
purple
as well. The bruising covered his entire face. Nathan examined the
youth
thoroughly and then went to get the boy something to eat.
Dunne climbed
out of bed and went in search of his companions. He felt much better
this
morning. He was steady on his feet and his head was just a dull ache.
His
heart, however, was torn.
Ezra smiled,
genuinely pleased to see the boy when he appeared. “It’s Al Johnson.
How are
you feeling?”
“Okay. Still a
little groggy. Nathan keeps giving me things to make me sleep. Where
are the
others?”
“Josiah is out
in the gardens somewhere. He said he needed to get out of here. And
Buck...”
Standish inclined his head. “He’s been out there since last night. We
haven’t
been able to persuade him to eat or drink anything. Perhaps you could.”
J.D. nodded and
wandered out onto the balcony. Buck glanced up as the youth emerged.
For
several seconds he studied his young friend’s face. “How’s your head?”
“Ringing a
little.” The boy sat down beside his friend. “Nathan’s gone to get me
something
to eat. Have you had anything?”
Wilmington
grunted and returned to staring at the sky.
“You gotta eat,
Buck. You smell like you could use a shower, too.”
“You aren’t
exactly smelling of roses you know,” Buck snapped back.
“At least I’ve
changed my cloths. You’re still in your fatigues!”
Buck took a long
deep breath. Until now, he hadn’t been able to organize his thoughts
enough to
voice them. “Kid, I just can’t believe they’re gone.” Buck’s voice was
an
emotional whisper. “Just like that. Hell, I’ve been a soldier all my
adult
life. I know the dangers. I’ve lost friends before but...”
“You’ve lost
friends before, but not family,” J.D. stated, gently. “You loved both
of them,
Buck. I guess we all did, but you and Chris were so close.”
For several
minutes the pair were quiet. “They didn’t really expect to survive, did
they?”
J.D. asked.
“I don’t know.
Chris knew the odds. That‘s why he stayed.” So Vin wouldn’t die
alone.
Buck glanced
down at his watch. “If they hadn’t... they should have made it to the
jeep about
now.” They should have been calling us to come and pick them up...
their
ordeal should have been almost over. I guess it was over yesterday.
“When are we
going to head home?”
“When the
forty-eight hours are up. Those were the colonel’s orders.”
J.D. focused on
the large white cloud that was moving and changing shape in the sky
above him.
The cloud’s movement echoed the turmoil of his thoughts. “I didn’t get
a proper
chance to say goodbye,” the boy whispered.
“You didn’t need
to. They knew.” God, I hope they knew.
**********
Orrin Travis
entered the kitchen and put the kettle on. He felt so empty. For the
first
time, he considered that perhaps he was getting too old for this sort
of
responsibility. As the general moved to get some mugs, he spotted the
small
package on the bench. Travis picked it up and sighed as he read Vin’s
name.
Orrin shut his eyes and shook his head. How quickly and completely
death could
erase a person.
**********
The despair that
had blanketed the team had reached claustrophobic proportions. Ezra had
almost
worn a circular track in the carpet. He couldn’t sit still and was
fuming
because J.D. couldn’t send his letter until they returned home. It was
his
computer at the office that had all of the addresses stored on it.
Josiah had said
little all day, finding solace in his Bible.
Nathan was
immersed in writing the report, but his mind was filled with memories.
The
first time Larabee had entered his life, Nathan’s career was being
lynched by a
group of bureaucrats liquored up on their own self-importance. He had
gone to
Katinda to fight, not work in a hospital. Jackson clearly remembered
the day
the commander of his unit had summoned him to his tent...
“Sir?” Nathan
asked, saluting.
“You have been
reassigned. You’re leaving us.”
Nathan was
shocked. He had been asking for over twelve months to be posted to a
unit at
the front. “Where am I being sent?”
Colonel Dodge
rose to his feet and shook his head. “I don’t know. The orders are
classified.
A helicopter is coming to pick you up in an hour. Get your gear
together.”
Nathan’s mind
was whizzing with questions. This was not normal. “Yes, Sir.” The young
medic
turned to leave.
“Jackson, we’ll
miss you. You’re one of the best doctors we’ve got.”
“Thank you,
Sir.”
**
An hour later, a
helicopter landed at the helipad and Nathan jogged out to it. The pilot
nodded
and Jackson found himself whisked off to another base, with permanent
buildings. Only places where the top brass was stationed had permanent
buildings. What the hell am I doing here?
Nathan was led
to one of the small square structures and told to wait. The buildings
were
one-room dwellings that were sparsely furnished. A general appeared at
the
door. Nathan jumped to his feet and saluted the man.
“Relax, soldier.
I’m General Travis.” Now Nathan was really curious. Travis was part of
a sort
of breakaway group, for want of a better description. He had his own
ideas on
how the war needed to be fought and thus had fallen out with a lot of
his
counterparts. He was still a very, very important man, however.
“Why am I here,
Sir?”
“Take a seat.”
Travis moved across to the small desk and sat down himself. “To cut a
long
story short, I’m going to offer you an opportunity. You can turn it
down and
return to your unit if you choose to.” Travis studied the young
dark-skinned
man. “I am establishing a small unique squad that will have a loose
charter and
very few rules to follow. Men who will hit when and where it is needed
without
becoming bogged down in red tape.”
“Who’s in
charge?” Nathan asked.
Travis smiled.
“Are you interested?”
“I guess it
depends on who I’d be working with.”
“I told a bit of
a lie earlier. I’m not compiling the team. I’m just providing the men.
Colonel
Christopher Larabee is developing the team and will lead it. I feel
that this unit
may be successful where so many others have failed.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Yes, you
agree?” Travis asked, surprised. He hadn’t given any details, yet.
“No. I mean,
yes, Sir, I’ll take the position.”
“Just like that?
I haven’t told you what it will involve.”
“It doesn’t
matter. It will be an honour to work with Colonel Larabee.”
Travis extended
his hand across the table and pumped Nathan’s. “I was hoping you’d say
that.
Look, this is going to be dangerous. This squad will be handling some
of the
most top secret and hazardous missions ever envisaged.”
“Colonel Larabee
is the best.”
“Yes, he is.”
“I’m curious why
I’ve been selected?” Nathan prayed this wasn’t some sort of political
move.
“Larabee
selected you himself.”
“But I’ve never
met him.”
“He wants a
medic, but not one to wait back at the base. He needs a man who can
work as an
active member of the squad. You’re a fully qualified doctor and a
marine.
That’s a rare combination.”
“I guess it is.”
Travis rose to
his feet and led the young sergeant to another building. “Good luck.”
“Sir?”
“Larabee’s
inside. He’s expecting you.”
Nathan took a
deep breath, fixed his uniform and then climbed the two steps and
entered the
single room. It was identical to the other building, but sitting at the
desk
was a man dressed in fatigues.
The seated
soldier raised his blond head. His eyes were the hardest Nathan had
ever seen.
His face was young, but lined with experience. It was immediately
apparent that
this was not a man to be crossed if you valued your life. This was
nothing like
the image Nathan had had in his mind.
“Jackson,”
Larabee stated in a soft voice. Nathan was startled. He had expected a
barked
sort of greeting.
“Sir,” Nathan
saluted.
“At ease,
soldier and sit down. Did Travis tell you what this is about?” Again,
Larabee’s
voice was hushed.
“That you’re
forming a squad. Not a lot more.” Nathan glanced toward the window.
There was a
man standing there with a pair of binoculars. He appeared mesmerized by
something taking place somewhere outside.
“Did he mention
that it would involve work deep in enemy territory with very little
back-up?”
“He said it
would be hazardous.”
Larabee sat
back. “There will only be the five of us.”
“Five?” Nathan
inquired, again glancing across at the man at the window. The soldier
had climbed
up onto a chair and was frantically adjusting the focus on the
binoculars.
Whatever he was looking at, had him completely captivated.
“Myself as
leader. Captain Wilmington will be our pilot. Buck?” The man on the
chair
lifted his hand from the binoculars and waved without turning around.
“Buck?
What the hell are you doing?”
“Just a minute,
Chris. If only I was an inch taller.” Nathan watched as the pilot rose
up onto
the balls of his feet.
“What the hell
are you looking at?” Larabee demanded.
“Corporal
Howard.”
Larabee rolled
his eyes and returned his attention to Nathan. Jackson’s eyes were wide
with
wonder. This was not exactly what he had expected. “As I was saying,
Buck’s our
pilot. You’ll be our medic. I need a sharpshooter, preferably with
tracking
skills and an explosive expert.”
“I may know a
man,” Nathan offered, boldly.
“So do I. I’ve
sent for Sanchez.”
Nathan smiled.
“That’s the man I know.”
Larabee sat
forward. “Do you know him personally?“
“Yes.“
“What’s he
like?”
“’Strange’ is
the best word I can think of. Josiah’s brilliant, but his logic is a
little
difficult to understand at times. He’s the best powder man in the
country.”
“I know. That’s
why I requested him... Buck?!” Nathan turned in time to see the captain
topple
from the chair in a mass of arms and legs.
Wilmington came
to rest directly beside Nathan. The captain glanced up at the medic and
smiled.
“Corporal Howard’s curves have curves. She is a fine looking woman.”
Nathan
grinned. So that was what he had meant.
“Get off the
ground,” Larabee ordered with tired annoyance. The colonel shook his
head and
looked at Nathan. “I can only imagine what you’re thinking at the
moment.”
“I’m thinking
I’ve made the right decision, Sir,” Nathan chuckled.
“He’s an idiot,
but he’s also the best pilot I’ve ever met and he has ground
experience.”
“I’ve heard of
Captain Wilmington before. None of it was good.”
Buck smiled and
shook Nathan’s hand. “A man only lives once. I intend leaving a lasting
impression.” Nathan laughed. He knew he was in for a crazy ride with
this
pair...
A crazy ride, Nathan reflected. It had been
a crazy
ride, but he wouldn’t swap one moment of it for anything in the world.
***********
Buck was still
out on the balcony. Thankfully, J.D. had convinced the grieving man to
eat
something. The younger of the pair was sitting beside his best friend
trying to
come to terms with his own loss.
Buck kept
thinking back. He could see both of his companions so clearly.
Larabee’s
smile when he was disgusted with something Wilmington or Tanner had
done. Vin’s
smirk when he was pleased with himself. Chris’ face when J.D. informed
the
group that Vin had been using the name Chris Larabee despite having
lost his
memory. Vin’s face when he had laid eyes on Chris after two years with
amnesia.
Chris’ face when Vin regained consciousness -Tanner’s first words had
been for
Chris. The look on Vin’s face when he had seen the motorcycle they had
got him.
Chris holding Vin up less than a week ago as the young man struggled to
stay
still on a landmine.
Josiah’s words
echoed in Buck’s mind. “They died as they would have wanted to.
Together.” In
that, Buck did find comfort. Neither man would have wanted to go on
without the
other. Their souls were linked in some intangible way.
But what
about me? Buck
had loved
both men like brothers. How was he supposed to go on? He had nothing
now.
“Buck, I’m going
in to lay down. Do you want anything before I do?” Buck stared at the
boy. He
did have something; a reason to go on, even if it was going to be
difficult.
“You okay?“ Wilmington
asked.
“Yeah, just a
bit tired.“ J.D. stood up and walked into the common room.
“You okay?”
Nathan asked, glancing up.
“Yeah. I just
thought I might have a lay down. I feel a bit tired.”
“I think I might
also,” Ezra muttered. He, like the others, was sleep deprived and
exhausted.
“We all should
try and get some sleep. Come on, Josiah.” The group rose as one and
headed off
to the various bedrooms. Nathan went to the balcony to encourage Buck
to do the
same, but Wilmington shook his head.
“I wouldn’t be
able to sleep, Nathan.”
“I can give you
something to help.”
“No. I... No,
I’m okay.”
Nathan stared at
his friend. “No, you’re not. Buck, you haven’t eaten anything since
yesterday
afternoon. You haven’t even changed. At least go and have a shower. Go
on. I’m
not taking no for an answer.”
Buck sighed and
stood up. A shower sounded like a good idea.
**********
J.D. headed to
the bathroom, pleased to hear the shower running. Nathan, Josiah and
Ezra were
lying down and by the sound of Josiah’s snoring; the big man had
finally got
off to sleep with the help of some sleeping tablets supplied by Nathan.
As J.D. started
back towards his bed, the cell phone Buck had thrown across the room
began to
ring. The boys were expecting a call from Travis. Buck strode out of
the
bathroom, but returned when he saw J.D. had the phone.
“Dunne.” J.D.
gasped, his pupils dilating to the point he had no iris at all. “VIN?!”
“Vin?!” Buck
shouted, exploding across the room.
“Vin is that
you?” J.D. attacked the phone with desperation. “I’ve lost the signal!
I don‘t
know if it was him or not. It sounded like Vin, but...”
“J.D., do
something!” Buck roared. Surely, it was impossible!
“What is it?”
Josiah asked as he, Nathan and Ezra entered the room having heard the
commotion.
“J.D. just got a
phone call and he thinks it could have been Vin!”
“WHAT?!”
“That’s
impossible!”
“I can’t be
sure. I think... wait a minute! I’ve still got a signal, but it’s
dropping in
and out!” Dunne raced to his computer and pulling out cords, he
connected them
to the cell phone, thus enabling a satellite link.
“Hurry up!” Buck
yelled in frustration.
“Just a
minute... yep.” J.D. hit the final button that would direct the sound
out of
the computer’s speakers and enable everyone in the room to hear the
call.
“That’s got it!”
“Ya there,
J.D.?” There
was no
mistaking that Texas drawl!
“It is Vin!!”
Nathan shouted, grabbing Josiah.
“Vin, you’re
alive!” Josiah boomed, hearing his young companion’s voice. The big man
hugged
Nathan, a smile beaming from his face.
“And Chris? What
about Chris?!” Ezra demanded.
“Larabee’s in
a real shitty mood.” There
were yelled expressions of euphoria from the entire room. Tears of
relief mixed
with shouts of joy. They were alive!
“Give me the
phone, Vin.” The
group
heard Chris demand in the background.
“Talk about
giving a man a heart attack! We saw you go down, J.D. Ya sound okay!”
“Give me the
phone!”
“I’m talking
here.”
“Give me the
phone!... For Christ’s sake keep your hands on the wheel! You’re going
to kill
us.”
“See, real shitty.”
“They’re alive!”
J.D. cried happily, throwing his arms around Buck. The more experienced
members
of the group found their euphoria leave them, abruptly. Wilmington
pushed J.D.
back and Nathan and Josiah stepped apart. Something was wrong -
dreadfully
wrong.
“Vin’s drunk,”
Nathan stated with concern.
“And Chris
sounds like he’s hurt,” Josiah muttered.
“How badly are
you hurt?” Nathan could guess what was going on. Larabee was definitely
wounded. The strained tone in the colonel’s voice was a dead give-away
and by
the sound of Vin, he’d been drinking the pure alcohol - obviously to
dull the
pain of whatever injury he was suffering. “How badly are you hurt?”
Nathan
repeated.
“I took one
in the leg. It’s okay. Cranky Cuss dug it out. Chris is the one who’s
in
trouble. Arm’s bleeding.“ The
flippant attitude faltered every so slightly. Josiah and Nathan
exchanged a glance. Tanner was struggling to hold it together. Despite
the
apparent cheerfulness, Nathan could hear the edge in Vin’s voice. The
young
sharpshooter was both in considerable pain and concerned about Larabee.
“Haven’t
been able to stop Chris’ arm from bleeding.”
“Where are you?”
They needed co-ordinates while the injured men were still lucid. A
hundred
questions swirled in Nathan’s mind. How had they escaped from the
rebels? Why
wasn’t Chris driving if Vin was so drunk? Why hadn’t the Colonel made
the call
if Vin had his hands on the wheel? The colonel must be in a bad way. If
that
were true, then everything else made sense, including Tanner’s
artificial
exuberance. Vin was doing what he had to, to keep their spirits up and
probably
to keep Larabee conscious.
“Give me the
phone! That’s an order, Lieutenant!”
There was the
sound of struggling. The men in the embassy stared at each other
confused.
“Vin? Chris?
COLONEL?!
“We’re okay,
just a minor disagreement over the phone. Vin’s drunk as a skunk.” Larabee’s voice sounded weak,
but there
was amusement there too. Vin’s antics were indeed keeping Larabee
awake. Buck
nodded to Nathan. There was no doubt in either man’s mind that Larabee
was
badly injured. Buck moved off to the left, grabbed a cell phone and
dialled the
airport. He needed a helicopter and he needed it now!
“Bullshit.
Ain’t that drunk. Just... what’s Bucklin say? Tipsy. Yeah, I’m tipsy!”
“He’s drunk.
I had to fill him up on the alcohol. Dug a bullet out of his leg
yesterday. It
seems okay. We‘ve both had a fair bit of the alcohol.” Chris’ voice lacked the slur of
drunkenness that permeated Vin’s, but then, Chris Larabee was one man
who could
hold his alcohol. “Vin‘s in a lot of pain.”
“I’m alright,
Chris.” The
forced
happiness had dulled - replaced by twangs of trepidation and genuine
concern...
and there was a lot of controlled pain there too. “Tell him about
your arm.”
“Why the hell is
he driving if he’s so drunk?” J.D. asked curiously. He had missed the
subtle
signs his more experienced friends had picked up. J.D. was ecstatic,
the boy
bobbing from one foot to the other.
“I’m drivin’
because Chris keeps passing out! Tell him about your arm! It’s bleeding
again.”
Vin insisted.
“Keep your
eyes on the road! Slow down! You’re gonna kill us!”
“Can’t do
that, Cowboy. When you passed out earlier, a chopper swooped over the
top of
us. They know where we are.”
“WHERE ARE
YOU?!” Josiah demanded. “We’ll come and get you.”
“Are you boys
still in the country?” Larabee
asked.
“Yes, Sir.
“Well, if you
fellas could get off your asses and come and pick us up, Chris and I’d
be
real... Chris? CHRIS!” The
men at the embassy heard the phone fall. There was the squeal of brakes.
“What’s going
on?” Nathan shouted.
Silence. A gut
wrenching cry exploded out of Vin.
“VIN!“ his
friends at the embassy cried as one.
There was
another shriek, this time a scream of agony, but it sounded like Vin
was a long
way from the phone.
“VIN?!” Nathan
turned to the others. “They’re in trouble. We’ve got to get to them!”
“Buck’s working
on it,” J.D. cried.
“They must be in
the jeep somewhere on the road we went in on,” Josiah guessed, rushing
across
to his pack and pulling some maps from it.
Ezra clamped his
hand on Nathan’s shoulder. He could see his strong friend was on the
verge of
falling apart. “Mr. Dunne, can you get their position from this call?”
“I can try!”
Jackson
swallowed and turned back to the cell phone laying on the desk. They
had to
re-establish contact. “VIN?! VIN, answer me! VIN, pick up the phone.
CHRIS?!
One of you pick up the phone... Vin? Chris?! Come on fellas, pick up
the damn
phone!!” There was a clattering sound.
“Chris has...
passed out again. Lost... too much... blood. Had to get him... out of
the jeep
so I can... keep an eye on his breathing” Vin was panting. The effort of
dragging his unconscious
friend from the vehicle had sapped his strength. He’d almost passed out
himself
with the pain. “We’re on the side of the... road we came in on.
About forty
minutes... from where we stashed it. He needs help, Nathan. I did my...
best to
keep him conscious. I just can’t stop... the bleeding. Dammit, Larabee!
Stay
with me!”
“Hang on, Kid.
We’re on our way.” Nathan stated quickly, eyeing Buck. Wilmington ended
his
call and rushed across to his companions.
“You fellas
better hurry.” The
response sounded tired. Clearly, Tanner was at his energy reserve
limit. “They
swooped us about thirty minutes ago. Should be here soon. Don’t know
how long
I’ll be able to hold them off.”
“Vin, you hang
on, ya here me?!” Buck shouted, grabbing the phone. “You hang on!“ He
was
asking his young friend not to choose the option of a bullet. “We’ll be
an
hour. Ya here me, Kid? I got us a bird. We‘ll be an hour.”
“I hear you,
Buck.” The
response was
so soft Buck had barely heard it. When Wilmington had grabbed
the phone
he had disconnected it from the computer speakers. Thankfully, the
satellite
link was still active and enabling a clear communication.
“We’ll get you
out of there. You have my word, Kid. Just hang on!” Buck thrust the
phone at
Nathan. “Keep talking to him, Nathan. We‘re not losing them now!”
Part
Eleven
The group
grabbed weapons and headsets, raced outside and piled into the
complementary
van they had been given the use of. Nathan had the phone, which was
still
attached to J.D.’s laptop, glued to his ear. It was essential that they
maintained contact with the two injured men. Meanwhile, J.D. was
plugging other
cords into his laptop so he could establish a satellite picture of the
area. He
was confident he could zero in on Vin’s cell phone.
“Vin, put Chris
on his side,” Nathan ordered.
“Already
have... he doesn’t look good, Nathan.” Vin was sounding more than
tired now. He was sounding defeated.
Nathan had to keep his friend busy and focused.
“Pulse?”
“Okay at the
moment.”
“His breathing?”
“Yeah, it’s
okay too.”
“Your leg?”
“Hurtin’ like
hell, but Chris got the bleedin’ stopped yesterday when he dug the
bullet out.
It was a might sore when I got Chris out of the jeep. It’s okay now.”
“I want you to
keep talking to me, okay? I‘ll be with you the entire time.” Nathan
assured his
companion. There was silence.
“Now what the
hell do you want me to talk about?”
Nathan smiled
his relief. “Anything ya want, Kid. Anything ya want.”
“Okay, now
that I’ve got your undivided attention, let’s discuss this bullshit of
you,
Buck and Josiah calling me, Kid. I ain’t no kid!”
“Is that right?”
Despite the severity of the situation, the alcohol had provided Vin
with some
form of relief. Tanner knew he had to focus on Nathan and not on the
pain in
his leg, the weariness of his body or his concern over Chris who was
laying
next to him unconscious.
“Hell, I‘m
almost... Am
I
twenty-four or twenty-five?”
“Twenty-five
this month.”
“There you
go. Twenty-five. I ain’t no Kid. Hell, I’ve been lookin’ after myself
since I
was fifteen.”
“You left home?”
Nathan asked. He knew the story but he had to keep his friend talking.
It
didn’t matter what the topic was.
“Yeah. Foster
parents were okay, but I needed my own space. .. Just a minute, Nathan.
I think
I heard something. I‘m gonna check it out.” Nathan’s breath caught in his
throat.
“Nathan?” Josiah
demanded, noting the reaction.
“Vin’s scouting.
He thought he heard something.”
“J.D.?” Ezra
inquired.
“I’m zeroing in
now. It’ll take a few more minutes though.”
The van arrived
at the airport in a blaze of noise.
“You can’t leave
that vehicle there!” a security guard yelled, watching as the men
poured out of
it.
“Em7!” Ezra
shouted, whipping out his badge and shoving it in the man’s face. He
didn’t
know what the other man had said, but he recognised the tone.
“The coastguard
helicopter. Where is it?” Buck screamed.
The guard, whose
eyes had doubled in size now that he noted all of the weapons these men
were
carrying, pointed. “Hanger six.”
The men of Em7
raced through the terminal, knocking people out of their path.
“There!” Buck
shouted, spotting the chopper through the glass viewing windows. The
aircraft
was on the other side of the airport!
“How the hell do
we get over there?”
“It’ll take us
fifteen minutes to get around there!”
“We go across
the runway!”
“How do we get
down there?”
“How about
through that plane?!” J.D. asked. The five men, raced down a boarding
tunnel,
entered the plane that was loading passengers, sprinted down the aisle
and then
disembarked using the back set of stairs that led to the runway. Men in
security uniforms were yelling at them and trying to flag them down.
Some had
even started giving chase, but the men of Em7 weren‘t going to stop for
anything. They weaved in and out of the various aircraft parked on the
runway
as they made their way to the coastguard chopper Buck intended
‘borrowing’. He
needed a chopper with medical supplies and he would have it - even
though he
hadn’t been able to convince the air controller to lend it to him.
Throughout the
cross-country trek, Nathan held the phone to his ear, straining to hear
what
was happening on the other end.
“Nathan?“ Buck
asked.
“Nothing yet.“
The medic could hear muffled pants and grunts of pain as Vin moved
around.
Nathan desperately wanted to ask his companion what was going on, but
he knew
Vin was concentrating. If the rebels had found them, Vin needed to be
focused
on that and not on answering Nathan’s meaningless questions.
The seconds
ticked by.
“It’s okay.
Everything’s clear. What was I sayin’?” Vin knew Nathan was keeping him
talking to help him remain calm.
It was essential that he did. Larabee’s life depended on it.
“You were
telling me about how you left your foster parents.”
“Oh, yeah.
Ended up at the reservations for a... I’ve told you this before haven’t
I?”
“Have you?”
“Damn. I
really am drunk aren’t I? I told Larabee I’d had enough. Probably spew
my guts
up.”
“It wouldn’t be
the first time.”
“Now, what
the hell is that supposed to mean? I... Chris? Easy, Cowboy. The boys
are on
the way.”
“Vin? Is Chris
conscious?”
“Not really.
He stirred for a moment. He’s been in and out for the last six hours.
More out
than in now... that doesn’t make sense, does it?”
“I know what you
mean, Kid.”
“Hell, ya
can’t help yourself, can you?!” Vin chuckled with tired
amusement. “I can understand Larabee
calling me, Kid because he’s ancient. Poor decrepit old bastard... you
listening to me, Larabee? Ya hear what I called you?” Vin’s voice
became
hushed and emotional. “Open yer eyes and look at me, Larabee. I’m
insultin’
ya. We’ve come too far for you to cash in your chips here on the side
of the
road.”
Nathan
recognized the emotion and the fatigue in Vin’s voice. The medic knew
his young
friend had been shot some time yesterday. No doubt Vin was exhausted
from
forcing himself onward and from looking after Chris. “Vin. Listen to
me. We’re
not far from you. Just hang on. We’re coming.” There was silence. He
needed to
try and lift his friend‘s spirits. “Vin, we’ve arrived at the airport.
As soon
as we get on board, J.D is going to get a fix on your position and
we’ll come
straight to you. Actually, it doesn’t look like anyone here knew we
were going
to take the aircraft. I think we’re stealing a coastguard
chopper.
Travis will have fun explaining this away. Yep, we’re definitely
stealing it.
Buck’s waving his gun under some fella’s nose. It’s okay though, Ezra
is
explaining things... oops. Ezra just punched a security guard in the
face...
way to go, Ezra! You would have loved to see that! You still there,
Vin?...
Vin?... Vin?... Vin!”
“I’mmm tired,
Naathan.”
The panic button
inside Nathan went off with an resounding explosion. “Vin, your leg! Is
it
bleeding?! Vin, I need you to check you leg!” Nathan felt so helpless.
If only
he were there!
“Huh? My
leg... awww hell. The damn thing’ss sstarted bleeding, doc. Wass real
good
until I pulled Larabeeee out of the jeep. Musst have ripped it open
under the
bandage. Guessss I’ve been mmmovin’ around toooo much, huh?” Vin’s words had become slurred.
“That’sss
why I’m so tired alllll the ssssudden.”
“Vin, clamp your
hand down over the wound!”
“I can’t.”
“Why?!”
“I’m holding
the ppphone with one hand and holding Chrissss’ wound with the other.
Haven’t
been able to sssstop the bleeding, Nathan. He’ssss lost a lot of blood.
I’ve
got to keeeeep pressure on hisss wound. Can‘t let...him die. Chrisss...
Chrisss
keep... brrreathing. Not gonna... let yyyou die, Cowboyy... “
“You’ve got to
stop the bleeding in ‘your’ leg! Lieutenant, put pressure on
your leg!
Do it NOW!”
“Don‘t
haa..ve eeenough handssss.” Tanner sounded confused, his
voice slurring, badly.
“Vin, listen
carefully. I want you to put the phone on the ground next to you and
use that
hand to put pressure on your leg wound. Do you understand?” Nathan
could feel
his stomach launch into his throat. Vin’s blood loss was moving him to
the
point of no return. He was finding it difficult to make decisions and
follow
instructions. Somehow, the medic had to get through to his friend
before it was
too late!
Josiah, J.D. and
Ezra crowded around their companion on the coast guard helicopter that
Buck was
piloting. They were in the air and on their way to rescue their
companions, but
they were at least forty-five minutes away.
“Lieutenant do
you understand?!... Vin, I need you to answer me!” Jackson turned to
his
partners and shook his head. “I’m losing him! He must have lost a lot
of blood
in the last few minutes without knowing it.”
“Keep trying to
get him to understand!” Josiah cried.
“Vin, you have lost
some blood. You have got to try and stop the bleeding. Do you
understand?
Vin?!”
“Chris!“ Ezra
suggested, frantically.
“Vin, CHRIS will
DIE if you don‘t stop the bleeding in your leg. Do you understand,
Vin?! Vin?!”
Jackson waited. Tanner hadn’t responded for several minutes. There was
a very
real chance that the wounded lieutenant had lost consciousness. The
group
waited.
“I hear ya,
Nathan.” The
words were
soft, but controlled and no longer slurred.
“Thank, God.”
Nathan swallowed.
Josiah slipped
his arm across the medic’s shoulders and nodded his thanks to Ezra.
“Vin, I want you
to put the phone on the ground next to you and use that hand to put
pressure on
your leg wound. Do you read me, Vin?”
“Yep. I‘m
putting the phone down... Can you still hear me?”
“Just. Yeah, I
can still hear you.”
“If I need
ya, I’ll let you know. I’ll keep talking so ya know we’re okay. Don‘t
worry. I
know exactly what‘s goin‘ on. Got a bit fuzzy there for a bit because I
was
loosing blood... and the alcohol hasn’t helped. I’m awake now that I
know
what’s happenin’, just kinda snuck up on me. I’m in control, Nathan. If
the
rebels get here before you do, they‘re in for one hell of a fight.”
“Vin... “ Nathan
didn’t know what to say. He felt so useless. Vin was running on pure
guts and
determination. “Hold on. We’re coming.”
“We’ve come
this far, Nathan. Chris and I aren’t gonna throw the towel in now.“
“Keep talking to
me.”
“You’re damn
lucky it’s me and not Larabee.”
“What makes you
say that?”
“Hell,
Nathan, you know Chris don’t say more than three words in a day.”
Nathan Jackson
burst out laughing. “Never a truer word has been spoken.”
“How’s J.D.?”
“Right beside
me. You can talk to him if you like?” Anything to help Vin remain lucid.
“You reckon
that’s a good idea?”
“Why? What’s
wrong?” Nathan exclaimed.
“I thought
you wanted ‘me’ to keep talking. If you put J.D. on, I won’t get a word
in
edge-ways.”
Again Nathan
laughed. There was no true mirth. Just relief. Vin was sounding like
Vin,
again. The medic handed the phone to J.D. and encouraged the boy with a
nod.
“Vin? Vin, it’s
me, J.D.!”
“How are you
doing, Kid?”
“Okay. I got
shot in the head. Nathan’s got my skull bandaged. I’ve got some sort of
staple
in it because it’s broken... not the staple, my skull. It’s still a bit
sore,
my head I mean, but not too bad now. Yesterday it was aching badly, but
Nathan
gave me some stuff and it helped. Didn’t taste real good but it did the
job.
Actually, it put me to sleep. I didn’t wake up until lunchtime today
and now
I’m feeling better. Both of my eyes are black, but my vision is clear
which
Nathan says is a real good sign. I haven’t got any internal bleeding
and...
huh?” Jackson was signalling he wanted the phone back. “Sorry, Vin, I
have to
go. Nathan wants the phone. You hang on. We’re coming.” J.D. passed the
cell
phone to the smiling medic.
“Vin?”
“Hell,
Nathan. That boy didn‘t come up for air! So he‘s okay?”
“Yeah. He was
lucky. An inch deeper and it may have been a different story.”
“I saw him go
down. Tried to cover you all.” Vin sighed deeply. He sounded
so exhausted.
“And you did a
damn good job! We’re all alive!”
“The
President and the others?” The
lively twang was quickly being replaced by overwhelming fatigue. Nathan
could
tell that Vin was desperately trying to fight it, hence the question.
Vin was
doing what he could to remain clear-headed.
“’The Package’
is very, very grateful.” Nathan chanced a look at his watch. “We’re
only a half
an hour out now.”
“I admit,
I’ll be damn pleased to see your ugly mugs.” There was weariness in every
syllable.
“Hang on, Vin.
Only thirty more minutes.” Again Nathan found himself drowning in
helplessness.
For several seconds there was silence as the medic tried to think of
something
to say... something interesting that would spark Vin’s interest so the
young
man could avoid focusing on the situation.
“Nathan?“ Josiah
asked, noting the look of concern.
Jackson covered
the phone receiver. “He’s exhausted. I don’t know how much longer he’s
going to
keep going. Can’t Buck fly this thing any faster!?“
“Calm down,
brother. We’ll be there soon. Give him something to concentrate on.“
“Like what?“ As
Nathan spoke the words, something came to mind. Vin would force himself
on for
Chris. “Vin, how long ago was Chris shot?”
“An hour and
a half, maybe two hours ago. Why? Is something wrong?”
“Only a couple
of hours?”
“Yeah, but
he’s lost a lot of blood, Nathan. A hell of a lot of blood. Why do you
need to
know how long? Is something wrong?” Vin’s voice sounded clearer.
“There are a
couple of things I need you to do for him.”
“As long as
they don’t involve runnin’ or dancin’ we’re in business.” The flippancy masked Tanner’s
concern, but
the tired lisp was gone - beaten into submission by his need to help
Chris.
“First, lift
your hand off your wound and let me know if it’s stopped bleeding.”
“Whatever you
say, Doc.” There
were
several seconds silence. “It seems to have stopped.”
“Good. What
colour is Chris’ skin?”
“Grey.”
“And his
breathing?”
“It’s still
steady, but I think it’s shallower.”
“Vin, I need you
to take Chris’ pulse for me and count it out aloud so I can hear.”
“Just a
minute... Hell, it’s weak, Nathan. Okay. One.......Two........”
Nathan took a
deep breath. The task had the wounded man focused again.
“How are they?”
Josiah asked.
Nathan nodded.
“Chris is still unconscious but Vin is lucid.”
“I’ll let Buck
know,” J.D. offered, disappearing up into the cockpit. The boy knew his
best
friend was beside himself with worry.
**********
For twenty
minutes, Nathan maintained his phone vigil. He had Vin checking Chris
for this
and that. Worrying and caring for Chris was keeping the exhausted
lieutenant
going.
“We’re between
five and ten minutes from you, Vin. How’s your leg?” There was no
reply. “Vin?
Vin, did you hear me?”
“Shhhh. I
think...Oh, &%#@E! The rebels have found us!” An explosion of gunfire filled
Nathan‘s
ear.
“VIN!” Nathan
cried. “Oh, God, he’s under attack!”
“Alright, boys,
get ready for battle,” Josiah shouted. He, Ezra and J.D. grabbed their
rifles
and began preparing their equipment. Headsets were put on and revolvers
readied. All of the men had been praying they would reach their injured
companions before the rebels did. While that wasn’t to be, Em7 was only
minutes
away.
“What’s going on
back there?” Buck yelled. J.D. raced forward to inform the pilot.
Via the phone,
Nathan could hear the exchange of shots. Each and every bullet was a
threat to
his companions’ survival, but each also signalled that Vin was still
alive and
putting up one hell of a fight.
“J.D., you stay
here,” Josiah ordered.
“No way. We
don’t know how many men we’re talking about. You’re gonna need every
gun
available and I’m available.”
“Nathan?” Josiah
didn’t like the idea of taking the boy into battle. Dunne was still
pale. Hell,
he’d only been shot yesterday! Sanchez had seen the boy stumble several
times
as they had raced across the runway. Taking a wounded man into battle
was
always a bad idea.
“I’ve lost
contact with him! The phone‘s gone dead.” Nathan hadn’t heard Josiah’s
question. He was completely focused on Vin and the firefight taking
place on
the ground involving the injured lieutenant and his unconscious
colonel. With
the phone disconnected, Nathan had no way of knowing if his companions
were
still alive!
“Guys! I can see
the jeep! We’re here!” J.D. shouted.
The rest of the
men rushed to the windows. They couldn’t see the rebels that were
hidden by the
foliage, nor hear the sound of gunfire over the helicopter’s rotors.
“I can’t see
anything!“ J.D. cried.
“They’re there,“
Josiah growled.
“Boys, I’m going
to put down right behind the jeep. Keep your heads down. We’re about to
draw
the rebels’ fire!” Buck warned the group.
“Our only
objective is to get Vin and Chris on this chopper and get them to
hospital!”
Nathan shouted.
All of the men
tensed as the chopper descended. The aircraft was sprayed with bullets.
A shot
shattered the window nearest Josiah, covering the occupants with glass.
The
coast guard rescue helicopter shuddered as it set down.
“Ready?” Nathan
roared, grabbing the handle on the door.
“GO!” Josiah
bellowed. Jackson yanked the door opened. Sanchez exploded out of the
aircraft.
Instantly, the big sergeant was peppered with bullets, but to his
right, a
rifle barked providing him with expert cover. Vin Tanner was still
alive!
Josiah ducked
down behind some bushes and then called to the other men. As Ezra,
Nathan, J.D.
and Buck left the safety of the chopper, Josiah and Vin opened fire.
The four
newcomers sought shelter. J.D. found himself shooting indiscriminately
into the
jungle. He couldn’t see the rebels and had to estimate where they were
based on
the sound of their rifle to fire. One thing he did realize - there were
a lot
of them! Bullets were whizzing over the young agent’s head, but J.D.
didn’t
feel afraid. For most of the mission he had been terrified, but now,
there was
something far more powerful driving him. Two of his team mates were in
trouble
and J.D. Dunne was going to get them to safety no matter what it took!
The barking of
rifles filled the air. The men had entered a war zone. It became clear,
immediately,
that there was no way the six members of Em7 were going to be able to
hold off
the rebels.
“Nathan, go!”
Buck shouted.
Jackson ducked
behind his friends, in search of his wounded companions. In his hand he
carried
a black medical bag that had seen almost as much action as he had.
Twenty feet to
the right, he spotted Tanner kneeling behind some shrubs. “Vin!” The
cry was
full of relief. Jackson’s face clouded, though, as he studied the
amount of
blood clinging to Tanner’s fatigues. The lieutenant turned and then
pointed
behind him before returning to the battle. The firefight was fierce.
Neither
side could see the other, both simply firing in the direction of the
sound. The
rebels weren’t advancing... yet.
Nathan moved in
the direction indicated. At first, Jackson could see nothing. He was
about to
ask Vin for further directions when he spotted Larabee lying, partially
hidden
by the foliage. The medic raced forward and dropped beside his
unconscious
colonel. Nathan recognized Chris’ condition was serious the very moment
he laid
eyes on Larabee. Chris’ skin was grey. There was no colour in his lips.
His
breathing was shallow but rapid and his pulse was very, very weak. His
left arm
and most of his left side were covered with blood. Vin was right. Chris
had
lost a lot of the life-giving fluid!
Nathan had no
time for reflection. The medic pushed his emotions aside, opened his
bag and
set to work. Around him, the battle waged.
“We can’t just
crouch here like this forever!” Josiah shouted to Buck as he fired off
several
shots.
“I’m open to
suggestions!” Wilmington returned, ducking back as a volley of bullets
blasted
in his direction and ripped through the bushes that concealed him.
“We need to know
how many we‘re up against before we can plan anything!” Ezra shouted as
he took
aim at an area where he had spotted movement. He and the others were
allowing
their emotions to distract them, but Ezra wasn‘t sure how to overcome
the
problem. They needed to calm down and plan something carefully or they
were going
to die here! Of course, there was always his contingency plan, but he
couldn’t
be sure if that message had even been received.
“We have to get
Chris and Vin to the chopper!” J.D. cried, frantically. The youngest
member of
the group didn’t care about anything else.
“Boys, calm
down,“ a firm voice ordered via the headsets the men wore. “We need to
act
now.”
“Lieutenant?!”
Buck cried. Buck and the others were stunned. None of them had expected
Tanner
to start giving orders.
“There are about
two dozen of them.” There was pain in every word Vin ground out.
“They’re not
advancing so I’m guessing...” Vin took a deep breath. Red blotches kept
rising
up in front of his eyes and distracting his line of thought. He was on
the
verge of passing out. “... so I’m guessing they’ve got more on the way.
We
need... to take this lot down before their reinforcements arrive. Buck,
circle
right. Ezra go with him. Josiah and J.D.... go left. I’ll stay here.”
He didn’t
have a choice. He didn’t have the strength to get up.
“Yes, Sir,” his
team snapped. Each and every man was relieved to have orders to follow,
even if
they recognized the stain in their leader’s voice.
“Encircle them
and then move in. I...” Vin paused. There was a tremor in the air. The
distant
sound of a motor. A plane was approaching. Tanner paused firing and
glanced
skyward. By this time, the others, too, had heard the plane. The rebels
were
also searching the skyline.
All strained to
see the craft. Em7 prayed it wasn’t a rebel plane. As the aircraft drew
closer,
there was a cry of relief from Buck. “That’s our plane!”
Ezra Standish
smiled. The message he’d sent had been received.
“Ollie to Ground
Crew, Ollie to Ground Crew, anyone down there order the cavalry?!” Tom
Oliver’s
welcome voice echoed in the headsets of Em7.
“Ollie, we need
help down here!” Buck roared. He had never been so pleased to hear his
old
flying pal’s voice.
“Give me
directions, pard and I‘ll liven up the party down there with some lead.”
“We’re directly
in line with the helicopter, on your right as you fly in. The rebels
are about
fifty feet past the chopper.”
“You got it.
Keep your heads down!”
The plane closed
the distance, swooped over Em7 and then sent a round of gunfire into
the jungle
ahead. Screams and shouts filled the air. The rebels stopped firing.
“They’re
running!” J.D. cried, leaping to his feet. “They’re retreating!”
“Ollie, you’re a
beautiful person! Have I ever told you that?!” Buck shouted into his
headset.
“That’s another
drink you owe me, Pard. You need a hand down there?”
“No, we’ve got
it under control.”
“I’ll return to
the airport. See you boys there, soon. Ollie, out.” The plane arced
back toward
the south.
Vin Tanner sank
down onto his backside. His body shuddered. Slowly, he lowered his
rifle to the
ground. For several seconds he couldn’t think. It was over. The
exhaustion he
had been fighting off for so long almost claimed him in that moment.
However,
before darkness stole his consciousness, his mind filled with thoughts
of
Chris.
“Nathan?” Vin
called, forcing himself to his feet. A strangled cry exploded out of
him as his
leg crumpled and lit up with searing pain. Tanner fell to the ground
heavily,
another shriek of agony forced from him.
“VIN!” Strong,
caring hands took a hold of him and gently rolled him onto his back.
Tanner’s head
was spinning, raw pain rising up and engulfing him. Again,
unconsciousness
threatened.
“Easy, Kid.
Easy,” Josiah soothed, grabbing both of Vin’s hands in his huge fist.
Vin
looked dreadful. He was incredibly pale. His uniform was torn, singed,
blackened and splattered with blood. His face was etched with nineteen
hours of
gruelling pain and exhaustion.
“Chris? Josiah,
is Chris okay?” Vin managed to get out.
“Nathan’s with
him. We don’t have time for talking. We’ve got to get you on board. The
rebels
may return at any moment.” Once their enemy realized the plane was gone
they
would regroup. Em7 needed to retreat now while they had the chance.
Vin blinked up
at his huge friend. “He’s lost so much blood.” Too much. Tanner
simply
hadn’t been able to stop the bleeding.
“Nathan’s with
him,” Josiah repeated. “Ezra, give me a hand with Vin.”
Standish rushed
across and crouched beside Tanner. Ezra grimaced at the sight of his
young team
mate. “Hang on, my friend. You are safe now.“ Together, Ezra and Josiah
lifted
the wounded man. An involuntary cry escaped Tanner‘s ashen lips, again.
His
entire body stiffened as he rode out the pain.
“Easy, Kid.
Easy.” Josiah and Ezra cradled Vin between them and rushed the
lieutenant to
the chopper. By the time they arrived, Nathan and Buck had already
carried
Chris there and Nathan was strapping the unconscious man into one of
the
stretchers.
J.D. raced to
pull down a second stretcher that was attached to the wall, while Buck
dashed
into the cockpit and readied for take-off.
As Vin was
lowered onto the stretcher his eyes opened again. He couldn’t rest,
yet.
“Chris?”
“Is already on
board,” Ezra assured his pallid friend. Noting that Vin’s leg was
bleeding,
Standish placed pressure on it. Tanner cried out, instinctively lashing
out at
the cause of the pain. “Sorry, Vin. I have to stop the bleeding.”
Across from the
pair, Nathan was working frantically. The medic was shouting
instructions to
Josiah and J.D. His movements were quick and professional, but his
voice
betrayed his acute concern.
“Nathan?” Josiah
demanded, as he hurried to carry out the medic’s instructions.
“HURRY UP!“
Jackson cried. “I’ve got to... J.D.! Come here, J.D. I’m going have to
give him
a transfusion, now!” Dunne and Larabee shared the same blood type. “Sit
down,
here.”
“Nathan, J.D.
lost some blood yesterday,” Sanchez pointed out.
“I know that,
Josiah, but it’s forty minutes to the hospital and Chris needs blood
now!”
“Take what you
need,” J.D. stated, quickly.
Nathan inserted
a tube into the boy’s arm. The medic knew he would have to monitor the
transfusion, carefully. J.D.’s body was still trying to replace the
blood it
had lost the day before, not to mention trying to recover from the
trauma he
had suffered. However, Nathan Jackson knew that if Larabee was to have
a
chance, then a blood transfusion was his only hope.
On the other
side of the chopper, Ezra held onto Vin as Buck lifted off.
“Ezra?” Vin
asked, weakly. “What’s going on?” He was beginning to drift in and out
of
consciousness.
“Nathan’s giving
Chris a blood transfusion. Colonel Larabee is in good hands. You just
lay there
and rest.” Ezra’s face twisted with concern. His friend’s condition
alarmed
him. Ezra could only imagine what Vin had been through over the last
twenty-four hours. “Just rest,“ ‘The Gambler’ repeated softly, reaching
up and
placing his hand over Vin’s clenched fist.
The Em7
lieutenant took a deep breath, collected his thoughts and attempted to
sit up.
His leg lit up like Hell’s furnace. His eyes slammed shut. His body
became
rigid.
“No! Lay back,”
Ezra ordered, forcing Tanner back down onto the stretcher. “There is
nothing
you can do. Just lay back and let Dr. Jackson do his work!”
The fingers of
oblivion were gripping the sharpshooter, but he refused to succumb. For
twenty-four
hours he had been fighting against the darkness beckoning him -
fighting with a
fierceness and determination few others could understand. Now, he
couldn’t just
turn that off. It wasn’t that easy. He was running on automatic. He had
to stay
awake. In Vin’s exhausted and pained filled mind, Chris’ life depended
on him
being calm, conscious and in control, and by God, he wasn’t about to
let his
best friend down!
Unfortunately,
Vin was fighting a battle he was bound to loose. He shuddered again.
The wounded
man began to tremble as he fought against his body’s physical need to
shut
down.
“Nathan!” Ezra
called, insistently.
“Josiah, monitor
Chris’ breathing!” Nathan ordered, taping the tube in place - a tube
carrying
life-saving blood to the severely injured soldier.
Jackson rushed
across to Vin and immediately recognized what was going on. “Relax,
Vin! I’m
giving Chris blood, which is what he needs. You need to rest. You hear
me?”
Vin blinked up
at his friend. “Will he be okay, Sergeant?” Tanner’s voice was laced
with a
mixture of fatigue and pain, but also determination and authority.
Nathan’s face
clouded. He couldn’t lie to Vin. “I can’t be sure, yet,” he stated,
honestly.
“He’s in there fighting. We can’t ask for more than that at the moment.
Let’s have
a look at your leg.”
Nathan nodded
for Ezra to remove his hand. Vin cried out, his body jerking. The medic
lifted
the bloodstained bandage and examined the wound. Deciding the best
course of
action was to leave it until they reached the hospital, Nathan took
another
bandage and wrapped it over the first.
Vin was still
aggressively fighting to remain awake and in control. It was a battle
of sheer
will, guts and determination. Jackson moved to his friend’s shoulder.
“Vin,
relax. Your job‘s done. Let us take over.”
Tanner blinked
with defiance. He heard the words but his mind wouldn’t let him comply.
He had
to ensure that everything was done to help Chris. He had to
make
sure his team was okay. It was his responsibility. Larabee’s
life
depended on him making the correct decisions.
Nathan glanced
at Josiah and inclined his head to the cockpit. They needed Buck.
Sanchez hurried
forward. “Buck, you’re needed back there. Vin,” Josiah stated, taking
the
controls. Sanchez was a qualified pilot, though he rarely did any
flying these
days.
Buck required no
further explanation. As the captain stepped into the back of the huge
chopper,
he froze. He had not expected to see blood being funnelled out of J.D.
and into
Chris.
Nathan beckoned
Wilmington forward to Vin’s side and then moved out of the way.
Buck picked up
his wounded friend’s hand and squeezed it. “Hey, Kid.”
Tanner
swallowed. “Captain, I couldn’t get the bleeding stopped. What‘s the
hospital‘s
ETA?” Vin swallowed, again. He felt so weary, but he had to stay awake
and lead
his team. He had to!
“Ain’t no need
for you to be worrying,” Buck assured his young companion in a calm
voice. He
could see Vin was almost delirious with fatigue and pain, but
Wilmington knew
Tanner would never give in. Not until he was relieved of his leadership
duties.
“Nathan’s got everything under control here. Your job is finished. I’m
ordering
you to stand down.”
Vin stared up at
his friend as he tried to process the words. “I...”
“That was an
order. I’m taking command and I’m ordering you to stand down,
lieutenant.”
When, and or if, anything happened to Chris and Vin, Buck was next in
line to
take command. Chris had made it very plain in Katinda, that if a man
was hurt,
he had to give the command to the next in line. There was no choice in
the
matter. Vin was hurt, which meant that Buck had the right to take over.
“I’m ordering
you to stand down. I’m taking over,“ Buck repeated.
Tanner nodded as
the order sank in. “Is Chris okay?“ For the first time, the words were
those of
Vin and not the Em7 lieutenant. Wilmington’s order had released him.
Buck was
in charge now. Buck would do what was needed. Buck would make sure
Chris was
okay.
“I reckon he’s
doing a lot better than he was ten minutes ago. You did a good job
looking
after him. Nathan’s taken over now.“
“I couldn’t get
the bleeding stopped. I’m sorry.” Vin’s eyes closed, but he forced them
open
again and turned his head in search of Chris. “God, I knew it was bad.“
“That’s enough.
Chris is a stubborn bastard. It’s just an arm wound. Chris isn’t about
to cash
in his chips.” The bravado left Wilmington’s voice as he stared down at
the
younger man’s almost grief-stricken face. “Vin, you did what you could.
The
rest is up to Chris and Nathan.”
“Buck, I
couldn’t stop the bleeding... I just...“ Vin began blinking. He had
reached the
point where his body was overriding his determination. “I couldn’t get
the
blee.....” Tanner murmured as he sank into the endless cavern of
darkness.
Buck held Vin’s
hand firmly. “It’s okay, Kid. You did everything you could.” Wilmington
glanced
back over his shoulder. “Is Vin going to be okay?”
“It’s too early
to tell. He’s suffering blood loss, exposure and exhaustion. We need to
watch
him for shock,” the medic replied, almost clinically. Nathan was
crouched beside
Chris, taking the colonel’s blood pressure.
“And Chris?”
Buck asked, quietly. He hadn’t asked until now. He could tell it was
serious.
Nathan turned.
The emotion in Buck’s face saw the professional mask fall from
Nathan’s. “He
isn’t good. Basically, neither of them are. I‘m doing everything I
can.”
Buck’s eyes
dropped to Chris. A lump formed in the captain’s throat. He couldn’t
handle
losing Chris again - not for a fourth time! For four times it would be.
The
first had been when Sarah and Adam had been killed. Chris’ soul had
died with
them and Buck had spiritually lost his friend. The man who had been
left was
not the fun-loving, wild friend Buck had known since he was eighteen.
The man
who was left was nothing more than a shell that seemed unable to feel
or
respond to the warmth and friendship of others...
“Dammit, Chris!
Don’t shut me out!” Buck cried, watching his friend move toward the
door. It
had been six months since Larabee’s family had been murdered. Chris had
been on
compassionate leave since then. Buck, on the other hand, had been sent
back to
Katinda. A week earlier, though, Wilmington had requested leave to
return home
to check on Chris. Larabee had failed to answer the phone or respond to
any of
the telegrams Buck had sent. What Wilmington found was Larabee downing
his
grief in whiskey.
“Chris! Don’t
walk out that door! Talk to me, please.” The last four words were
begged.
Chris kept
walking.
“Chris I don’t
know you any more,” Buck whispered.
“I don’t know me
any more either,” the grieving man replied, stopping, but not turning.
“Please, Chris.
Let me help. Talk to me. We used to tell each other everything,” Buck
pleaded,
walking around to face Larabee and cut off his exit.
“Leave it, Buck.
I just want to be left alone.” Larabee’s face looked so empty. Chris
was no
longer living. He was simply existing.
“So you can
self-destruct?! NO! Sarah would never...”
Chris roared
with rage and tackled Buck. The two exchanged several blows before
rolling
apart. They stood staring at each other, both panting. Finally, Buck
collected
his thoughts and found his voice. He spoke softly, but firmly. “Chris,
you’re
needed in Katinda. A lot of boys are depending on you.” He hoped that
being
needed would be enough to stop Larabee’s spiral into hell.
Chris stared at
Buck with pain-filled rage and then he shoved past the other man and
strode
from the room. Buck closed his eyes and allowed tears to spill onto his
cheeks.
Over the last few days, he had done everything he could, but the cruel
reality
was finally sinking in. His best friend was gone. Since returning home,
Buck
had seen no sign of ‘Chris’ in the face of the man who had once been
his closet
companion.
Grief-stricken,
Buck had returned to the war. A week later, Chris, too, returned to
Katinda.
Perhaps some of what Buck had said had got through, but the captain
couldn’t be
sure. He and Chris basically parted company for almost three years
following
that day. Then, Chris had contacted Buck out of the blue. Larabee was
to be in
charge of a new squad and he needed a pilot. Buck had jumped at the
chance to
be reunited with his friend, but the part of Larabee that was ‘Chris‘,
was
indeed gone. Chris had become one-dimensional. He had only one side and
that
was the emotionless soldier. Larabee’s smile - the very spark that was
who he
was - had died. The ‘Chris’ that Buck knew and loved was no more.
Several months
later, a miracle happened. A miracle dressed in jeans, a buckskin coat
and an
old cowboy hat; a miracle named Vin Tanner. Somehow, Vin had found
‘Chris‘ -
the real Chris. Larabee hadn’t been gone, Buck realized, just
tragically lost.
How Vin had led Chris back to the world of the living, Buck would never
know,
but the ‘Chris’ Buck was pining for started to re-emerge the very day
Vin
joined the S.T.F.1 in Katinda. Over the next few months... no, it had
actually
only been days; the real Chris Larabee - the man who smiled easily and
was free
with his emotions - was back. There was still a hole in Chris’ soul
that would
be there for eternity, but Chris had learned to live again. Thanks to
Vin.
Buck lowered his
eyes to the young man who was lying so still. “Thanks to you,” he
whispered.
When Vin had disappeared, Buck’s own soul had shattered into a million
pieces
for Buck had cared deeply for Tanner. Worse, Wilmington had lost
Larabee for a
second time, but Chris had not sought refuge in a bottle, not until his
tour of
duty was finished in Katinda. However, the day Larabee had called off
the
search for Vin’s body, for realistically, that was all they had been
searching
for, Chris had become a man without emotion - truly only existing from
day to
day. Buck realized that Chris was simply biding his time until the day
death
took him.
Then a second
miracle... or more correctly, a repeat of the first. Vin Tanner had
been
catapulted back into their lives - literally back from the dead. That
had been
six weeks ago. ‘Chris’ had re-emerged for a second time after dwelling
in the
pits of misery for two long years. In the last thirty-nine days,
Larabee had
laughed, fooled around and ‘lived‘. Thanks to Vin.
“Thanks to you,”
Buck repeated, squeezing Tanner’s hand firmly. It was true that at
first, Buck
had cared for Vin because of the young man’s effect on Chris. However,
it had
not taken long before Buck found himself loving Tanner as a genuine
friend.
There was something about the quietly spoken Texan that you had to
like. He was
unobtrusive and reserved for the most part, but Vin had a devilish
sense of
humour and a dry wit that he showed only to those he trusted.
“You’re going to
be okay, Vin. Both you and Chris.” Buck glanced back at the other man
he loved
like a brother. “You hear that, Larabee? You’re going to be okay!” The
captain’s voice broke with emotion. Nathan stepped up to him and placed
a hand
of support on his shoulder.
“We can’t lose
them again, Nathan. We can’t.”
“They’re
fighting, Buck,” Nathan assured him.
Wilmington shut
his eyes and found himself praying. Yesterday, he had lost Chris for a
third
time and Vin for a second. When Buck had heard Tanner’s voice today, he
had
been terrified to believe. Only now, did he understand what it was like
to have
his soul emerge from the depths of despair, as Larabee’s had done twice
in the
past.
Buck opened his
eyes and glanced up at Nathan. “We’ve got to get them though this,
Nathan.”
Buck could not lose his family again. “We’ve got to.”
Jackson flicked
his eyes down to Chris. “I’m doing everything I can,” the medic
whispered.
Unfortunately, he feared it might not be enough. Some minutes later,
Nathan had
to end the transfusion. J.D.’s blood pressure was falling.
Buck rose to his
feet and slipped his arm across the weakened boy’s shoulders.
“Will it be
enough?” the youth demanded of Nathan. “If he needs more, take it. I
still feel
alright.”
Nathan shook his
head. “I wish I could, but I don’t want another patient, Kid.”
“Was it enough?”
Buck asked.
“He’s still
alive,” Nathan replied simply. “He wouldn’t have been without that
blood.”
There was a
deafening silence as reality announced itself in those words. Ezra,
Buck, J.D.
and Nathan found themselves staring at one another.
“We could still
lose them,” Nathan whispered, in response to the unasked question that
was
hanging in air.
Buck drew in a
deep breath and settled his nerves. “So, we need to get them to
hospital as
soon as possible,” he stated with determination. Wilmington disappeared
into
the cockpit and radioed the control tower requesting aerial directions
to the
hospital.
“There is no
landing pad there. You’ll have to bring them to the airport and
transport them
by ambulance,” the controller ordered.
“We don’t have
time for that,“ Buck growled, taking the controls from Josiah.
Part
Twelve
The people in
the parking lot at the Central City Hospital looked on gaping as the
huge
coastguard rescue chopper began to descend among the parked cars.
Nurses and
doctors raced out with stretchers. They were expecting the unusual
arrival.
Ezra had contacted them by phone and explained the situation. The
police, too,
were present, wanting to speak to these men who had so brazenly stolen
the
chopper from the airport.
The moment the
aircraft landed, the door was yanked open. The medical staff raced
forward,
swarmed the wounded men like locusts and whisked them off to the
emergency
room. Nathan was yelling instructions and information to the other
doctors as
he disappeared into the towering hospital building with the rest of the
medical
staff.
Josiah and Ezra
eased J.D. to his feet and between them guided the weak youth toward
the glass
sliding doors. A group of four well-armed policemen stepped to block
their
path.
“Gentlemen. We
have a few questions.”
“Get out of the
way. The boy is injured!” Josiah growled.
Buck stepped
between the police and his companions. “I took the chopper. I’m the one
you
want to talk to. Go on, boys. Get J.D. some help. I’ll deal with this.”
The police stood
for a few seconds and then stepped aside so J.D. could be taken inside.
Josiah
and Ezra hesitated, but Buck prompted them to go on. Josiah nodded. He
understood.
Wilmington
watched his companions disappear and then focused his ice-cold eyes on
the
police. “We received a call that there were two critically wounded men
that
needed help. I took the chopper when the idiots at the airport
wouldn’t
allow me to borrow it.” Wilmington held the senior policeman’s hard
gaze.
“You will need
to accompany us to the station. Our Chief Inspector wants to speak to
you. We
do not appreciate foreigners coming into our country and causing
problems. You
will be tried for your crime and spend the next ten years in prison.”
“Go to hell!”
The police drew their weapons. “Fellas, you’re about to make a huge
mistake.”
Buck’s eyes flicked behind the police. There, Ezra and Josiah stood,
their
revolvers drawn - exactly where Buck expected them to be. The police
began to
move nervously. “We don’t want any trouble. Our men are injured and
need help.
You can take your damn helicopter back. We weren’t stealing it.” After
several
tense seconds, the police lowered their weapons. Ezra and Josiah did
the same.
“We really are
on the same side here, brothers,” Josiah explained. With that, he and
Ezra
turned and jogged into the building.
“The chopper is
all yours, boys,” Buck added, thrusting the keys into the closest
policeman’s
hand. “I have to go.”
“Wait just a
minute! I haven’t...”
At that moment,
a stretch limousine pulled up beside the group. The four policemen
immediately
stood to attention. The car was flying the Presidential flag. The
window at the
back slid down several inches.
“Welcome, Mr.
President,” the senior policeman greeted, tensely.
Buck peered into
the car. Sitting beside the leader of the South American country was
the
Australian Prime Minister. His face bore the scratches of his ordeal
but his
eyes were bright and relieved.
“We heard about
what happened on the radio. How are they?” the Prime Minister asked.
Buck swallowed.
“They’re both wounded... badly.”
“I’m sorry.”
“These men are
my special guests. They are to be treated as such,” the President
informed his
law enforcement officers.
The
highest-ranking officer’s face shadowed with surprise. “Of course, Sir.”
“My Australian
friend has explained to me what happened, Captain Wilmington. While you
are in
my country, you will be treated as my personal guests. Ask for whatever
you
want, in my name, and you will receive it.”
“Thank you.
Look, I need to go.” Wilmington’s mind and heart were not on the
conversation.
Buck nodded to the Australian Prime Minister. “Thanks, Sir.”
“No, Thank you.”
Buck turned and
sprinted into the hospital. He scanned the open waiting room and then
jogged
down the corridor in search of his companions.
“Buck!” Ezra
called as the big captain flashed passed the open door of one of the
wards.
Wilmington dashed back and entered the room that housed four beds. J.D.
was
lying on the bed nearest the door, his eyes closed. Ezra was standing
beside
him, his hand on the youth’s shoulder. “He’s okay,” Ezra informed Buck,
quickly. “Just weak after giving so much blood. The nurses are off to
find him
a hospital gown so he can rest.”
J.D.’s eyes
flickered opened and he smiled up at his best friend. “Hey, Buck.”
Wilmington
patted J.D.’s arm. “Hey, Kid.”
J.D. looked
decidedly pale, but the concern that was reflected in his dark eyes was
not for
himself. “Have you heard anything?“
Buck shook his
head. “Ezra, where are the others?”
“Nathan’s with
Chris. He’s in surgery on another floor. Josiah went in search of Vin.
Why
don’t you go and check on them. I’ll wait with Agent Dunne.”
Wilmington
nodded, squeezed J.D.’s arm and then disappeared.
“Ezra, do you
think... I mean...”
“At the moment,
I’m not willing to think, Mr. Dunne. I sense this is one of those times
when we
just have to wait and hope.”
The youth‘s face
clouded with grief and despair. “Do you believe in God?”
The question
startled Ezra. “Sometimes,” he answered, honestly. “When I need to, I
guess. I
admit, my faith tends to be forgotten when all in my life is going
well.”
“My Ma used to
go to church every morning. She said that if you ask God for something
he
listens.”
“Mr. Dunne, if
you feel that praying will help Chris and Vin, then by all means, do
it. I fear
they need all of the help they can get.”
“Will you pray
with me?”
Ezra stared down
at the boy. Tears began to well in his eyes - the eyes of a man who
prided
himself on keeping his emotions and feelings well hidden. Standish’s
voice
dropped to a trembling whisper. “In the last two hours, J.D., I haven’t
stopped
praying.”
**********
Buck raced back
down the corridor having decided that the best way to find out where
Vin and
Chris were was to ask at the admission’s desk.
“I’m looking for
the two men who were just brought in. Gunshot wounds.”
The nurse eyed
Buck with wide eyes. The captain was a sight. The front of his unusual
clothes
was covered in blood. His rifle was slung over his shoulder. His
headset was
dangling around his neck. His face was tense and severe. “Are you
family?”
“Yeah.” Yeah,
I am.
The nurse
evaluated Wilmington’s face. Behind the serious and intense eyes she
saw
genuine concern. “One is in theatre 4 and the other is in theatre 1.
You can
wait here and as soon as...”
“Where are the
theatres?”
“On the next
floor, but Sir, you can’t... Sir! Sir, you can’t go up there!”
**********
The rebel
compound was alive with alarmed and frenzied activity. From the first
floor
window of his office, Juan Freleagus stared down at what was left of
his army.
The rebel leader had believed his hidden fortress invincible and his
army
unbeatable in the jungle. He had been wrong. His enemy had easily
infiltrated
the compound and his men had been outclassed in jungle warfare by a
very small
group of extremely well trained specialists. The result was chaos and
the first
signs of rebellion since he had established the army. Freleagus had
moved
quickly to quash the uprising. All of those responsible for the
compound’s
security had been executed publicly; the general had done so
personally. Those
who had allowed the enemy soldiers to take the plane had been flogged
in the
centre of the open parade ground in front of everyone. Those who had
been
muttering words of mutiny were challenged to step forward. They failed
to do
so, their voices silenced by fear. Now, the only thing left was to
obliterate
those responsible for the attack. The foreign soldiers had undermined
Freleagus’ leadership. He had to take them down and by God, he would!
The rebel leader
cursed with such volume that all those in the building heard his words
clearly.
The enemy had taken him by surprise. He had allowed his men to become
lax and
over-confident. It was a mistake he would not make again. An example
would be
made of these men who’d had the audacity to attack him. Anyone else
contemplating
an offensive against him would think twice after that.
The thing that
annoyed him the most was the fact that he now realized there had never
been any
‘large’ enemy squad. The group responsible for this had less than ten
members.
Ten men who would pay with their lives.
The door of the
office opened and Zenaldo strode into the room cautiously. He knew
Freleagus
was in a deadly mood. The general turned. His face was quivering with
undiluted
rage. The front of his shirt was still splattered with the blood of
those he
had just executed. Their screams continued to echo in Zenaldo’s mind.
“Sir, we have
lost contact with all of the squads in the jungle, which is over a
quarter of
our men. We aren’t sure if they are alive, dead or captured. Several
dozen men
were killed in the confrontation with the enemy yesterday. We have more
wounded
than the doctor can cope with. We have about twenty out searching for
the
others so that leaves about fifty men here left standing. What do you
want us
to do?”
“I want you to find
the men who did this.” The words were incredibly calm and deathly quiet.
Zenaldo licked
his lips. “Sir, we have reports that they were rescued by helicopter.”
“Then find the
helicopter. FIND IT!”
“Yes, Sir.” The
colonel scrambled out of the room.
“I WANT THOSE
BASTARDS! DO YOU HEAR ME?! I WANT THEM!”
**********
Two orderlies
attempted to convince Buck to leave the second floor. For the second
time in
two days, they failed. Wilmington paced up and down the long corridor,
moving
between theatres 1 and 4. There was no sign of Josiah so Buck assumed
that the
sergeant was in the operating theatre with Vin.
So many things
were rushing though Buck’s mind that he couldn’t consider any one of
them. He
was worried... terrified. What if... what if he lost both of them?
**********
Inside theatre
4, Nathan and another surgeon stitched Chris’ arm. Larabee was
receiving
another blood transfusion. He was still in desperate need of blood.
“Blood
pressure’s dropping,” the anesthetist informed the doctors, suddenly.
Nathan glanced
up at the screen that was monitoring Chris’ vitals. “Come on, Larabee.
Hold
on.”
“Breathing’s
becoming irregular.”
“Don‘t do this,
Chris!”
**********
In an identical
theatre, a different anesthetist frowned. The brain waves of his
patient had just
gone crazy. “Doctor? Can you explain that?”
The doctor
glanced at the monitor. “What the...?”
“Is something
wrong?” Josiah asked, stepping forward. Up until then, he had been
content to
stand in the corner watching. The huge sergeant was dressed in a
surgeon’s gown
and mask. He had explained that the patient was in danger of
assassination and
that he was a bodyguard. The medical staff had erred on the side of
safety -
their own. None of them liked their chances against the enormous
‘bodyguard’ if
he decided to insist.
“Does he suffer
epilepsy?” the surgeon asked Sanchez.
“No, why?”
“We’re getting a
massive discharge of electrical energy in his brain.”
Josiah stared
down at Vin whose face was hidden by the mask the anesthetist held.
“If I didn’t
know better, I’d say he was panicking,” the doctor commented.
Sanchez
swallowed. It could be one of two things. Vin could be suffering a
memory rush,
but that was impossible because he was unconscious. That only
left...“Chris’ in
trouble.” It was unbelievably absurd to think that somehow Vin knew or
could
sense Larabee‘s distress, considering the sharpshooter was unconscious
himself,
but then, it was the only explanation Josiah could think of.
“Sorry?” the
doctor asked.
“Nothing.”
Josiah reached for Vin’s shoulder and squeezed it. He hoped that the
gesture
might help. That was what he had seen Chris do in the past. “Hang on,
Vin.
Chris has to fight his own battle this time. You concentrate on getting
well
yourself.”
**********
“He’s stopped
breathing!” the anesthetist cried. “We’re losing him!”
Nathan ripped
the gas mask from Chris’ face and replaced it with the oxygen one.
“Come on,
Larabee!
Breathe!”
**********
Vin’s brain
activity increased.
“Heart rate is
increasing... he’s starting to palpitate,” the anesthetist, cried.
“Vin! Let Chris
fight his own battle!” Josiah roared.
The doctor
inserted a needle into the drip, but before he could depress the
plunger and
send the relaxant into Vin’s system, the palpitations stopped. Vin’s
brain
activity dropped. The doctor stared at the monitor dumbfounded. “What
the hell
just happened?”
**********
“He’s breathing.
Blood pressure’s building. He’s fighting back.”
“He’s winning,”
a nurse cried as a small green light blinked on the monitor indicating
that
Larabee was out of danger.
“Thank, God,”
Nathan murmured, lifting the oxygen mask. Jackson’s hand was trembling.
He had
lost patients on the operating table, but he had never come so close to
losing
someone who meant so much to him.
“Doctor?”
another of the nurses asked with concern. Nathan shook off his emotions
and
nodded for the anesthetist to replace the gas mask.
“He‘s a strong
man,” the second doctor commented.
“Yeah, he is,”
Nathan agreed.
The local
surgeon eyed Nathan, carefully. It was obvious that this Dr. Jackson
knew and
cared for this soldier. “Let me finish the stitching. It’s almost done
anyway.
You monitor his vitals, doctor.”
“Thanks,” Nathan
whispered, gratefully. He was happy for the other doctor to complete
the final
few stitches.
Jackson laid his
hand on Chris’ arm. “Keep fighting.”
**********
Oblivious to the
happenings in the operating theatres, Buck continued to pace. The
minutes
ticked by. When he had first arrived, it had been 4:08 according to the
clock
at the end of the hall.
It was 5:13 when
the door of theatre 1 opened. Josiah, still dressed in a long green
surgeon’s
gown, stepped out.
“Josiah?” Buck
cried, jogging toward him.
“The surgery
went well. They’re taking him down to recovery. Have you heard any news
on
Chris?”
Buck shook his
head.
“I better stay
with Vin. Let me know as soon as you know anything.”
Wilmington
watched Sanchez disappear. The captain felt relieved. Now, he just had
to pray
that Chris, too, pulled through.
**********
Nathan watched
as Chris was wheeled from the room. He turned to the other surgeon and
offered
his hand. “Thank you, Dr...?”
“Bastios.
Giovana Bastios. You’re American?”
“Yeah.”
“What are
American soldiers doing...?”
“Don’t ask,”
Nathan cut him off. “I can’t tell you. I am very grateful for your
help.”
“He isn’t out of
danger yet.”
“I know. Can you
keep an eye on him for a few minutes? I need to tell some friends how
he’s
doing.”
When Nathan
exited the operating theatre, he almost ran into Buck “Nathan?”
Jackson
swallowed and then nodded. “He’s still with us, but I almost lost him
on the
table.”
“Is he going to
be alright?“ It was a plea. “Nathan?” Buck prompted when the medic
didn’t reply
immediately.
“The next few
hours will be critical. They’re taking him up to intensive care. How’s
Vin?”
“Josiah’s with
him. He said they were taking him down to recovery.”
“Alright, I’m
going to go and check on him and then I’ll head up to intensive care.
You
better let the others know. Oh, shit. J.D.!”
“Ezra’s got him
laying down in an empty ward.”
“Good.” The two
men stared at each other. Without a word, they embraced briefly and
then headed
off to carry out their designated tasks.
**********
General
Freleagus rose to his feet as his colonel entered his office. “Well?”
“According to
our men, a coast guard helicopter picked them up. I have contacted the
airport
and found out that one was stolen from there a few hours ago. I have
put the
word out that you are looking for it. I am sure we will find it.”
“We had better.”
The threat hung in the air. Zenaldo swallowed and backed out of the
room.
**********
Buck and Ezra
were seated in the empty ward, the two men talking softly as J.D.
slept.
“You rang
Ollie?” Buck cried.
“I thought we
might need some firepower. The helicopter was well-equipped medically,
but...”
Ezra smiled.
Buck grinned.
“You’re really something, Standish, you know that?”
“Something. Hmm.
The mind boggles. I‘m not sure how I should take that.” The pair was
doing
their best to lift one another’s spirits. They waited for Vin to be
brought
down to the room. Nathan had arranged for Tanner to be brought to this
ward
once he was dismissed from recovery.
“Outside of your
mother, do you have any other family?” Buck asked, out of the blue.
“Well, that is a
most complex question. I suppose it depends what your definition of
‘family’
is. If you are talking about blood relations, then, yes, I have a
number. Most
of them I haven’t seen since I was a child, so in that sense, no, I
don’t have
any family outside of my mother. Then again, family is not necessarily
connected by blood. You?”
Buck smiled.
“Nope. After my mother died, I had no one. Then I met Chris. We hung
out
together a lot and then when he married Sarah, I just sort of became a
member
of their family.”
Both men stood
up as Josiah entered the room. Behind him was Vin on a stretcher,
surrounded by
a number of nurses and orderlies. J.D. awoke and watched as Tanner and
all of
the equipment connected to him was wheeled into place.
A doctor entered
the room and frowned at Buck and Ezra. “This is a hospital, not a bus
station.
This man is to have no visitors unless they are family and even then,
only one
at a time and for only a few minutes.”
“Sorry, Doc.
That’s not the way it works,” Josiah stated, simply. “We all stay.
Don’t worry,
we aren’t about to do anything to interfere with Vin’s recovery.”
The doctor
glared at Sanchez and then moved to his patient. He had already had
several
disagreements with Josiah and lost each one.
After checking
the monitors, the doctor jotted something down on the clipboard hanging
on the
end of Vin’s bed. “I want you to check on him every fifteen minutes.
Watch his
brain activity, in particular. I want to know if there is any change in
his
condition,” the doctor snapped at the closest nurse.
“Yes, Doctor
Ricco.” All, but the nurse, left the room. She smiled at the men who
were
walking forward and surrounding the wounded man. Their eyes held so
much
concern. “Doctor Ricco sounds curt, but he’s a good doctor. Your friend
is in
good hands.”
“Can you tell us
how he’s doing?” Buck asked, his face contorted with horror. Vin was
attached
to so many machines.
The nurse’s face
shadowed slightly. “His condition is listed as serious but stable. He
needs
some time. Why don’t you all go out to the waiting lounge and get a cup
of
coffee? If there is any change, I’ll let you know.”
“We’re staying.”
“Of course. I
have to go. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes to check on him.” The young
woman
smiled gently and left the room.
Ezra, Josiah and
Buck stared at Vin. Their young friend had a tube coming from his nose.
There
were wires and paddles attached to his chest and a drip providing him
with some
sort of drug. His face was pasty, with a blue-greyish tinge. His
breathing was
loud in the silent room.
“Buck?” J.D.
called.
Wilmington
turned. “He looks a mess, Kid.”
“Nathan said
he’d be down in a few minutes to explain everything to us,” Josiah
offered,
quietly as he laid his hand on Vin’s shoulder.
Ezra flicked his
eyes to Sanchez. Josiah did not sound as though he was looking forward
to the
prognosis.
**********
Mary sipped her
coffee, her sobbing finally starting to abate. She had been crying for
hours.
The moment her father-in-law had arrived at Four Corners, the young
reporter
knew it was bad news. However, despite how well she felt she had
prepared
herself for the worst, the shock was overwhelming. The general had even
considered calling for a doctor.
Orrin Travis was
nursing his grandson on his lap, the boy having cried himself to sleep
after
having overheard that Vin and Chris had been killed. The elderly man
rose to
his feet and carried Billy upstairs to his bed. When he returned, he
sat down
next Mary.
“I’m sorry.” He
had said those words more than a dozen times. He didn’t know what else
to say.
Mary laid her hand on his arm, but didn’t say anything. Again silence
filled
the room.
“The others?”
Mary finally whispered. “Buck? Is he okay?”
“He took it
very, very hard.”
Tears brimmed in
Mary’s eyes again. “When are they coming home?”
“They should be
here tomorrow night. Chris ordered them to wait forty-eight hours and
they...
they wanted to wait.”
“I just
can’t...”
Orrin slipped
his arm around the distraught woman. He hadn’t told her the
circumstances of
Chris and Vin’s death. There was no need for her to know. “They died
protecting
one another,” the general whispered. “Josiah said that it was the death
they
would have chosen for themselves. I think he’s right.”
**********
Almost twenty
minutes after Vin was wheeled into the ward, Nathan arrived. His
companions
began to fire questions at him. They were desperate to be told that
their
friends were going to be all right.
Jackson held his
hands up. “Okay, okay. Give me a chance! I want to look at Vin first,
and then
J.D. and then we’ll talk.” Nathan looked and sounded harassed. It had
been a
very long couple of days and very trying last two hours.
The medic strode
across to Tanner, physically removing Buck from his path. Wilmington
had been
sitting next to the bed, his hand laid over Vin’s. The captain had been
struggling to get out of the way, though clearly not quick enough for
the
medic. Buck and Josiah’s eyes brushed. Nathan was tired - emotionally,
mentally
and physically.
The medic read
the information the monitor was churning out and then moved to check
the chart
at the bottom of Vin’s bed. Jackson frowned.
“Nathan?” Buck
prompted.
“Vin had a
seizure on the operating table. The anaesthetic must have reacted badly
with
the alcohol in his system. I suppose it could even have been a memory
rush.”
“I have another
explanation,” Josiah murmured.
Nathan glanced
up, considered the comment in light of what had happened when he had
been
operating on Chris and then nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps.” Jackson
smirked.
“I’m not going to try and explain that to the other doctors.” Nathan
replaced
the chart and moved to J.D. After taking the youth’s blood pressure he
sighed.
“You’re fine, Kid.”
“Thanks to you,
Nathan.”
Jackson glanced
at the rest of the expectant faces staring at him. Not for the first
time he
wished he wasn’t always the one who had to break the bad news. “Vin’s
condition
is serious, but stable.”
“What the hell
does that mean?” Buck demanded.
“It means
exactly what I said!” Nathan paused and offered a silent apology to his
friend.
Buck walked up
to Nathan and without a word, slipped his arm across the other man’s
shoulder.
“Go, on, Nate.”
“Vin’s condition
is serious, but at the moment, he’s holding his own. Look, Vin was shot
some
time yesterday. Chris did a great job of digging the bullet out. It
looks as
though there isn’t a great deal of muscle damage so he’s lucky. There’s
no sign
of infection, which is just incredible considering the state they were
both in.
Chris was able to stop the bleeding, but Vin did suffer a certain
amount of
blood loss. He walked on that leg for hours in what must have been
excruciating
pain. Somehow Chris must have kept him warm over night - in his
condition, with
the pain and blood loss, that wouldn’t have been easy. Vin’s body has
been
through a great deal of trauma in the last twenty-four hours, which
leaves the
door open for shock. That’s what we’re watching him for now. You all
know how
quickly shock can come on and how quickly it can kill. That’s why his
condition
is classified ‘serious‘. We just have to wait.”
Nathan was not
saying what any of his companions wanted to hear. “So you’re saying he
could
slip away at any moment?” Ezra clarified. His voice showed absolutely
no
emotion, but his eyes were wide and betrayed the terror he felt.
“Yeah he could,
and without a hell of a lot of warning. That’s the nature of shock.”
“But he was awake
and talking in the helicopter,” J.D. argued. The boy had known that
Chris’
condition was bad but he had been hoping and praying, that at least Vin
would
be okay.
“Adrenaline and
guts kept him going to that point. That’s why he’s in danger now. He’s
been
through so much. Another man would have laid down and died with a leg
wound
like that. God only knows how he was able to drag himself and Chris to
the
jeep.”
Josiah returned
to Tanner’s side and laid his hand on the young man’s chest. “God does
know. He
created Vin Tanner for a purpose. Perhaps that purpose was to save his
best
friend’s life. Now, he’s in the Lord’s hands. They both are.”
For several
seconds there was silence. Unfortunately, few if any found comfort in
the
words.
“And Chris?”
Buck asked, finally.
“Chris’
condition is different. Unlike Vin, Chris was only wounded a few hours
ago. The
wound itself is nothing to be concerned about. It nicked an artery, but
that’s
been repaired. The bullet went straight through and the wound is free
of
infection thanks to the pure alcohol they used to clean it. The problem
is, Vin
and Chris couldn’t stop the bleeding. Chris has lost a critical amount
of blood
in the last four hours. We’re damn lucky that J.D. has the same blood
type or
he would have died on the way here.” Nathan sighed and sat down on the
edge of
J.D.’s bed. The looks on his friends’ faces were weighing on him
heavily. They
expected him make everything right, but he was a doctor - not God.
“Chris is
stable at the moment, but that could change at any time.”
“You don’t sound
very confident about his chances,” J.D. commented, quietly.
“Nathan, give us
the bottom-line,” Josiah asked. All of this was too hard to process.
“Give us the
odds,” Ezra requested.
“Vin’s got a
60:40 chance. The only threat he has at the moment is shock. If he
survives
that, he’ll need physio on his leg, but he’ll be fine. He’s receiving a
really
high dose of morphine. I don’t expect him to come round for several
hours.
Chris, “ Nathan paused. “We’re talking 50:50. It could still go either
way.
Like I said, this only happened about four hours ago. On the other
hand, if
Chris gets through this, he may not even need a lot of physio. There’s
very
little damage to his arm.“
“If they get
through,“ Buck muttered.
“If they both
get through tonight, then the danger should have passed.”
“It’s going to
be a long evening,” Ezra murmured.
“Yeah,” Nathan
agreed, nodding. “Can one of you get me something to eat. I want to
head back
to intensive care. Josiah, stay with Vin. Anything happens on that
monitor...
‘anything’, you come and get me immediately. Buck, I take it you’ll be
coming
with me?”
“I’d like to see
him,” Wilmington agreed. The big man turned to J.D. “Take it easy.”
Nathan and Buck
left the room. Josiah settled in the chair beside Vin and Ezra departed
to find
some food for the medic.
J.D. lay staring
up at the ceiling, suddenly feeling incredibly depressed and helpless.
“I
thought they’d be okay,” he whispered.
Josiah drew in a
deep breath and released it slowly. “Don’t lose hope, Son. Larabee and
Tanner
are two of the most stubborn men the Lord created. Don’t write them
off, yet.
Besides, while one is alive the other will continue to fight like hell.”
“But what if one
of them dies?” J.D. whispered.
“Then, all bets
are off,” Josiah murmured.
**********
Buck stood in
the doorway, his breathing catching in his throat. Nathan had warned
him, but
he hadn’t expected this. There were tubes and wires and machines all
around
Larabee. Some were to monitor his breathing and heart rate, others to
monitor
his temperature. God only knew what was in all of the different tubes
attached
to him.
“Shit,”
Wilmington wheezed.
“It looks a lot
worse than it is, Buck,” Nathan said gently. Hesitantly, Buck entered
the small
room. There were only two beds, but the other was empty. In the centre
of the
ward was a nurse seated at a small table. She glanced up and nodded to
Nathan.
“No change, doctor.”
Buck approached
Larabee warily. “Oh, hell,” the distraught man murmured.
“We’re
monitoring him for everything at the moment. It was my request,”
Jackson
explained.
Buck didn’t
appear to hear Nathan. He stopped next to the bed and grimaced as he
looked
down at his oldest friend. Chris wasn’t just pale. He was white - as
white as
the sheets on the bed. “Oh, hell, Chris.” Wilmington’s voice broke. He
reached
down and picked up Larabee’s hand. Tears began to brim in his eyes.
“Damn you,
Chris. Don’t you leave us!”
Nathan walked
over to his friend and placed a hand of support on Buck’s shoulder. For
several
minutes they simply stood, supporting one another in silence.
After some time,
Buck flicked his eyes to Nathan and swallowed.
“I promise you,
he looks worse than he is,” Nathan whispered.
“Are these
machines keeping him alive?” Wilmington’s voice was trembling so badly
that
Nathan had to ask him to repeat the question.
“No, Buck. Chris
is running on his own steam. All of this is so that I can detect the
slightest
change in his condition. I had a real argument with the other doctors
about it
because they didn’t feel it was necessary, but I want to know the
moment
anything starts to happen.”
Buck nodded.
“Look, Buck...
How can I explain this? We need to wait until Chris’ body starts to
function
normally again now that he’s not blood deficient.”
“Huh?”
“Doesn’t matter.
He’s incredibly weak. The slightest change in breathing, heart rate,
temperature or a dozen other things could signal he’s improving. I just
want to
know as soon as that happens.”
Buck turned back
to his silent friend. “If he has a say in it, it‘ll be a hell of a
fight.”
“I know. Why
don’t you get a chair and sit beside him? Talk to him. It could help.”
Before Buck
could move, there was the sound of raised voices from the corridor.
Nathan
strode across to investigate. “What on earth... no, no, it’s okay
orderly. It’s
all right. I take full responsibility.”
Buck glanced
back over his shoulder. Josiah and Ezra appeared, wheeling Vin’s bed!
“What the hell
are you doing with him?” Nathan demanded, racing over to Vin and
beginning to
check the monitor that Ezra was pushing. “You shouldn’t be moving him
around
like this!”
“They should be
together,” Sanchez stated, simply.
“They’re
unconscious!” Nathan exclaimed in exasperation, glaring at Josiah.
“They’ll know. I
know they will. Two minds, one soul,” Josiah preached. “They need to
know the
other is alive.”
Jackson and
Sanchez stared at each other, Vin lying silently between them. Nathan
frowned.
The medic believed that Vin and Chris had a closeness that was unique.
There
was no doubt that they understood each other with such completeness
that they
could almost predict one another’s thoughts and read each other’s
emotions.
Nathan had seen it many times, but that was all it was, an incredible
understanding of each other. Josiah, on the other hand, staunchly
believed that
it was much more. The Preacher believed that Vin and Chris had a
spiritual bond
- that their souls were intangibly connected in some physical, or
perhaps
metaphysical sense. Even if that were so... even if Nathan could look
beyond
his scientifically based understanding of the world and find the faith
to
believe in such an inexplicable tie, both men were unconscious and
beyond
knowing or understanding the other‘s condition.
“Trust me,”
Josiah whispered.
Nathan flicked
his eyes to Buck and then to Ezra, trying to assess the other men’s
reactions.
“I can not
profess to agree or understand Josiah’s belief, but I do know that if
they
could tell us what they wanted at this moment, they’d want to us to
stay
together,” Ezra stated. The words were soft and sincere.
Nathan sighed
and then nodded. “Okay. Back Vin out of here. Buck, wheel that other
bed
outside and we’ll put Vin there.”
The nurse rose
to her feet when Buck started pushing the empty cot out of the room.
“It’s alright,
Nurse. I take full responsibility. Look, why don’t you go and take a
break?
I’ll be staying here anyway.”
“But doctor...”
“Please.” The
young woman frowned, but complied. Nathan knew that moving Vin without
the
permission of the overseeing doctor would cause trouble. They’d just
have to
face that later.
In less than two
minutes, Vin’s bed had been wheeled into place about four feet from
Chris.
While Nathan double-checked that the young sharpshooter hadn’t suffered
any ill
effects from the move, Ezra and Josiah disappeared and returned with
J.D. and his
bed.
Nathan spun
around. “NO! This is an intensive care ward! There isn’t room for...”
“We’ll park him
along this wall. Look, he’s out of the way,” Josiah argued, pushing
J.D.’s cot
against the wall at the foot of Vin’s bed. There was just enough room
to
squeeze by.
“The hospital
isn’t going to accept this. Look, the only reason I was able to...”
Nathan
stared at the puzzled faces staring back at him. “Alright! Aright. All
of you
get chairs from the waiting room, bring them in here, put them along
that wall
and then sit there and don’t move! Understood?!”
Buck, Josiah and
Ezra nodded and quickly strode from the room.
“Dr. Jackson
appears very upset. I’ve never seen him like this,” Ezra commented.
“He’s tired and
he’s worried. Nathan shoulders all of the responsibility whenever one
of us
gets injured,” Josiah explained.
“Besides which,
Chris only thinks he’s in charge. When Nathan decides he wants
to start
giving the orders, even Larabee backs down.” Buck grinned at Ezra. “In
this
unit, the top rank is ‘Doctor‘. Colonel comes second.”
**********
Nathan leaned
over Vin and adjusted one of the pads on his chest. Jackson had heard
the other
three return. “Okay, he’s settled. Next time you take it into your
minds to
shift one of my patients, I’d appreciate...” Nathan paused. He had just
looked
up and spotted his three team mates. They were seated side by side
along the
wall, their hands clasped neatly in their laps, their heads tilted to
the right
and their faces set in innocent smiles. “Don’t start with me,” Nathan
growled,
but he was smiling. The silliness had eased the terrible tension.
All of the men
grinned. J.D. sat up and smiled, too.
Nathan glanced
at the clock. “Six-thirty.”
“The seven of us
should be sharing breakfast in twelve hours’ time,” J.D. stated. There
was a
lot of hope in his voice.
Buck moved to
the youth’s side and sat down on the edge of his bed. “We should be,”
he
agreed.
**********
“Well?” General
Freleagus demanded as his colonel raced into the room.
“The helicopter
landed at the City Central Hospital. We’ve got a man there now.”
The general
nodded. The Ghosts of Freedom had sympathisers all over the country who
funnelled essential information to them. “Tell him to find out what he
can, but
do nothing.”
“Yes, Sir.”
**********
The only sound
in the intensive care ward was the rhythmical beeping of the monitors
attached
to Vin and Chris. They were strangely, synchronous, almost in perfect
harmony.
Buck, Josiah,
Ezra, Nathan and J.D. were sitting in relative silence. The waiting was
arduous
and the hoping draining. Each minute that passed was truly a full sixty
seconds
long.
The men found
themselves reflecting on their lives and what was important to them.
Success,
status and money truly were meaningless. Sitting in that room, they
each
realized that the only really important thing was to love and be loved.
Ezra left
briefly to call his mother. Josiah phoned his sister. Hannah resided in
an
institution. The young woman had lost touch with reality many years
earlier,
but Josiah loved her with all his heart. It was not something Sanchez
had ever
shared with his companions. Chris knew of her, but he was the only one
and
Josiah had only told him because he had needed leave to visit her on a
couple
of occasions. Nathan, Buck and J.D. had no family to call. Their entire
world
was in this room.
“What time is
it?”
“Ten minutes to
twelve.”
“Nathan?”
“There’s still
no change, boys.”
Part
Thirteen
The orderly
pushed the washing cart in front of him, his head lowered. He adjusted
the
uniform he had stolen so it covered his revolver. According to the
front desk, two
men with gunshot wounds had been admitted at the time the helicopter
had
landed. They were in the hospital somewhere. He needed to find
out where
so he could report back to Freleagus.
**********
2:27 am. A light
on the monitor beside Tanner began to flash. Nathan leaped to his feet
and
raced across to his patient, Buck, Ezra and Josiah following.
“Nathan?!”
“Move back,” the
doctor ordered.
The other three
did so, watching anxiously.
“What’s going
on?” J.D. asked.
Vin’s chest
heaved.
“He’s waking
up!” the youngest man cried.
Jackson picked
up Tanner’s hand and waited, his eyes on the monitor. Buck held his
breath and
stepped forward.
Vin took another
deep breath. There was a sound in the back of his throat as
consciousness
returned slowly.
“Easy, Vin. You’re
okay.” Tanner’s eyelids flickered. Nathan leaned down closer to him.
“You’re
okay. You’re in hospital and I’m right here with you. Chris is in the
bed
beside you.”
Tanner groaned.
His head lulled to one side. His grey lips parted slightly.
“It’s okay.”
Vin’s eyes
opened a slither. His brow furrowed.
“Hello,” Nathan
greeted, smiling. “You’re fine. You’re in hospital. You’re drugged to
the
eyeballs on morphine. Do you understand?”
Vin grunted
softly. “C..h..ri..sss?” He had great difficultly forming the word, but
Nathan
was able to guess what it was.
“He’s in the bed
beside you. Just relax.” Vin started blinking, his mouth opening, but
words
weren’t forthcoming. “Take it easy. You’re fine.”
Again, Vin
struggled to ask something. Nathan assumed it would be about Larabee.
“Chris is
alive and like you, needs to rest.”
Vin swallowed
and tipped his head to the side, searching for his best friend.
“See, he’s
there.” Vin laboured to keep his eyes open, but failed. His breathing
became
deeper. He was incredibly weak and the morphine was too strong for him
to
fight.
Nathan put the
ends of his stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk on Vin’s
chest,
listening to his friend’s heart and breathing.
“Nathan?” Buck
demanded impatiently, laying his hand on Vin’s shoulder.
“Give me a
minute, Buck.”
Wilmington
picked up Vin’s hand. “Well?”
“Yep, he’s doing
well.”
“What does that
mean?” Buck growled.
Nathan raised
his eyes sharply. “It means, he’s improving.”
“Is he out of
danger?”
“Buck, it
doesn’t work that way. I wish it did, but it doesn’t.”
Buck stared down
at Vin. “Come on, Kid. You’re going to be okay.” Tanner didn’t move.
His eyes
were closed but he didn’t look relaxed. Something was troubling the
young man.
Josiah and Ezra
moved across to the bed.
“It’s a good
sign,” Nathan admitted. “I...”
Vin mumbled
something.
“He’s trying to
wake up. Easy, Vin. Take your time.” Jackson knew Tanner didn’t have a
chance
of beating the morphine, but he knew Vin would try.
Vin’s eyes half
opened. He gazed up at Nathan for several seconds and then mumbled
something.
Nathan laid his hand over Vin’s and smiled. “Relax. Everything’s okay.“
Tanner drew in a
deep breath and released it slowly. He turned his head to the side and
studied
Chris for several seconds with his heavy lidded eyes. Again, the young
man
muttered a few words that Nathan couldn’t pick up. “Chris is doing
okay,”
Jackson assured his patient.
Vin continued to
try and communicate with his friend, but his weakness and the drugs in
his
system did not allow his vocal cords to make the sounds he wanted. He
was
struggling to remain conscious but his determination would not allow
him to go
down without a fight.
“Don‘t try to
stay awake. Just relax. Everything‘s okay.”
Tanner’s eyes
closed as unconsciousness beckoned. He appeared agitated as he fought
against
the morphine. He needed to do something, but his body was refusing to
co-operate.
“It’s okay,
Vin,” Nathan repeated, firmly. He could see that Tanner was becoming
distressed. Buck squeezed his friend’s hand. Josiah and Ezra watched
silently,
a few steps back from the bed. All at once, the rhythmical beeping of
Tanner’s
monitor started to increase.
“Nathan?!”
Jackson stared
at the flashing machine.
“What is it?”
Vin’s brain
activity was increasing rapidly. Nathan feared his friend was starting
to have
a seizure! The physician watched as his patient’s heart rate, breathing
and
brain waves continued to accelerate at an alarming rate.
J.D. leaped from
his bed, while Josiah and Ezra rushed forward. Buck held onto Vin’s
hand in
desperation. They all watched helplessly as Tanner’s shoulders lifted
slightly,
one arm reaching out. Nathan took his patient’s shoulders and eased him
back
down.
“I don’t think
it’s a seizure. It could be a memory rush,” Nathan offered. “Or maybe
he’s just
fighting the morphine. Vin, just relax.”
Vin started
mumbling, his eyes blinking open for a few seconds before closing.
Again, his
shoulders lifted and his right arm shot out, and again, Nathan guided
him back
to the pillow.
“He seems to be
trying to get up,” Ezra pointed out.
“Vin, calm down.
You’re safe. You’re in hospital. Chris is fine, too.”
J.D.’s eyes
widened as Vin again thrust his arm out and mumbled some words. The
youth, who
was at the foot of the bed, had a clear view of what was happening.
“He’s
trying to reach out to Chris!”
“What?!”
“Push his bed
closer to Larabee‘s,” Ezra stated briskly, taking Nathan’s arm and
drawing him
out of the way.
Buck and Josiah
pushed the bed a few feet to the right. Josiah picked up Vin’s hand and
placed
it on Chris’ arm. All of the men watched as Vin’s fingers curled around
his
best friend’s wrist.
Josiah smiled
his relief. “That‘s what he was trying to tell us.”
Vin began
mumbling. While none of the men could understand the first few words,
they all
picked up on the final one. “Cowboy.”
Smiles were
exchanged all around. Buck patted Tanner’s shoulder. “Sorry, Kid. We
didn’t
know what you wanted.”
Vin’s eyes
opened again. He glanced up at Buck with hooded eyes and tried to
speak, but
the words still wouldn’t form.
“Don’t try to
talk. You’re too weak. Just rest,” Wilmington whispered. The captain
was
beaming with relief.
“Heyyy, Bu..ck.“
For the first time, his words were understandable. Buck’s face spilt
with a
smile that lit up the entire room.
“Well, howdy
doody, good buddy. Now, don’t you try to talk, you silly bastard,“ Buck
scolded
as Vin opened his mouth to speak. “You’re all filled up on drugs to
help with
the pain. You let ole Buck do the talking.“ The slightest trace of a
grin
formed on Vin’s ashen lips. Buck smiled down at him. “Now, this is
gonna
surprise ya, but I’ve been so busy and worried, I haven’t had a chance
to check
out any of the nurses. Now that I can see you’re okay, I’m gonna head
off and
see who I can find.“
“Th..at
ri...ght?“
Ezra, Buck and
Josiah exchanged wide smiles. “Nathan, he’s conscious,” Buck called to
the
team‘s doctor.
Nathan, however,
was focused on something across the room. Jackson walked around
Larabee’s bed
and stopped beside one of the sophisticated machines recording his
vitals. The
doctor’s face flashed with stunned disbelief. Nathan dragged his wide
eyes from
the monitor and stared at Vin’s hand that was still grasping Chris’ arm
and
then turned to Josiah before returning his attention to the screen.
“Something wrong,
brother?” Josiah inquired, walking across to Larabee’s bed.
Nathan opened
his mouth to speak, but couldn’t find his voice for several seconds.
“His BP is
increasing... breathing is becoming stronger.”
“That’s good
isn’t it?” Ezra cried.
“Yeah, but...” It
should have happened far more gradually. In the last few seconds,
Larabee’s
condition had improved dramatically and medically Nathan was at a loss
to
explain it. Again, Jackson found himself staring - first at Josiah and
then
Vin’s hand. It simply wasn’t possible. True, Jackson had seen physical
contact
and succour improve a patient’s state of mind which in turn assisted in
the
patient’s physical recovery, but that was a gradual thing.
Josiah appeared
beside Nathan and studied the monitor himself. The Preacher nodded.
“He’s on
the improve.”
“Yeah, but...”
Josiah smiled at
his friend and slipped his arm across Nathan’s shoulders. “There are
some
things we aren’t meant to understand. Some things we just have to
accept on
faith. That‘s why they share a friendship like none I‘ve ever seen.
Their faith
and loyalty in each other is so complete that it transcends our
traditional
human understanding.”
Jackson glanced
across to Tanner, who was being verbally bashed by Buck and J.D. The
medic
watched as his patient’s right hand snaked up his chest and stopped
when it
reached his face. Vin began pulling at the tube coming from his nose.
“Leave it. It’s
there for a reason,” Nathan ordered, striding across and drawing Vin’s
hand
away. Tanner’s slitted blue eyes flashed across to Jackson. “Don’t you
look at
me like that,” Nathan chuckled.
“Feel like... I
have... somethin‘... hangin’ out... my nose.” Buck, J.D., Josiah and
Nathan
burst out laughing.
Ezra looked
appalled. “Vin Tanner that is disgusting. What a vulgar...”
“Vin, I said
leave it,” Nathan ordered, again removing Tanner’s hand that was
groping at the
tube. Vin’s eyes closed. The morphine was calling, but he wasn’t ready
to give
in yet.
Nathan shook his
head. “Listen to me, Kid. Relax.”
“Hate feelin‘...
drugged.”
“Okay, I’ll
reduce the amount of morphine, but I’ll only do it if you give me your
word
you’ll rest.”
Vin smirked, but
his eyes remained closed. His breathing became deeper, indicating he
had
conceded to the demands of his doctor and the insistence of the drug
surging
through his veins.
“Boys, back to
those chairs. He needs to sleep. No more talking.” The men complied
immediately, but their attention was focused on Jackson. They were
waiting for
him to tell them that their friend was going to be okay.
“He’s improving.
I’ll start to reduce the morphine dose. That should help him to regain
consciousness fully. I’m not prepared to say he’s out of the woods yet,
but
he’s getting close.”
**********
The orderly
stopped outside the intensive care ward and glanced in through the
glass window
section in the door. He could see seven men. Three injured and four
sitting
together along one wall. The orderly smiled with satisfaction and
withdrew his
cell phone. He’d found them.
**********
When Vin awoke
thirty minutes later, he was far more lucid, though still extremely
weak.
“Hey, Pard,”
Buck greeted, happily. The other men, too, crowded around their
conscious
companion, their faces clearly displaying the joy they felt. Their
friend was
awake this time.
“How’s Chris?” Tanner
asked, tilting his head to try and see his best friend. Unfortunately,
the
bodies of his other friends blocked his view.
“He’s doing
okay,” Josiah dismissed, quickly. There was no need for Vin to be told
anything
more than that. Tanner was still very frail. He could do without the
burden of
worrying about his best friend.
“How are you
feeling?” J.D. asked.
Tanner shifted
uncomfortably and grimaced.
“Are you in
pain?” Nathan asked. He had feared that reducing the morphine would
mean that
Tanner might begin to suffer. “I’ll increase the morphine, again.”
“No. Hate
feelin’ drugged. I can handle the pain.” I...” Vin’s voice faded. His
eyes
swept around his friends and then, all at once, he began to chuckle.
“What?”
“You boys look a
sight!”
For the first time,
the group actually ‘saw’ each other. J.D. and Nathan looked relatively
normal.
Dunne was in hospital pyjamas and Nathan was wearing a doctor’s coat he
had
borrowed. The other three, on the other hand, were wearing clothes that
had
been provided by the embassy. Josiah had on a red and blue check shirt
that
didn’t reach around him and thus it was hanging open with almost a foot
gap.
His arm muscles had torn through the restrictive sleeves, ripping them
down the
middle. There hadn’t been any trousers that came close to fitting him
and so
he’d been forced to put his fatigues back on. The camouflage style
pants were
covered in two days of jungle mud and were still splattered with J.D.’s
blood.
Ezra didn’t look
quite as bad. His trousers and shirt were too large and hung on him
like a
sack, but at least he was covered. Of course, the loud Hawaiian design
of the
shirt and baggy cargo pants just weren’t Ezra’s style. Strangely, Ezra
had not
even noticed his attire. His mind had been totally absorbed with
thoughts of
his wounded companions. Now, Standish stared at his dress, his face
distorting
with horror.
Finally, there
was Buck - who truly was a sight. The big man had on nothing but a pair
of
boxer shorts, a pair of slippers and a towelling bathrobe. Wilmington
had just
got out of the shower when the team had received Tanner’s phone call.
Top that
off with the fact that he had been walking around the hospital with a
rifle
slung over his shoulder and a headset hanging around his neck and the
picture
was complete. It was any wonder the nurses, orderlies and doctors had
been
giving the captain some odd looks.
“Yes, I quite
agree, Mr. Tanner. I mean, just look at me! If my mother saw me dressed
like
this, she would be appalled.”
“What are you
worrying about? Buck’s naked under his robe,” J.D. giggled.
“I am not... am
I?” Wilmington opened the robe to check. “See, I have my underwear on!”
Buck
whipped the robe open to show the boy.
“Please, Mr.
Wilmington, none of us are interested in your underwear... Does that
say ’studmuffin’?!”
Ezra inquired, reading some of the wording splashed across the brightly
coloured boxer shorts.
“Shut up, Ezra!”
Buck cried, indignantly as he pulled the robe around himself. “I’ll
have you
know that these pants were a gift to me from a Tsarina!””
“Buck, you are
so full of crap. Isn’t he full of crap?!”
The tension
began to ease. Relief allowed them to relax a little. Buck and J.D.
began
pushing and shoving, Ezra stood rolling his eyes in exasperation,
Josiah was
laughing and Nathan was trying to calm everyone down.
Vin lay
listening and watching with a tired smile on his face. He squeezed
Larabee’s
arm in silent encouragement. “Chris knows I’m okay?” he asked.
Silence. All of
the men stared at Vin. Buck, J.D., Ezra, Josiah and Nathan stopped
breathing
for a split second. They had hoped to avoid this question, at least
until
morning - which was still hours away.
Vin scanned the
faces of his friends. It had never been a serious question. Just a
voiced
thought. Of course they had told Chris he was fine, hadn‘t they? Fear
engulfed
the young Texan. “Buck?”
“Chris hasn’t
regained consciousness, Vin,” Nathan whispered.
Tanner’s face
lit up with horror. “But you said he was okay!” There was a lot of
anger in the
wounded man’s voice. Anger fuelled by his alarm. “You told me he was
okay!”
Tanner attempted
to draw himself up, but he was too weak to do so. Pain rocketed through
his
body. He gasped and fell back. Five sets of hands grabbed him. “Vin,
settle
down!” The words weren’t necessary. Tanner had lost consciousness.
“Damn,” Nathan
cried, leaning over his patient. “It was too much for him.”
“Sorry, we
didn’t mean to excite him,” J.D. apologized.
“It wasn’t
anyone’s fault. He was sure to ask about Chris. Okay, move out of the
way. I
want to check him over.” The rest of the men backed away and returned
to their
seats, praying that their celebration had not been premature.
**********
“He’s found
them, Sir!” Zenaldo cried, rushing into his leader’s office. Freleagus
rose to
his feet, his face creasing with satisfaction. “There are seven,
General. Three
are injured.”
“They will all
be dead shortly. Get the chopper ready.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Freleagus picked up the revolver from his desk and checked the chamber.
He
would kill the seven foreigners himself... and he would savour the
moment.
**********
Fatigue finally
caught up with the men of Em7. Considering the fact that none of them
had slept
fitfully for three nights running, it was to be expected - particularly
in
light of the ordeal they had been through. All, but Nathan, had
succumbed to
their body’s demands for rest in the past hour.
Jackson paced
quietly from patient to patient. The room was dark, the light from the
hallway
providing a filtered and almost surreal light.
The doctor’s
eyes flicked to the clock. It was 3:56 am. The young man sighed deeply.
He had
hoped that Chris would have regained consciousness by now. Larabee had
continued to improve steadily, which was pleasing, but until Chris
awoke, he
wasn’t out of danger.
Nathan glanced
at his companions with an air of envy. They had been able to drop off
to sleep.
J.D. was in the bed along the wall, curled up into a tight ball to
provide Buck
with enough room at the bottom. Wilmington was sitting up, learning
against the
wall, his long legs sprawled across the bed, his arms folded across his
chest.
Beside the sleeping pair, Ezra was sitting stretched out across two
chairs, his
head resting against the wall. Josiah, too, was sitting, but his chin
was
resting on his chest and his snoring was echoing off the walls.
Nathan walked
across to Vin and absentmindedly adjusted the blankets. For several
long
seconds, Jackson examined Tanner’s face. The medic reached down and
squeezed
his friend’s arm in silent support.
“How is he?”
Jackson spun
around startled. He recognised the voice, but logic told him that it
was
impossible that Chris could be the speaker. “Chris?”
Larabee stared
up at Nathan, his face white and reflecting concern. The colonel’s
voice had
been hushed and a little weak, but it had still held authority.
For several
seconds, Nathan stood stunned. Then his soul smiled. Chris was
conscious.
“Colonel, it’s good to see you awake, Sir.” Jackson reacted
automatically to
the tone of Larabee’s voice. The request had been made by his leader,
not his friend. “Lieutenant Tanner woke up a few hours ago. I’ve got
him on
morphine to help with the pain, but he’s doing fine.”
Chris nodded.
“J.D.?”
“Is fine.”
“’The Package’?”
“Signed, sealed
and delivered.”
Chris drew in a
deep breath and his eyes closed. Nathan’s face relaxed. He laid his
hand on
Larabee’s shoulder. Chris’ eyes opened and the injured man smiled. The
doctor
noticed the first signs of colour in his patient’s face. He glanced
across at
the monitor and saw confirmation of what he had been praying for all
night. All
of Chris’ vitals were strong.
“You had me
worried for a while, Chris.”
“We couldn‘t get
the bleeding stopped. So, how am I doing?”
The beaming
smile on Jackson’s face answered the question better than any words.
“That good, huh?
Feel weak.”
“You have every
right to. You’re going to need a lot of rest.”
“Vin’s leg?”
“Has pulled up
okay. He’ll need physio, but he’s lucky you’re such a good surgeon.”
“He was in a lot
of pain, Nathan. A hell of a lot of pain.”
“I’ll bet he
was. He’s fine now, though, so you can relax.”
Chris tilted his
head to the side and stared at his friend. They had been though hell
and
survived. The colonel eased his arm out from under his lieutenant’s
hand and
laid his fingers over Tanner’s. Vin stirred. The young man blinked
several
times and then his head twisted. Larabee and Tanner’s eyes met. Both
men
smiled.
“We made it,
Sundance.”
“I told you it
would be a piece of cake, Cassidy, Don’t know what the hell you were
worryin’
about.”
“J.D.’s okay.”
“Yeah, I know.
He looks like a black and white minstrel,” Tanner chuckled.
Immediately, Vin’s
eyes closed. His chest inflated fully, but he didn’t fight against the
morphine
this time. All was right with Vin Tanner’s world. Chris was okay, his
team was
safe and the mission had been completed successfully. Nothing else
mattered.
“The Devil spat us back,” Vin murmured.
“I don’t blame
him,” Chris laughed, weakly.
“Okay, that’s
enough, you two. Eyes closed. And no arguments from you, Larabee,”
Nathan
snapped when Chris looked like he was going to comment. “I’m tired,
hungry and
not in the mood to put up with either of you stubborn bastards.”
Larabee smiled,
squeezed Vin’s arm and went back to sleep. Vin had already succumbed.
Nathan shut his
eyes and allowed his relief full reign. Tanner and Larabee were going
to be
okay. The danger had passed. All at once, Nathan felt exhausted. He
walked
across to where the other boys were sleeping, put his back to the wall,
slid
down it and shut his eyes. Sleep grabbed him immediately.
**********
Ezra stirred. He
reached up and rubbed his neck, which was stiff from sleeping at an odd
angle.
The young agent could still hear the rhythmical beeping of the monitors
in the
room. Outside the intensive care unit, he could hear the muffled voices
of nurses
and the rattle of trolleys. When ‘The Gambler’ opened his eyes, he
scanned the
still darkened room.
Ezra‘s brow
furrowed. “Nathan?” There was the slightest trace of panic in his
voice.
“Nathan?” Ezra cried, jumping to his feet. There was no way the doctor
would
leave his patients. Out of the corner of his eye, Standish spotted
Jackson
sitting on the floor. “Nathan!” Ezra raced forward and crouched in
front of his
friend. “My, God! Nathan!“
Jackson awoke
startled. “What is it?”
“Are you
alright? You‘re on the ground!”
“I’m fine.”
When Nathan
moved to get to his feet, Ezra pulled him up and then shepherded the
medic to a
chair. “Sit down.” Again, Ezra crouched in front of his friend,
examining
Jackson’s face with true concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Nathan smiled
and nodded. “I’m fine, Ezra. Just had a nap is all.”
“On the floor?
You should have woken me. I didn’t need both chairs. You’re skin is
like ice.
I’ll get you a blanket.”
Relax,” Nathan
insisted, glancing at his watch as he climbed to his feet. “It’s 4:30.”
Standish nodded
and turned to Vin and Chris. “How are they?”
Nathan grinned.
“Nathan?”
Jackson’s grin broadened. “I take it that ridiculous expression on your
face
means our companions are out of danger?” Ezra asked, with relief.
“Chris regained
consciousness about half an hour ago. He and Vin spoke for a few
minutes and
then they went back to sleep.”
Ezra smiled.
“Thank, God. So, they’re going to be okay?”
“I have no doubt
they’ll be causing me trouble before the day is finished,”
Nathan chuckled.
The conversation
between the pair roused Josiah, J.D. and Buck.
“They’re fine.
Both were fully conscious half an hour ago,” Nathan replied to the
implied
question on Buck’s face.
Wilmington’s
feet hit the ground and he rushed across to Chris’ bedside. “He’s okay?”
Nathan walked up
to Buck and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He’s going to be
fine.”
Buck shut his
eyes. Two solitary tears of relief trailed down his cheeks. The last
twenty-four hours were among the worst Buck had ever experienced. The
relief he
felt caused him to feel nauseas.
Nathan slid his
arm across his emotional companion’s shoulder.
“I’ve never been
so scared in all my life, Nathan, and I’m not embarrassed to admit it.”
“I know where
you’re coming from, pard.”
“I don’t know
what I would have done if... Chris?” Buck cried, as Larabee stirred.
The
injured man opened his eyes and searched the ceiling above him. Then he
glanced
to the side. “Buck,” Chris greeted, quietly. The two men started at
each other
and then Buck stepped forward and Chris raised himself off the pillow.
They
embraced as any two brothers would. Buck held Chris for a long time
before
assisting his friend to lay back.
“I’m okay,
Buck,” Chris chuckled.
“Yeah, I know,”
Wilmington whispered, wiping his eyes. “Just damn good to... hell,
Chris.”
Emotion stole his words.
Larabee reached
up and patted Buck’s arm. He appeared about to say something, but his
face
clouded, first with curiosity and then mirth. “Now, I know this is
probably a
stupid question, but why are you walking around in a robe?”
“We are all
grateful he’s wearing the robe!” J.D. laughed.
“I quite agree.
The last thing we need is ‘Studmuffin’ parading around in his
underwear,” Ezra
agreed with a sly smirk.
“Keep pushing,
Standish and I’ll knock you into next week!” Buck threatened with a
grin.
“To tell you the
truth, I’m looking forward to next week. I can‘t say I‘ve enjoyed this
week.”
“It’s a week I
won’t forget,” J.D. agreed.
Chris eyed the
boy and shook his head. J.D.’s face truly was black and blue. The
bandage that
had been around his head, was hanging around his neck.
“Well, look
who’s awake,” Josiah cried, inclining his head to Vin.
“Hey, Vin! Look,
Chris is awake,” J.D. announced happily.
“See, I told you
he looked like a black and white minstrel,” Vin stated to Chris.
“Ohh, cut it
out, fellas. Hey, I’m hungry,” J.D. complained.
“You’re always
hungry!”
“Well, I haven’t
eaten since... hell, when was the last time I ate?”
“Ezra, find him
something to eat.”
“Me? Now, just
one moment, gentlemen. I realise that recently I have been laboured
with the
responsibility of acquiring nourishment for our group, however, I want
it
understood that...”
“Blab, blab,
blab!” Buck interrupted.
“I suppose it is
time we had something decent,” Josiah agreed.
“Decent!” Ezra
exclaimed. “I don’t appreciate the implication that my efforts failed
to
produce something reasonable, considering what I had available to me.
I’ll have
you know that...”
“Meat and three
vegetables is what we need,” Nathan interrupted.
“With gravy,”
Josiah put in.
“Perhaps we
could talk to the hospital kitchen,” J.D. suggested.
“Well, don’t
look at me. Obviously my endeavours failed to meet your approval,” Ezra
grumbled.
“Stop sulking,
Ezra,” Buck teased.
“Sulking!”
Standish cried, indignantly. “I never, ever sulk!”
“Enough
arguing.”
“Leave it to me,
Boys. I‘ll find us some food,” Buck insisted, disappearing.
“Meat and three
vegetable!” Nathan called after him.
“No problemo!”
Buck shouted back.
“He isn’t going
out there in that robe, is he?” Vin asked.
“I fail to see
why that would surprise you, Lieutenant Tanner.”
“Buck’s got no
shame,” J.D. giggled in agreement.
Nathan stood
back and watched his friends argue playfully. His two patients watched
silently. Both were weak, but they were alive and would recover fully
with
rest.
Nathan sat down
on the edge of Vin’s bed and smiled. He felt tired, but content and
overwhelmed
with pure joy. This was Nathan’s Jackson’s family and he wouldn’t
change any of
them for all the tea in China.
*********
“Food!” Buck
announced as he entered the room behind a column of pizza boxes.
“Pizza?!” Nathan
exclaimed. “Pizza! I said meat and three vegetables!”
“Exactly,” Buck
agreed lowering the boxes onto J.D.’s bed. “I ordered salami and
anchovy with
capsicum, onion and tomato; chicken and anchovy with mushroom and
onion; ham
and anchovy with...”
“You didn’t get
anchovies! You didn’t get anchovy on all of them, did you?” J.D.
demanded,
opening a couple of boxes. “Oh, come on, Buck. You know I don’t like
anchovies!”
“Calm down.
Here! Cheese and pineapple,” Buck cried, thrusting a piece straight
into J.D.’s
open mouth.
“Mr Wilmington,
did you happen to get...?”
“Yes, Ezra I
did. There are a couple of seafood pizzas here somewhere.”
“I’ll have a
piece,” Vin called.
Nathan spun
around. “No you won’t. You’ll throw it straight up. I’ll organize
something for
you and Chris.” Vin pointed. Nathan followed the line of Tanner’s
pointing
finger. “Chris, put that back!” Jackson cried, racing across to remove
the
piece of pizza Josiah had just passed his patient. While he wasn’t
looking,
Buck took a slice, passed it behind his back to Ezra who handed it to
Vin.
Tanner grinned and took a huge bite. Nathan glanced across and threw
his arms
up in the air. “I give up! Don’t come complaining to me when you start
throwing
up because you can’t keep that greasy crap down.”
“What, you only
got one pizza without anchovies!” J.D. cried, searching through the
rest of the
boxes.
“The rest of us
all like anchovies.”
“So I’m only
allowed to have eight slices!”
“How many where
you fixing on eating!” Buck shot back.
“Pizza, Nathan?”
Josiah asked grinning as he held out a slice to the exasperated doctor.
“Ah, what the
hell, if you can’t beat them. Join them,” Nathan conceded, accepting
the piece.
“One slice only for you two, no more. Understood?!”
It was at that
moment that Dr Ricco entered the room with two nurses. “What on earth
is going
on in here? Who authorized for my patient to be moved here?”
“That would be
me,” Nathan stated, trying to swallow so he could talk.
“I’ll have you
brought up on charges. This is my patient and... pizza! You’ve got a
man who
underwent surgery twelve hours ago, eating pizza!
“Oh, shut up and
piss off!” Buck boomed.
“I beg your
pardon!” the doctor spluttered.
“Liaison Officer,”
J.D. giggled.
Ezra stepped
forward. “Doctor, we can fully understand your concern, but I urge you
to relax
and desist from further threats. On behalf of Lieutenant Tanner, I
would like
to thank you for the outstanding surgery you performed. However,
Lieutenant
Tanner is now under the care of his own personal physician and no
longer
requires your services.”
“We’ll see about
that!” Ricco shouted, spinning on heals with the two wide-eyed nurses
in tow.
“Arrogant
punce.”
“Don’t be too
harsh. I’d have reacted the same way if someone took off with one of my
patients. Besides, he did a good job on Vin’s leg,” Nathan added.
“Travis will
deal with... Travis!” Josiah boomed.
“My God!” Ezra
agreed.
“What’s wrong?”
Chris asked.
“He doesn’t
know. I mean, he thinks...”
Ezra whipped out
his cell phone.
“Not in here
with this equipment,” Nathan warned.
Standish rushed
out into the hall and dialled.
“Well?” Buck
demanded, appearing beside his companion.
“He’s not
answering.” Ezra glanced at his watch. It still hadn’t reached 6:00 am.
“He
must still... General?”
“Ezra?”
“Yes, Sir. I
have some...”
“They’re alive!”
Buck shouted into the phone. Standish shoved Wilmington back.
“What?!”
“They’re alive!”
Buck repeated at the top of his lungs.
“Captain
Wilmington, do you mind. General?”
“They’re alive?”
“Yes, Sir.
Alive, conscious and eating pizza.”
“What,
but...how?!”
“It’s a long
story and I only know a small portion of it. I just wanted to let you
know.”
“This is
wonderful news. Pass on my best wishes to them. Now, if you’ll excuse
me, I
have to go and tell a small boy that his hero is alive!”
Ezra smiled,
pocketed the phone and he and Buck returned to what had been an
intensive care
ward.
“Well?” Chris
asked.
“All taken care
of, Colonel.”
“So, what
happened?!” J.D. asked Chris.
“What do you
mean?”
“I mean, how on
earth did you get away from all those soldiers?!”
Chris glanced at
Vin. The other men in the room moved closer to the beds, all wanting to
hear
the answer.
“Come on,” the
youth urged. “I’ve been dying to know what happened!”
Tanner shrugged.
“Ain’t much to tell.”
“Ain’t much
to tell!” Ezra repeated, the words sounding strange formed by his
cultured
voice. “Last we saw you, you were pinned down by an army. And last we
heard
from you, you...”
“Cold day in
hell,” Buck whispered. The big man’s face flushed with emotion. Rage
ignited.
“We thought you were dead! Do you have any idea what we went through?!
You’re
supposed to be dead!”
“Sorry we
disappointed you,” Vin snapped back.
“Buck,” Josiah
soothed.
Wilmington stared
at Tanner. His face contorted with pain and shame. “Oh, God, Vin. I
didn’t
mean... I just...” Buck stepped up to Vin and wrapped his arms around
the
smaller man. “I got scared, Vin. Don‘t know why the hell I‘m yelling at
you.”
“It’s okay,
Bucklin. I understand. I’m just in a bad mood. Didn’t mean to snap at
ya,” Vin
apologised.
Buck released
his young friend and glanced across at Chris. “When we received that
call...
Hell, Chris.”
“Sorry,” Larabee
whispered. “We... hell, we were pinned down with nowhere to go. I
didn’t think
we were going to get out of it.”
For several
seconds there was silence. J.D. flicked his eyes around the room. The
boy
grinned. “Okay, take it up from after we soared out of there and you
two were
in the guard towers. How the hell did you get away from all of those
soldiers?”
The boy’s excited voice served to relax the other men.
“We jumped,”
Chris explained.
“You jumped?”
Josiah clarified. “From the guard towers? They were twenty-five feet
above the
ground.”
“Exactly what I
said to Vin when he suggested it,” Chris chuckled. “But he convinced me
it was
a good idea.”
“How?”
“I told him I’d
prefer to break every bone in my body than be shot a hundred and fifty
times.”
“Works for me,”
Buck agreed. “Go on.”
“So we jumped,”
Vin stated, simply. “Hit the ground, bounced a few times then got up
and met
Larabee in the spot we agreed earlier. Then we ran.”
“And ran,” Chris
added.
“And ran,” Vin
agreed. “That’s pretty much it.”
Chris eyed his
friend. “There was a bit more to it than that.”
“Yeah? Like
what?” Vin asked.
Chris smiled and
turned back to the others. “Vin and I met up in the small clearing and
then,
like Vin said, we ran. There was nothing else we could do. We could
hear them
coming behind us, but we were able to stay ahead of them. Then, out of
the
blue...
“Chris!”
“What?” Larabee
asked, slowing beside his friend. The jungle around them was thick.
This
section of the path hadn’t been used in quite some time. In the
distance, Chris
could hear the soldiers crashing along the trail behind them.
“There’s
something...” A shot shattered the air. A cry of surprise was forced
from Vin
as a bullet smacked into his leg. Tanner was thrown to the ground!
Bullets
sprayed the area!
Part
Fourteen
“Vin!” Chris
grabbed his partner and dragged him into the bushes. Bullets sprayed
the area
around them. A squad returning from their jungle patrol had appeared in
front
of them and cut off their escape. Larabee continued to drag his wounded
friend,
searching for some form of shelter. A half a dozen massive boulders,
remnants
of an ancient volcano long gone, answered his prayers. The rocks were
half the
height of a man and as wide as a small car. Chris dragged Vin into the
centre
of the grouping, which would afford them good protection on all four
sides.
“Vin?” Chris
cried, crouching beside his friend.
Tanners eyes
were squeezed shut with force. He still held his rifle with his right
hand, but
his left was clutching at the bullet wound in his upper right thigh.
Blood
splattered his hand, arm and leg.
Bullets began to
ricochet off the rocks.
Chris leapt up
and returned fire. His mind was whizzing at a million miles an hour.
They
needed to get past this squad before the army behind them caught up. If
that
happened, they wouldn’t have a chance. Larabee dropped his gaze to his
best
friend. Vin’s eyes were now open and he was fishing into his webbing to
find a
bleeding strap. Quickly, Vin tied the black elastic strap around his
leg and
pulled it tight. An involuntary scream escaped his trembling lips. The
strap
had to be tight to stop the bleeding. He couldn’t afford to leave the
strap in place
for long, for it would cut off all circulation, but Vin knew he needed
to stop
the bleeding if he was to remain conscious and assist his colonel to
get out of
this.
“Vin?”
“Yeah,” Tanner
ground out, reaching for his rifle. “How many of them do you think
there are?”
Chris stared at
Vin and shook his head. “Too many and they’re on both sides.”
“We need to go
straight through them before the other lot catches up,” Vin stated.
Larabee fired
off two shots, glanced at Vin’s leg and shook his head. “We can’t
outrun them
now, Vin.”
“I can’t
outrun them, but you can. I can cover you.”
The two men
stared at each other. The rocks around them were being showered with
bullets
from the squad that was now fanning out around them on that side. I
won’t
leave you, Vin.
You’re going
to have to, Chris. For Buck’s sake, you’ve got to get out of here.
Shouts behind
them drew their attention. The rest of the rebel army had found them
and were
preparing to encircle the two men. “Looks like this is where we make
our stand,
Cassidy.”
“Looks, like
it,” Chris agreed, reloading.
Tanner grimaced
as he climbed to his feet and steadied his rifle. “Ready?”
“Now!”
The two men
leaped up, back to back and fired off a round each. Both ducked back
behind the
rocks as their enemy returned fire in a hail of hundreds of bullets.
There were
at least sixty men firing on them. Tanner and Larabee exchanged a
glance as
they reloaded. “How much ammo have you got left?” Chris demanded.
“Enough to hold
them off for about another fifteen minutes. You?”
“About the
same.” Chris listened to the firing around them for a few seconds
before
jumping up and letting off his round. They needed to stop the soldiers
from
rushing them by keeping up steady fire. The enemy fighters were
experienced.
They would either wait until Tanner and Larabee ran out of ammunition,
or rush
them in waves until someone broke the pair’s line of defense and
breached the
rocks.
“They’re moving
in!” Vin shouted, picking up the sound of movement.
Both men shot at
the group of soldiers closing in on them. The rebels were cut down, but
there
was no way Vin and Chris could keep this up. A grenade whizzed through
the air
and landed a few feet from the rocks.
“DOWN!” Chris
shouted. The explosion shook the jungle, but the rocks protected Tanner
and Larabee
from the force of the blast. As the explosion rang out, the Em7 agents
jumped
up and shot at the advancing men.
“Chris, we
aren’t gonna be able to hold them off!”
“We can’t be
taken.”
For a split
second, the two men paused and stared at each other. They both knew
what they
were going to have to do. Some may see it as the coward‘s way out, but
both men
understood their position. If they were captured, national security
could be
compromised. They could not be taken alive... they would not
be taken
alive. They would take their own lives to protect their country. “Call
Buck,”
Vin urged. “We have to let the boys know!”
Chris pulled his
cell phone from his webbing and dialled while Vin reloaded and retuned
fire.
“Come on! Pick
up! Damn, I’ve got his message bank.”
“Chris, hurry!”
There was no way Vin was going to be able to hold off the rebels on his
own.
The army was now advancing in waves and Tanner was struggling to keep
up.
“Wings! We’re
pinned down between...”
A barrage of
shots peppered the rocks. Vin ducked down and shook his head. “They‘re
coming,
Cowboy,” Tanner’s voice was incredibly calm. “They‘re gonna rush us any
minute.”
“We’re pinned
down between a squad and the rest of the army,” Chris yelled into the
phone.
I...“ Abruptly, a soldier leapt up onto the rocks and aimed his rifle
at Chris.
“Larabee your
left!” Chris fired. The soldier fell backwards. “Chris, hurry up
and
tell them!”
“Boys, no rescue
mission... Cold day in hell! Repeat. No rescue mission. We’re
completely
surrounded without options.” Vin jumped up and fired, taking out three
soldiers
who had broken cover and were trying to make it to the rocks. “Repeat,
‘cold
day in hell‘! Chris threw the phone to the side, stood up and started
firing
beside his friend.
Vin dropped down
to reload. “Chris, they’re gonna rush us as a group any second.”
Larabee crouched
beside his best friend. Again, their eyes met. Tanner offered his arm.
Chris
slapped his along it - a full forearm shake. Both men withdrew their
revolvers.
It was time. Tanner and Larabee could not chance that the rebels may
extract
the highly delicate information they knew about the defense of their
nation
should they be captured alive. There was only one way to ensure the
security of
the county they loved and that was to take their own lives.
“Chris... I...”
Vin’s mind filled with so much he wanted to say. “I wouldn’t have
changed a
thing.”
Larabee smiled.
Strangely, he felt completely at peace. Here, in the middle of a jungle
and
miles from home, Chris was finally going to meet his maker - but he was
content. He would die with his brother at his side - die defending the
country
he loved. “Me, either.”
Vin dropped his
face as pain sprang up from his leg. Chris reached out and squeezed his
best
friend’s shoulder. Soon, Vin would be free of pain. Larabee found his
mind fill
with an image of his wife and son. Soon, he would be going to meet
them.
“I’ll do it for
you, Vin... if you can’t.” Larabee was offering to take his best
friend’s life
if Tanner felt he wasn’t able to.
“I can do it, Cowboy.
I...“ All at once, Tanner’s eyes narrowed as they homed in on Larabee’s
pack.
An idea leapt into his mind. “Cassidy, I got me a plan that may see us
survive
this yet! See if you can hold them off a couple more seconds!”
“Vin?”
“Chris, trust
me!” the lieutenant cried, grabbing and withdrawing something from his
colonel’s pack.
Larabee’s eyes
enlarged, but he jumped to his feet and let off another round. He had
an idea
of what Vin was up to, though he couldn’t understand how Tanner thought
it
would work.
It appeared that
the rebels had decided to wait until the encircled men ran out of
ammunition.
The Ghost’s of Freedom were losing too many soldiers in their attempts
to
breech Larabee and Tanner’s defenses.
Meanwhile, Vin
was setting about constructing his escape plan. He had collected the
two
canisters of chemicals that Josiah had said ‘shouldn’t’ be mixed.
Working
swiftly, Tanner opened one and carefully emptied half of the contents
out onto
the ground. He wanted an explosion, but he didn’t want to replicate
Hiroshima!
When Vin opened the second container, he frowned. He couldn’t tip any
out for
fear of the two chemicals mixing on the ground. Deciding to leave the
second
canister, he twisted the lid back into place.
“They’re holding
off,” Chris cried, ducking back down and reloading.
“Need your
bleeding strap!” Vin ordered.
Chris slipped it
out of his webbing and then rose to his feet. He didn’t let the round
off.
Instead, he waited. “Hurry up, Vin. They’ve become quiet. I hate
quiet.” It
meant the enemy was planning something.
“Almost done!”
Tanner looked down at his handy work. He had used the bleeding strap to
bind
the two canisters together.
“You are
surrounded. You have no escape. Throw your weapons out and we will take
you
alive!” a voice shouted.
“That’s what you
think, asshole,” Vin grunted. His voice was laced with determination
and raw
pain. “Okay, Cowboy. Here’s the plan. You throw this as far away from
us as
possible and I hit it. The chemicals ignite, mix, cause an explosion
and we
escape.”
Chris crouched
down beside his friend. “You’ll kill us both.”
“Maybe, but
we’ll take them with us. Besides, these rocks are around us on all four
sides.
The blast should pass over us.”
“We will give
you two minutes. If you do not throw your weapons out and surrender, we
will
rush you and cut you down like animals.”
“An explosion
that large will drag all the oxygen out of the air,” Chris pointed out,
ignoring the ultimatum.
“Yep, we’ll have
to hold our breaths and run like hell after it’s gone off. I‘ve tipped
out most
of one of the canisters. I‘m hoping the explosion won‘t be too big...
but hey,
I’m not Josiah.”
Chris stared at
Vin for a few moments and then prompted his friend to turn so he could
access
the lieutenant’s pack.
“What?”
Larabee withdrew
the sheet of reflective material the boys sometimes used to radiate
heat around
their fire. Usually Josiah carried it, but Chris knew it would have
been one of
the items Nathan would have transferred to their packs.
“Good idea,” Vin
agreed. The sheet wasn’t very large, but it should be enough to get
most of
their bodies under. The reflective material would help to deflect the
terrible
heat from the blast.
“You have one
minute!”
“Best place to
throw is back toward the main group. There’s a bit of a corridor
between the
trees. You pitched in university, didn’t you say?”
“That’s not a
baseball.”
“Beggars can’t
be choosers,” Vin chuckled. “If you hit one of the trees...” the
canister
wouldn’t go far enough and if it did explode, Tanner and Larabee would
go up
with it.
“It’ll get it
through the break in the trees.”
“Good. I shoot
it and we duck under the sheet, hold our breath and then run like
shit.”
Chris grinned.
“This is crazy!”
“Yep. Ready?”
“Last warning!”
Larabee nodded
and took the ‘bomb’ from his friend. Tanner readied the reflective
sheet within
easy reach and then attempted to stand. He shrieked as his leg buckled
and he
fell back to the ground heavily. His eyes slammed shut as he rode out
the
searing pain. Larabee reached down and pulled his panting friend to his
feet.
There was no time for words of comfort and reassurance.
Vin nodded.
Chris winked.
“Piece of cake,
Cowboy,“ Vin insisted.
Larabee pulled
his arm back and hurled the bound canisters. They flew through the air
directly
between the trees. The rebels began shouting. Vin levelled his rifle.
Larabee
ducked and grabbed the sheet. Just as the canisters began to fall out
of sight,
Tanner fired and dropped to the ground in one movement. Chris wrenched
the
sheet over them.
The explosion
was deafening. Screams of agony and terror filled the air only to be
cut short
as a fireball ignited, consuming the oxygen in the immediate area. Heat
roared
out in all directions. Flames flashed through the air and slipstreamed
around
the boulders. Tanner and Larabee were hit by the concussion of the
blast, the
pressure throwing them around violently, but the rocks protected the
small
pocket they were in and the sheet above them effectively deflected the
initial
heat.
Chris tossed the
sheet off them. The heat was horrific. Larabee reached down and hauled
Tanner
to his feet, looped Vin’s arm over his shoulder and then dragged his
friend out
of the rocks. Both men were holding their breath. The gases around them
weren’t
breathable. The jungle was alive with flames and smoke. Chris could
feel his
lungs beginning to burn, but he knew oxygen wasn’t that far away.
Already,
nature was trying to right the barbarism that had taken place, air
rushing in
from beyond the blast area to equalize the unique blend of gases that
enabled life.
Safety was a
hundred feet away. The jungle was wet and Chris knew that the flames
would have
difficulty taking hold the further from the explosion core he and Vin
moved.
They just had to get there.
A few more steps
and the two men passed through the squad who had been cutting off their
escape.
There were bodies scattered everywhere. Most were unconscious or dead.
A few
were moving. Chris pressed on. Beside him, he could he feel Vin was
struggling.
Ahead, the air
cleared a little. With aching lungs, Chris increased his pace. Finally,
unable
to hold his breath any longer, Larabee breathed in deeply. Most of it
was
smoke, but there was oxygen there, too. Immediately, the colonel began
coughing. Beside him, he felt Tanner slump.
“Vin?” Chris
choked out. Weakened, Larabee lost grip of his friend. The colonel
dropped to
his knees himself, his lungs convulsing. For several seconds he could
do
nothing but gasp, dragging as much air into his starved lungs as
possible.
Finally, his breathing came under control.
Chris turned to
his friend. Vin was lying on his side, coughing. Larabee crawled across
and
raised his friend to help make his breathing easier. Larabee ran his
eyes over
Tanner. Vin’s fatigues were blackened and singed. His face was smudged
with
soot. What skin Chris could see was flushed red.
Chris coughed a
few more times. He realized the air here was too smoky. They needed to
get
further out to where the air would be fresh. Larabee staggered to his
feet,
still maintaining his grip on Tanner. Then he yanked Vin up roughly and
once
again dragged both himself and his partner toward clearer air.
Chris staggered
less than fifty feet before once again collapsing to his knees. This
time, he
held Vin and lowered his friend to the ground.
For almost a
full minute, Chris remained on his knees, breathing the air in
hungrily. At
last, he turned to Vin. Tanner’s eyes were shut.
“VIN! Oh, God!”
Larabee dived at his friend, thrusting his head to the silent man’s
chest.
“What... the
hell are you... doin‘?” Vin demanded, his voice choked and laced with
pain, his
eyes snapping open.
It was only then
Chris realized he couldn’t hear anything. “What?!”
“I can’t hear
you,” Vin stammered. Instantly, both men understood why. The volume of
the
explosion had stolen their hearing. It would return gradually.
You okay?
Tanner nodded,
but his face was etched with pain. Chris frowned. He had a decision to
make.
Did he and Vin run and try and put some distance between themselves and
their
enemy or did they deal with Tanner’s injury now?
We need to
move! There
were no
words, but Chris understood the look on Vin’s face.
Okay, but
I’ll need to look at that leg in the next few minutes.
Larabee eased
Vin up onto his backside. The young man’s entire body stiffened. His
hands
clenched into fists. Chris waited until the wave of pain eased before
lifting
Vin to his feet. Tanner swayed a little as he attempted to balance on
one leg.
He threaded his arms across the colonel’s shoulders and together the
pair set
off.
The jungle
around them gradually returned to normal. The blast area was now behind
them.
Over the next
five minutes, both men’s hearing returned. They could detect faint
shouts in
the distance, but it didn’t sound like they were being pursued... yet.
Chris was
acutely aware of every grunt of discomfort coming from his best friend.
Their
progress was becoming slower as pain sapped Tanner’s strength. Finally,
Chris
left the path and headed a couple of feet into the bushes.
“We’re not...
far... enough away,” Vin argued, through clenched teeth.
“I’ve got to
remove that tourniquet, Vin, or you could lose your leg.”
“But...” Tanner
gasped. Chris gently turned his partner around and assisted him to the
ground,
leaning the injured man’s back against a tree. Larabee grimaced. He
couldn’t
see Tanner’s skin colour, but the young man’s lips were grey. Shock was
going
to be a real danger.
Swiftly, Chris
slipped his pack off and pulled out the compact, but well-stocked
medical kit.
“Bullet’s still
in there,” Vin whispered, inhaling slowly. The pain was becoming
intolerable.
“Here, drink
some of that,” the colonel ordered, passing his wounded companion the
canister
of alcohol he had secretly stowed after Josiah had pulled it from the
downed
aircraft. The alcohol was pure and would be absorbed quickly.
Larabee laid out
the medical instruments he was going to need. Nathan had packed
everything
necessary for removing a bullet, of course, normally the team medic
would be
responsible for such surgery. However, this was far from the first time
the
colonel had been forced to remove a bullet - Katinda had been a
phenomenal
teacher.
Vin attempted to
undo the lid of the flask, but he simply didn’t have the strength.
“Chris,” he
whispered, handing the thermos back with trembling hands. Larabee
opened the
container and tipped it to Tanner’s lips. There was no way Vin would
have been
able to hold it steady enough. His body was beginning to react to the
horrendous pain and shock caused by the injury.
“More,” Chris
urged when Vin raised his hand to indicate he’d had enough. “I’m going
to be
digging around in your leg in a moment.”
“We don’t have
time. Just bandage it and let’s get going.”
Larabee shook
his head. “That bullet’s got to come out.” Chris wasn’t prepared to
risk blood
poisoning. Besides, it was now or never. Larabee could see his friend’s
condition was deteriorating in front of his eyes. “Now, drink.” Chris
tipped
the flask up again.
Reluctantly, Vin
drank a few more mouthfuls. He could feel the warmth of the alcohol
sliding
down his throat and reaching out to all parts of this body. The wounded
soldier
shuddered as the pure alcohol was absorbed rapidly. “Enough.”
Chris removed
the flask and snatched up a pair of scissors. Carefully, he cut the
material
away from the bloody wound, which was about half way up the
lieutenant’s thigh.
Vin’s back arched and he stifled a scream as Chris laid his finger on
one side
of the gash.
“Sorry,” Vin
apologised. “Just surprised me.”
Larabee glanced
up at his friend. “I can knock you out, if you want.” A single blow
would bring
the relief of unconsciousness.
“No,” Vin
argued. “I need to keep watch. They could come up on us at any time.
I‘ve got
my rifle ready if we need it.”
For several
seconds Chris considered the statement.
“Get on with it,
Larabee. We don’t have time for this!” Tanner panted.
“I’m going to
need to clean the blood away, but first, let’s get a look at your face.”
“My face?”
“I need to see
your skin and at the moment you’re blacker than Nathan.”
“Look in a
mirror lately?” Tanner chuckled as Chris used some of the alcohol to
wipe the
soot away. He needed to watch the injured man’s colour. It would be one
of the
only indications he would have of his friend’s condition.
As the soot
disappeared, Chris could see that his friend’s face was pasty. “You’re
a bad
colour.”
“I was just
caught in an explosion and I have a bullet in my leg. Excuse me for not
looking
my best.”
Chris smiled.
Despite the agony he was in, Vin could still crack jokes to ease the
tension.
However, if Tanner thought he was fooling anyone, he was only deluding
himself.
Larabee knew his friend was in dreadful pain. Chris returned his
attention to
the wound. The sooner he could remove the bullet the sooner they could
get on
their way, and the sooner Vin would receive the care he needed.
“First, I’m going
to sterilize it with the alcohol. See if we can prevent any infection,”
the
colonel muttered. “This is going to sting.”
“Stick,” Tanner
requested. This was not the first time he’d had a bullet removed in the
middle
of the jungle without the aid of anesthetic.
Chris scanned
the area and picked up a stout stick with a two-inch diametre. Without
a word,
the colonel placed it into Vin’s mouth. Tanner bit down on it.
Larabee’s gaze
lingered on his friend.
Go on, Chris.
The older man
licked his lips and then he consciously divorced himself of emotion. He
had to
remove the bullet if he was to save his partner’s life, but if Chris
allowed
himself to consider what was actually happening, he wouldn’t be able to
inflict
the shocking pain on his best friend.
“Ready?”
Tanner nodded.
As the alcohol hit the gaping gash, Tanner’s body became rigid. His
eyes
squeezed shut and his hands balled into fists. Pain ignited throughout
his
body. Black and red patches rose up in front of his eyes.
Larabee removed
a special cloth from a sterilized packet and began to wipe the blood
away. Once
he was finished, he picked up the forceps and parted the damaged skin.
Vin’s
back arched and he screamed, but he was able to turn the sound back
inside
himself. The fingers on Larabee’s left hand twitched. He didn’t want
his friend
to suffer.
No, Vin communicated via a single
glance. He
knew what his colonel was contemplating, but the lieutenant was
determined to
stay awake and look out for rebels. Someone had to keep watch.
Larabee dropped
his gaze to the wound. His eyes narrowed. “I can see it.” Chris forced
the
instrument into the wound. Again Vin’s leg roared with agony, this
time, his
body lifting off the ground. Larabee’s fist flashed through the air and
caught
Tanner on the side of the jaw with bone-shattering accuracy. Vin
slumped. Chris
grabbed a hand full of his unconscious companion’s shirt and righted
him
against the tree.
“Let me worry
about the rebels, you stubborn bastard.”
Larabee returned
his attention to the bullet. Chris wanted to do this right. The more he
probed
the wound, the more damage he may cause and the longer his friend’s
recovery
would be. Carefully, Chris eased the forceps toward the bullet. Vin
groaned.
Even through the veil of unconsciousness, the burning agony reached him.
“Hang on, Vin.
I’ve almost got it.“ Using a scalpel, Chris levered the bullet into the
ends of
the forceps, and slid the bullet out. “Got it!” Larabee tossed the slug
to one
side and then washed the wound in alcohol, again. He couldn’t afford
for the
injury to become infected. He and Vin still had a long journey ahead if
they
were to escape.
Swiftly, Chris
removed a needle, already threaded, from a sterile packet. The colonel
needed
to put some stitches in the wound to hold it together.
A sound! Chris
drew his revolver and aimed it into the jungle, at the same time,
placing his
body between Vin and the potential danger. A bird fluttered out of the
darkness. A blue bird. Larabee’s chest heaved with relief and his mind
filled
with an image of Ezra. Standish and his damn blue bird.
Thrusting his
revolver back into his holster, Chris turned and completed the
stitching. He
placed a pad over the wound and bandaged it tightly. Then, he removed
the
bleeding strap that had, in all probability, saved Tanner’s life by
reducing
the blood loss by more than seventy-five percent. Chris watched the
bandage,
waiting to see if the combination of stitches and dressing would be
enough stop
any bleeding. Silently, he prayed. If he couldn’t stop the bleeding,
Vin would
die. Anxious seconds passed. There was no sign of any blood seeping
through.
Chris shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Thank, God.
Larabee glanced
at his best friend. Tanner’s head was sagged to the right, his face
pale
beneath the red tinge left by the heat of the blast. The stick had
slipped from
the unconscious man’s mouth, but he still held his rifle. On the side
of his
jaw there was a bruise forming.
“Sorry,
Sundance.” Chris reached up and took Tanner’s pulse. It was still
strong, if
not a little fast. Larabee packed away the medical instruments, wiped
his hands
clean, pulled his pack onto this back and then stood up. He leaned
down, pulled
Vin’s limp body up and tipped the unconscious man onto his shoulder....
“... and I
headed off in the direction of the jeep,” Chris explained. The other
men were
shaking their heads in astonishment. Most were still devouring pizza.
Tanner was
listening carefully to all that was being said. He reached up and
rocked his
jaw. “Bastard hit me when I wasn’t looking.” Chris turned and winked at
his
friend.
“Wow, I just
can’t believe how you escaped!”
“You’re damn
lucky you didn’t blow yourselves up!” Josiah claimed.
“It was a gamble
that paid off,” Vin agreed.
**********
At the airport,
a large chopper set down and a group of well-armed men alighted.
Security
monitored them carefully, but the group made their way to a waiting
rented bus
and was whisked away before anyone could do anything.
*********
“So, you carried
Vin all the way back to the jeep?” J.D. prompted, his voice high with
amazement
and admiration.
Chris shook his
head. “I pressed on for as long as I could, but when night fell, I had
to stop
and pitch camp...
Exhausted, Chris
lowered Vin to the ground and dropped down beside him. The colonel’s
back, legs
and shoulders were aching from carrying his best friend for three
hours. During
that time, Vin had stirred a couple of times but not truly regained
consciousness.
Chris searched
the canopy above him. The sun was well and truly gone. He had wanted to
press
on longer, but the fading light made it impossible to see the path and
thus he
had stumbled several times. It was only a matter of time before he fell
or
dropped Vin. He couldn’t afford to do either - a twisted ankle or
pulled muscle
could be the difference between surviving or not. Both Chris and
Tanner’s lives
depended on the colonel getting them to the jeep.
Puffing, Chris
rolled Vin onto his side and checked his pulse. Relieved to find it
relatively
strong, Chris removed Vin’s pack, rose to his feet and set about making
camp
for the night. The colonel worked briskly and with purpose. Already,
the
dampness of night was blanketing the area and Chris wanted to get Vin
undercover as soon as possible. He couldn’t afford for Tanner to get
cold and
with the pain and blood loss, Vin was going to have trouble maintaining
his
body temperature throughout the night. Shock would be a threat.
Once Larabee had
strung the rope up, tossed the canvass over and pegged it out to form a
simple
A-line tent, the colonel laid out a second sheet of canvass on the
ground and
then prepared the blankets. Satisfied, Chris returned to his pack and
took out
some salt. Systematically, he removed the leeches from his own body and
then
did the same for Vin. Finally, he lifted Vin up onto his shoulder again
and
carried his friend to the tent. It wasn’t easy getting the unconscious
man
inside, but Chris managed it without jarring him around too violently.
Larabee
pulled the two blankets up over his best friend and tucked them around
him.
Again, Chris checked Vin’s pulse. The colonel sighed and sank back onto
his
backside. It had been a very, very long day. Knowing now wasn’t the
time to
rest, Larabee crawled outside and collected both his and Vin’s packs.
Re-entering the tent, he found Tanner stirring.
Chris rushed to
his best friend’s side. “Easy, Vin.” Larabee squeezed Tanner’s shoulder
to
assure his companion someone was watching his back and thus he had
nothing to
fear. Vin’s eyes blinked open. He stared into the gloom around him,
orienting
himself slowly. He felt the pressure on his shoulder and his chest
heaved with
relief. The wounded man raised his hand and laid it on Chris’ arm.
“See, piece of
cake,” Tanner murmured, his arm flopping back down beside his body.
Chris
picked up Vin’s hand and squeezed it. “Night already?”
“Yeah. How’s the
pain?”
“Bearable. You
carry me all afternoon?”
“You weigh a
tonne.” Chris smiled. He was so thankful Vin had regained
consciousness. It had
been a lonely three-hour trek worrying about the rebels and his best
friend’s
condition. Now, Vin was awake, and Chris could relax a little. Tanner’s
face
was tight, and his lips were white, but his eyes were open.
“The rebels?“
“I haven’t heard
any sign of them, but I imagine they’re pretty pissed with us and are
on their
way.“
“How long are we
going to stay here?“
“Until dawn. I
can’t carry you in the dark. Could fall.“
“Get me on my
feet, I’ll walk.“
“I bet you think
you could, too, you crazy bastard.” Chris ran his eyes over Vin’s face.
Considering what he had been through, Tanner was looking remarkably
well, apart
from the lines of pain etched into his young face.
“I’ll walk,
Chris.” There was enough determination in Tanner’s voice for Larabee to
realize
his lieutenant was serious.
“I dug a bullet
out of your leg three hours ago, Vin. Tomorrow, you’re really going to
feel it.
I can carry you. It’s just going to take us a little longer to get to
the jeep
than we estimated it would.“
“You can’t carry
me all that way. I’ll have to walk some of the time if we’re going to
outrun
the rebels,“ Vin pointed out. Larabee’s brow furrowed with thought. Vin
did
have a point.
“We’ll see.“
Tanner moved
uncomfortably. He grimaced, unable to hide the terrible ache that was
radiating
through him.
“Drink some more
alcohol. It will help,” Chris encouraged, quietly, reaching into his
pack and
withdrawing the confiscated flask.
“You tryin’ to
get me drunk? Hell, now I’m worried. I’ve told you before, Larabee, I
like
brunettes with curves.”
“Like Inez?”
Vin’s face lit
up with a grin. “She’s a fiery woman. I’m like my women fiery.”
“I knew you
liked her,” Chris claimed, raising Vin’s shoulders and tipping the
canister of
pure alcohol to his friend’s pale lips.
Vin pushed the
container away after a few swallows. “No more. I need to stay awake.”
“Why?” Chris
demanded.
“I’ll take first
watch. You get some sleep. Help me up.” Tanner attempted to sit. His
leg
exploded with pain. “Oh, God!” he cried out in agony.
Chris took Vin’s
shoulders and guided him back down. “For God’s sake, lay still.”
Vin’s eyes were
still squeezed shut. Chris gripped his friend’s shoulder, trying to
support Vin
in the only way he could.
“I’m... okay,”
the wounded man panted.
“Just lay there
and rest. You hungry?”
Tanner shook his
head. He felt nauseous. His leg was throbbing with vengeance. His
entire body
began to tremble in response to the horrific pain pulsating through his
being.
Chris applied
pressure to his friend’s shoulder and picked up one of Vin’s clenched
fists. He
was well aware of how much pain Tanner was in. “Try to sleep, Vin. I’ll
keep
watch. I’ll wake you in a few hours so you can take over.”
Tanner nodded
and allowed the darkness surrounding him to engulf his consciousness.
Chris
stared down at his partner and sighed. He wished there was more he
could do,
but outside of administering the alcohol, Chris couldn’t provide Vin
with
anything else. There were some painkillers in the medical kit, but they
couldn’t be mixed with the alcohol. Chris patted Vin’s arm and adjusted
the
blankets around the sleeping lieutenant. The colonel then withdrew a
pack of
died food from his pack, moved to the opening in the tent, rested his
rifle
across his legs and settled himself for a very long night.
****
Memories filled
Larabee’s mind. He had served in Katinda for more years than he cared
to
remember. The jungle here was very similar; thick in places and yet
open in
others. During the day, it was muggy and hot and yet, at night, the
temperatures would drop dramatically. The dampness combined with
perspiration,
which made it difficult to keep dry. Then the clothing would begin to
rub and
irritate the skin. That was starting to happen now.
Moonlight
filtered down through the canopy. The shadows were deep and shifting.
It was
almost impossible to make out any other movement in the darkness. The
colonel
had camped in enemy territory like this before, but normally he was
with a
squad of men. This time, he was alone with a wounded man and as much as
his
determined lieutenant wanted to help, reality meant he couldn’t.
Tomorrow,
Tanner would suffer a lot of pain... a great deal more pain than he had
so far.
There was no way
Vin would be able to walk. Chris would have to carry his friend. They
would
need to stop regularly so the colonel could rest, but that would
increase the
danger. It would give the rebels a chance to close any gap Larabee had
been
able to put between them. There was no question in Chris’ mind that the
rebels
would pursue them. He had read the research Ezra had collated on
General Juan
Freleagus. The Ghost’s of Freedom’s leader would not sit back and let
them
escape. By now, he would have organised those men still standing to
take up the
pursuit. Chris just had to pray that his enemy would not travel through
the
night, but then, this was their backyard. They knew it well. Larabee
and his
men truly had caught the rebels off guard. Now that the Ghosts knew
they were
under attack, they would provide a very different enemy. Larabee
suspected
that, by now, all of the scouts would have been contacted and were on
the look
out for the foreigners. All of which meant that he and Vin would have
to watch
for snipers as well.
Chris sighed. It
would have been a difficult journey for two fit men, but with Chris
having to
carry Vin, it would be grueling... but not impossible. Larabee believed
that he
and Vin would make it out of here. He couldn’t allow himself to believe
anything else. However, Larabee wasn’t naive. At the moment, Tanner was
holding
up, but shock could set in without warning. His friend’s condition
could change
dramatically in a very short period of time.
Larabee glanced
back over his shoulder. Vin’s breathing sounded rhythmical enough, but
every
now and again he would groan in his sleep. If only Nathan were here.
Somehow
the medic would have been able to do something to ease Tanner’s pain.
Perhaps
it was false and unrealistic to think that Jackson could perform such a
miracle
out in the middle of the jungle, but he had always come through for
Larabee in
the past. Besides, if Nathan were here, he would be able to care for
the injured
lieutenant properly.
Larabee returned
his attention to scanning the area around the concealed tent. The
colonel felt
tired. His body was aching, but he couldn’t afford to sleep. Someone
had to
keep watch and Vin couldn’t.
There was a
coolness beginning to settle that clung to the damp material of the
soldier’s
fatigues. Chris crawled back to Vin’s side and turned on his flashlight
so he
could see his friend clearly. Tanner was as white as a sheet, his lips
were
blue and he was shivering intensely.
“Damn,” Chris
berated himself. He should have been keeping a closer watch on his
friend.
Somehow, he had to keep Vin warm, but the only way to do that was to
share body
heat, which would mean there would be no one on duty. Unfortunately,
Chris
didn’t have a choice.
The colonel
lifted the blankets and slipped in beside his lieutenant. Chris put his
arm
across Vin’s chest. The tremors afflicting Tanner vibrated through
Larabee.
The wounded man
stirred. “Easy, Vin.” Tanner’s body shuddered violently. Chris pulled
his
friend closer. “We’ve got to keep you warm. How are you feeling?”
“I can..n..n
hon..n..estly sa..y..y I’ve b..b..een better.” The lieutenant’s voice
quaked as
he attempted to speak. He couldn’t control the tremors raking his body.
“’Didn’t you say
beggars can’t be choosers? You’ll just have to put up with me for a
bedfellow.
Inez can wait.”
“You ain..n..’t
gonna let..t..t that g..g..ooo, are ya?”
“I think I’m
entitled to get some of my own back.”
“You’re a..a
cruel man..n..n, Chrisss.” Vin’s body shuddered again. His voice was
sounding
weak and was filled with controlled pain.
“Hang on, Vin,”
Chris whispered. His friend’s fierce trembling wasn’t helping his leg.
“Has..s..s the
tem..m..perature dropped, orrrr is it..t.. just m..m..me?”
“It is cooler,
but not cold. How‘s your leg?”
“I could..d lie
and s..s..say f..f..fine.”
“Yeah, you
could.”
For several
minutes the two men became quiet. Vin moaned loudly when Chris
attempted to
draw the blankets further around him. The effect of the alcohol was
wearing
off. Chris reached out and grabbed the flask and assisted his friend to
drink
some. Tanner didn’t complain. He was in too much pain to consider
mounting any
form of argument. It wasn’t long before the combination of one hundred
per cent
alcohol and shared body heat, began to make a difference. With relief,
Chris
noted that Vin’s shivering was beginning to ease.
“The boyssss
thiiiink we’re dead.” Now, Vin’s voice was slurred. Tanner was not a
drinker
and thus the alcohol affected him quickly.
“Yeah, it can’t
be helped.”
“Weeee could
rrring themmm.”
“The rebels will
find us soon enough, we don’t need to be sending them an invitation.”
No doubt
the Ghosts was just waiting for the pair to call for help so they could
triangulate their position.
“Youuuuu reckon
theyyyy will catch up with usss tomorrowww?”
“I don’t know.
Reckon it will come down to the wire. We’re heading straight for the
jeep. When
we collected ‘The Package‘, we did a huge loop. Shouldn’t take us half
as long
to get back there. I don’t think the road is that far from here. What
do you
think?... Vin?”
Tanner’s
breathing had evened out. Pain and exhaustion had drawn him back to
oblivion.
Chris held his best friend for another five minutes, just to be sure
and then
returned to his post at the edge of the tent.
For almost three
hours, Chris maintained his silent vigil - watching for signs of danger
and
monitoring Vin’s condition. Out of the blue, Tanner began moving
uneasily.
Chris switched his flashlight on and frowned. Quickly, he crawled back
to his
friend and watched as Vin’s face twitched. He was dreaming... perhaps
as a
result of the alcohol, more likely because memories were being unlocked
in his
head. Larabee was reticent to wake his injured companion. Chris tended
to
believe the nightmares were probably preferable to being awake and
enduring the
suffering caused by his injured leg.
Larabee reached
out and gripped Tanner’s shoulder. Instantly, Vin settled. Chris shook
his
head, a grin forming on his face. His best friend’s blind trust lifted
his
spirits. As Chris went to move, Vin awoke.
“Hey.”
Tanner
swallowed. “Hey.”
“Nightmares?”
Vin nodded. He
shifted uncomfortably and grimaced. “Head’s aching. I think I’ve got a
hang
over. Probably spew my guts up.”
Chris smiled and
laid his hand on his fríend’s brow. Thankfully, there was no sign of
fever.
“You’re doing fine, considering what happened.”
“What time is
it?”
“Must be another
three hours till dawn.”
Vin drew in a
deep breath and released it slowly. “You better get some sleep. I’ll
take
over.”
Chris frowned.
“Look, Larabee,
I know you think you’re superman, but I got news for you - even
superman has to
sleep. The way my leg’s feelin’, walkin’ on it is gonna to be out of
the
question. It’s burning like hell and all I’m doin’ is lying here. So,
you’re
gonna have to carry or drag me, which means you need to be rested.”
Larabee
stared to open his mouth to argue, but Vin jumped in. “Either you help
me up,
or I’m gonna try and do it myself, rip the stitches open and bleed all
over
them nice bandages you took so much trouble to wrap around my leg.”
Chris smiled.
“Okay, but we’ll see how you go with sitting first.”
“Jesus Christ,
you’re acting like Nathan! Fussing around me like an old she wolf.”
“Shut-up and
that’s an order.”
“Yeah, and you
know what you can do with your order, Cowboy.”
Chris slipped
his hands under Vin’s armpits and, gently as possible, eased him to an
upright
position. Tanner held his breath waiting for the pain to subside. “Vin?”
“Drag me toward
the entrance.” Reluctantly, Chris did so. Vin groaned loudly but bit
down on
his bottom lip to stop from crying out. Larabee turned the torch back
on and
shone it in Vin’s face. His friend was more than pale now, his ashen
face
reflecting the dreadful discomfort he was enduring.
“Damn. I never should
have let you talk me into this.” Larabee peered at the bandage to see
if the
movement had re-opened the wound. Thankfully, there was no sign of
renewed
bleeding, but that didn’t change the deep pain reflected in Vin’s eyes.
“I’m
putting you back...”
“No, you’re not.
I’ve got this insane desire to see the rest of the boys again and the
only way
I’m gonna be able to do that is if you, you selfish bastard, are rested
enough
to drag both of us to that jeep. Now, go and lay down and get some
sleep... and
‘that’ is a damn order!”
Chris stared at
his friend with furrowed brow.
“Go on, Chris,”
Tanner encouraged, softly. “I’m okay. Really. You get some sleep. I’ll
wake you
if I feel worse or if the rebels invite themselves to our slumber
party.”
“Okay. Just let
me get you a blanket.” Chris grabbed one of the two blankets and tucked
it
around Tanner. “Okay?”
“Just peachy.
Where’s my rifle?”
Larabee handed
it to his friend. For several seconds he lingered and then moved to the
centre
of the tent and lay down. “You wake me if you feel ill.”
Vin snorted.
“I mean it. You
dying over night will piss me off.”
“Reckon I’ll be
a might upset myself. Relax, Colonel. I won’t let you down.”
Chris shut his
eyes, Vin’s final phrase ringing in his ears. Never at any moment did
Chris
think his lieutenant capable of letting him down. Tanner would remain
awake,
despite his condition. Chris Larabee had complete faith in that fact.
Part
Fifteen
Vin drew his
arms further around himself. He felt cold but he knew it wasn’t a
result of the
temperature dropping. He was cold because his body was struggling to
function
normally and maintain its own core temperature.
Tanner glanced
at his colonel. Larabee had laid down about an hour earlier, but hadn’t
fallen
asleep for the first fifteen minutes. That meant he’d only slept for
three
quarter’s of an hour and that simply wasn’t long enough.
Tanner adjusted
the blanket over his legs and began to rub his hands up and down his
own arms.
He shivered. He had to give Chris more time. If only he could get up
and walk
around. The movement would help to keep him warm. Vin attempted to make
himself
more comfortable, but the moment he shifted his leg his entire side lit
with
fire. Tanner froze, waiting for the agony to subside. He was in for a
hell of a
day, come dawn. Chris would probably try to knock him out again, either
using
the alcohol or his fist, but that was out of the question. Vin knew he
would
have to help carry some of his own weight if they were to outrun the
rebel
soldiers.
Vin’s body
shuddered and his hands began to tremble. Chris would need to be woken
shortly.
He couldn’t afford to become too chilled, but he desperately wanted to
give his
companion time to rest.
Fifteen minutes
later, Tanner’s teeth began to chatter. It was time. “C..C..Chris.”
Larabee was
awake, immediately. “Vin?”
“I..I”m a
b..b..bit cold.”
“You damn fool.”
Chris rushed to his friend’s side. “Let’s get you back inside and under
the
blankets. You need more alcohol.” Larabee dragged the injured man into
the
centre and assisted him to lie down. Vin continued to shiver. Larabee
covered
Tanner, but noting how quickly Vin’s condition was deteriorating, he
slid in
beside his friend.
“Come here,
darlin’.” When Vin failed to make any smart come back, Chris pulled his
companion closer. “Relax, Vin. We’ll have you warm in a few minutes.
I‘ll grab
the flask.” Larabee frowned when he realized Tanner’s breathing was
sounding
laboured. “Vin?... Vin, you hear me?... Lieutenant?!”
“ Sir?”
Chris sighed his
relief. “Your breathing is sounding a bit rough. You okay?”
“Don’t know.
Can’t feel my leg at the moment, so I‘m not complainin‘.”
Chris sat up and
reached for the canister of alcohol. “This should help to warm you up.”
“I’ll be an
alcoholic before this is over.”
Once Vin had
drunk a few mouthfuls, Chris lowered him back. “Can’t give you any
more. We’ll
need the rest for the hike to the jeep.
“Nathan put one
of the other flasks in my pack.”
“He’s worth his
weight in gold. Come on, you can have some more, then.”
Tanner shook his
head. “No, save it. You never know. We might need it. Already feelin‘
warmer.”
“Good. I want
you to try and sleep. I’ll wake you when we’re ready to go.”
“How are you
feelin’?”
“Better. The
sleep helped. Enough talking, Vin, I need you to get as much rest as
you can.”
Tanner closed his eyes immediately and within seconds he was asleep.
Chris
thanked God they had decided to bring the alcohol along. It was the
only thing
providing Vin with any respite.
It was less than
an hour until dawn, but Chris found himself impatient to get going. He
had been
doing a lot of calculations in his mind during the night in an attempt
to
determine the speed the rebels would be moving, compared to the speed
he would
be able to maintain throughout the day. It was really was going to be
close. He
had considered calling his team. If they had remained in the country,
and he
was sure they would have, they were only an hour or so from the jeep by
air and
therefore, they could hike in and meet the pair. The only problem with
that was
the fact that the rebels would be monitoring the airwaves. The moment
Chris
made contact, The Ghosts of Freedom would pinpoint his and Vin’s
position. It
was too great a gamble. Larabee and Tanner were on their own, at least
until
they reached the jeep.
Larabee left the
tent and stood outside in the darkness. The jungle was serenading the
man,
which in itself was comforting. As long at the forest’s noises
continued
uninterrupted, he knew the rebels weren’t around. His mind was swept up
by
images of his absent companions. He knew they had to be going through
hell.
Buck... Buck. Larabee shook his head, his right hand dropping to the
pocket in
his webbing where he kept his cell phone. If only he could let Buck
know they
were alive.
Muffled noises
from the tent interrupted his thoughts. Vin was shifting around
restlessly. By
the time Chris reached him, Tanner had woken himself up. The movement
had
caused shots of pain to ricochet up his leg.
“You okay?”
“Damn
nightmares.”
Chris patted his
companion’s arm. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.” The answer
came a little too quickly. Tanner sighed. “Reckon we got more important
things
to be worryin’ about. How long till dawn?”
“Still a while.”
“Why don’t we
get packed up? Our eyes will adjust to the light.”
“I don’t want to
be carrying you in the dark.”
“You won’t be.”
“It must be
almost an hour until dawn,” the older man argued.
“Probably, but
that’s not what I meant.”
Larabee smirked
at his friend. “You’re not walking.”
“I reckon I can,
if I lean on you.”
“You’ll tear the
stitches.”
“Now you really
are beginning to sound like Nathan!”
“I wish he were
here,” Larabee murmured.
“ Just be
thankful we don’t have to eat breakfast prepared by him.”
“How’s the
pain?”
“You let me
worry about that... and if you’re even considerin' sucker punchin' me
again, I
swear I’ll knock your damn head off.” Tanner was sounding stronger, but
Chris
knew it couldn’t last. A good fifty percent of the strength was grim
determination and his desire to keep Larabee’s spirits positive.
“Lieutenant, I
want you to try and get some more sleep. I’ll wake you in about half an
hour.”
The statement echoed that particular tone that meant that it was an
order.
“Yes, Sir.”
Tanner scowled at his leader. Chris smiled, patted his lieutenant’s arm
and
settled at the end of the tent.
****
The sun was only
minutes away. Chris was just stowing the last of his and Vin’s gear
when he
heard a gasp behind him. Spinning around, he let out an annoyed grunt.
“What do
you think you’re doing?”
Tanner was on
his feet. He had used the tree Larabee had propped him up against to
pull
himself up. “Stop belly achin’ and help me to put my pack on,” the
injured man
panted.
“I’ll carry your
pack.”
“Nope. I’ll
carry my own. That’s always been our group’s philosophy. Each man
carries his
own gear.”
“Don’t start,
Vin. I don’t have time for this.”
“Exactly. Help
me put my pack on and then I’ll lean on you. I’ll walk for as long as I
can.”
Larabee was frowning his disagreement. “Colonel, if we want to survive,
I‘ve
got to help you.”
“How’s the
pain?”
“Can’t you think
of somethin’ more interesting to say?”
“Vin?”
“My leg is burnin’
like hell, I’ve got a hang over Buck would be proud of and my jaw is
aching...
thanks to you. I need a bath, my rent’s due today, and to top it all
off ’Dark
Skies’ was on last night and I missed it. ”
“You forgot to
add being cranky,” Chris chuckled, lifting Vin’s pack onto his back.
“In your ass,
Larabee.” Tanner put his arm over his colonel’s shoulders. Together
they took a
step.
Larabee
scrutinized his friend’s face. “Okay?”
“Yep. It’s
hurtin’ like hell, but then, I expected it to. Come on, sun’s comin’
up.”
It took a few
tentative steps before Tanner and Larabee found a rhythm. Their
progress was a
lot quicker than Chris had anticipated, but the colonel suspected his
lieutenant would not be able to keep it up. Even after only fifteen
minutes,
Vin’s grunts of pain were coming more frequently...
**
...“You watch
‘Dark Skies‘? I love that show!” J.D. exclaimed.
Vin smiled.
“Don’t you think
the plot lines are interesting? I mean the whole idea that...”
“J.D., not now,”
Buck scolded. “We’re trying to find out how the hell they got back to
the
jeep.”
“Oh, sorry.” The
boys were now draped around, and on, the two beds. Morning had arrived
and with
it, unfathomable relief. Both Chris and Vin appeared so much stronger.
“Your leg must
have been aching severely?” Ezra murmured.
“It wasn’t too
bad,” Tanner replied.
Chris shook his
head. “You’re still trying to convince yourself of that. He was in
agony, but
was too stubborn to let me carry him.”
“Stubborn had
nothing to do with it. I hate hanging upside down with nothing to look
at but
your ass. I mean Mary may think that...”
“Shut-up.”
Vin bounced his
eyebrows. The other men laughed.
“You’re going to
pay for that one, Tanner. Next time I see Inez...”
“Inez?! Oooooo.
So, ya like Inez, Vin?!” Wilmington boomed.
“I don’t know
what Chris is talkin' about, Buck. The bastard is just making it up.”
“I don’t know
about that, Vin. That face of yours is as white as the sheets, but your
cheeks
are blushing scarlet.”
“In your ass,
Buck.” Vin’s eyes narrowed to slits of hell as he shot Chris a look
that could
rip the skin of a rhinoceros. “Larabee, you do realize, this means war!”
**********
General
Freleagus stepped off the bus, the dozen men he had brought with him
remaining
seated. They had pulled up a block from the hospital as they had
arranged with
their undercover agent.
Freleagus
scanned the area carefully. A man jogged toward him and then stopped
and
saluted. “General.”
“Well?”
“They are there,
Sir. In an intensive care ward. One of them is listed as critical and
one as
serious. There is a third that is injured, but I can find no record of
him on
the computer. There are four other men in the room. They appear to be
armed,
though their dress does not support your suspicion that they are
soldiers.”
“We will soon
find out,” the Ghost’s leader growled. He stepped up onto the bus.
“Let’s go.”
His men alighted
and followed him. It was only a five-minute walk to the hospital. Five
minutes
until Juan Freleagus had the revenge he needed to restore faith in his
leadership.
**********
“So?” Josiah
prompted. “You still had all those miles to cross.”
“Yep.”
“Well?”
“The first hour
and a half was okay but after that...”
**
...Vin’s body
stiffened as he and Chris stumbled.
“Down,” Chris
panted, lowering Vin to the ground. Tanner slumped onto his side,
puffing.
Chris knelt beside his companion and patted the injured man’s arm in
support.
“It’s time for you to rest.”
“Just give me a
moment. I’ll be okay.” Unfortunately, Tanner was unable to get the
words out
without wheezing and gripping at his throbbing leg.
“No. You’re
really pale, Vin. You aren’t going to be able to keep it up. I’ll carry
you for
a while and then you can trying walking again.”
Vin swallowed.
The pain was making him feel disorientated. Before he knew it, Chris
was forcing
more alcohol into him. “Larabee! You’ll knock me out!” Tanner
spluttered,
trying to force the flask away.
“Exactly.”
“Damn you.”
“My sentiments
exactly,” Larabee growled, stowing the canister away.
Vin attempted to
drag himself up, but his leg lit up like an inferno and his
consciousness
flickered. He was aware that Chris was talking to him, but he couldn’t
make out
the words. Gradually, the alcohol teamed with the pain and Vin sank
down into
the darkness that was pulling at him so powerfully.
“Vin?” Chris
frowned. His partner had passed out. The colonel prayed it was just the
alcohol, but somehow he knew his lieutenant was simply becoming weaker.
They
had to get to that jeep soon or Chris feared he would lose his best
friend.
“Hang on, pard.
I’ll get your there.” Larabee dragged Tanner up onto his shoulder and
set off
again, determination giving him the strength to power on.
****
Each minute felt
longer than the last. Each step was more difficult than the one before.
Tanner
was heavy and getting heavier. For the fifth time in the last two
hours, Chris
had to stop to rest. Gently, he lowered his burden to the ground and
dropped
beside Vin. His friend had failed to move or groan for almost half an
hour and
that was disturbing Chris more than the fact that this section of the
path
appeared to be well worn. They had entered an area the rebels used
frequently
so it was only a matter of time before Chris guessed they would come
across a
scout or scouting group.
Larabee took out
his canteen and drank from it. Then, he turned to Tanner and gave him a
shake.
Vin needed to drink some water. “Vin. Come on, lieutenant, wake up.”
Tanner stirred.
For several seconds he blinked and stared above him disoriented, but
again, the
hand that gripped his shoulder reassured him that all was okay. “Chris?”
“Right here. I
want you to drink some water.”
“Huh?” Tanner
seemed confused, but opened his mouth and drank from the canteen Chris
thrust
to his mouth. As Chris lowered Vin back, his friend’s eyes focused on
him.
“How far?”
“I’m hoping
we’re about half way, but I get the feeling we may have moved into a
patrolled
area.”
“You look
tired.” Larabee’s face was drenched in sweat, the soot mixing with
perspiration
and producing long wet tracks running down his cheeks.
“I’m okay. You’re
a bad colour.”
“I’ll make it. I
reckon I can walk for a while, if you help me.” Chris nodded. He needed
Vin’s
help. If there were rebels ahead, Larabee needed the freedom to fire on
them.
With his colonel’s help, Tanner stood up and leaned heavily on his
friend.
“You right?”
“We’ve got the
three-legged race in the bag.”
The pair set off
slowly. Every step was pure agony for Tanner, but he said nothing.
There was
little point letting Chris know. Then again, Vin suspected his friend
had a
fairly good idea.
Out of the blue,
both men slowed. Something wasn’t right. The jungle closed in around
them. They
scanned the area with professional and experienced eyes. Abruptly, the
forest
sounds ahead of them ceased. Vin and Chris froze. Tanner’s eyes
narrowed. Movement!
Vin’s rifle snapped up and he fired. Ahead, a scout fell from a tree
and
crashed into the middle of the path. A second rebel leaped out onto the
track.
Chris drew his revolver and fired in one movement. The soldier fell.
Without
discussion, Tanner and Larabee pressed on. For well over an hour they
continued. Larabee insisted on several rests, but could not convince
his friend
to take the option that would ease his pain... and Chris knew Vin was
in pain.
A muffled grunt or moan now accompanied each step. Twice they fell, and
twice
they dragged themselves to their feet and pressed on. There was a sense
of
urgency that neither could explain.
When Vin
stumbled and wrenched his leg for a third time, his legs buckled under
him.
Chris tried to stop him falling but they both went down. For several
seconds
Larabee lay panting. He crawled across to Tanner, pulled him upright
and leaned
him up against a tree. Vin’s eyes were forced closed and his face was
twisted
with agony. Chris watched with frustration, muttering words of anger
and
comfort. Finally, Vin opened his eyes. He looked dazed and utterly
exhausted.
His skin was a horrible grey and his lips completely colourless.
Tanner’s chest
heaved and he swallowed with difficulty.
“It’s okay,
Vin.” Larabee reached forward and started to draw Tanner up to pull the
semi-conscious solider up onto his shoulder but Vin shoved him away and
before
Chris knew what was happening, Vin was expelling his stomach contents.
“Oh, shit,”
Chris murmured, supporting his ill companion.
Once Tanner had
finished, he slumped against Larabee wheezing. He had reached his
limit. He
couldn’t possibly go on.
Chris put his
arm around his friend and held him. “Hang on, Vin. We’re almost there.”
For
several seconds neither man moved and then, Vin pulled away and pushing
up on
Larabee’s shoulder, forced himself to his feet.
“Vin! I can
carry you!”
“While I’ve got
the strength to walk, I’ll walk. You can carry me when we don’t have
any other
choice.”
“It’s too much
for you.”
“Too much? Hell,
compared to havin’ to put up with Buck’s boastin’, Ezra’s complainin’,
the
Preacher’s sermons, Nathan’s cookin’ and J.D.’s inability to sit still,
this is
a piece of cake.”
Chris smiled.
“I’d sell my soul to have to be puttin’ up with all of them right now.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Chris looped Vin’s arm over his shoulder and the pair set off again.
The minutes
ticked by; somehow, Larabee couldn’t begin to understand how, Vin kept
going.
The distance to the road and jeep had been reduced dramatically. The
jungle was
even beginning to thin out, which was a tell tale sign they were
getting closer
to the edge. Once they reached the road, it would be a matter of
continuing
until they reached the jeep; if his calculations were correct and the
compass
bearings accurate, they should come out within a couple of hundred feet
of the
vehicle.
“Stop. You
should have some more alcohol,” Chris insisted. Vin’s grunts of pain
were
becoming louder and his panting more pronounced.
Tanner nodded.
“Don’t put me down. I may not be able to get up again.” The pair moved
across
to a tree and Vin grabbed the trunk to steady himself while Chris
withdrew the
flask from the back of his companion’s pack.
“Maybe the
rebels didn’t come after us?” Vin asked as Chris passed him the
canister. He
was talking to help keep his mind off the unbearable throbbing of his
leg and
ache radiating through his entire body.
“I can’t believe
that.”
“So, where are
they?”
“Behind us
somewhere. We’ve been moving a lot quicker than I thought.”
“Yeah, I woulda
bet they would have closed the gap ages ago.”
“Drink.”
Vin forced a
grin. “Yes, Sir. I think I’m startin’ to like this stuff. Have to join
Alcoholic’s Anonymous when we get back.” His hand trembled as he tried
to
steady the container to his lips. Chris assisted his friend. Vin
paused;
waiting for the numbing relief he knew would come.
“Have more. I’d
say we’re only twenty minutes from the jeep.”
“If I have any
more, I’ll pass out.”
“Then, I’ll can
carry you.” Larabee studied his companion’s face. The agony Vin was in
was well
entrenched on his face and reflected in his glassy eyes.
“Not until I
can’t walk any more... and don’t even think of making it an order. I
don’t want
to have to disobey you, Larabee. This is one time when I will. If the
rebels
are behind us, then we need to keep moving as fast as we can.”
“You’re a
stubborn bastard.”
“I was taught by
the best.”
Chris drew Vin’s
arm over his shoulder and they continued their journey. Larabee knew
that if
they made it to the jeep ahead of the rebels, it would be due to Vin
Tanner’s
determination. Had Larabee had to carry his wounded companion all day,
the
situation would have been very different.
Abruptly, Chris
was flooded with the disconcerting feeling he was being watched and so
he
slowed his pace.
“What?” Vin panted.
“I think...”
Larabee drew and fired twice in quick succession. There were two thuds
several
metres off the path. “Come on, we...”
“Shh!” Vin
cried. Tanner focused. He shut his eyes and one by one, eliminated
sounds. “I
hear voices behind us. They’ve caught up!”
“And now they
know we’re here. How far behind us?!”
“A mile at the
most.” The voice had carried on the breeze.
Larabee and
Tanner increased their pace. They were so close to safety, they
couldn’t falter
now!
The pair
stumbled and went to their knees. Vin cried out. As Chris was pulling
his
friend to his feet, a shot echoed through the jungle. Larabee was
knocked
sideways by the jarring impact of the bullet tearing through his upper
arm. Vin
fell on his side. Despite the roaring pain, the lieutenant’s rifle
leaped into
his hand. The sharpshooter sighted movement. He fired. The scout
stumbled into
the middle of the path and collapsed.
“Chris?!” Vin
cried, crawling toward his companion.
“It’s okay,”
Chris ground out. He had his hand clamped over the wound trying to stem
the
blood flow. “My arm. Went straight through. We need to keep going.”
“Chris, it’s
bleeding a hell of a lot. You better use your bleeding strap.” But that
was
impossible. Tanner had used it to bind the canisters together. His own
had been
left behind when Chris had dug the bullet out of his leg. “I’ll bandage
it.”
“There isn’t
time.”
“You’ll bleed to
death,” Tanner argued, searching Larabee’s pack for bandages. There was
only
the one. Rapidly, the lieutenant cleaned the wound with alcohol. His
colonel’s
hands balled into fists. Unfortunately, there was no time to be gentle.
“I’m
going to have to stitch it, Chris.“
“No. Just
bandage it.“
“But...“
“Just do it!“
Vin rapped a
bandage around his leader’s arm as tightly as he could and tied it off.
“Colonel...”
“Up,” Chris
ordered, grabbing Vin and dragging him to his feet. Both men gasped but
set off
without discussion. “Keep your eyes peeled for more scouts.”
The pair could
hear the muffled sounds of their pursuers. Vin glanced at Chris’ arm.
“Shit!
Chris, it’s still bleeding. Stop.”
Chris did so and
Vin frantically tried to adjust the bandage. “That’s a little better,
but I
really think it needs stitches.”
Larabee
swallowed. He was beginning to feel weak. “Come on,” he urged. There
was no
time for Vin to stitch his arm. The men set out along the path. For
almost ten
minutes they pressed on, listening intently to the rebels behind them
who were
closing the gap with each step.
Chris could feel
the blood running down his arm. His heart was pounding and echoing in
his ears.
The jungle ahead of him began to blur. Vin was saying something.
Larabee could
feel himself falling.
“Chris! Oh, God.
Not now, Larabee!” Both men hit the ground hard. Vin lay for several
seconds as
pain radiated through him. The sounds of the rebels forging along the
path
reached his ears. Motivated into action, Tanner dragged himself up and
crawled
across to Larabee. The colonel’s entire side was saturated with blood.
Vin
pulled himself free of his pack and searched it for the medical kit. He
had to
stitch his colonel’s arm or Chris was going to bleed to death.
When Tanner
withdrew the small kit, he found he couldn’t open it. Exhaustion and
pain left
his hands raked with tremors. There was no way he was going to be able
to hold
a needle. Cursing, Vin discarded the medical kit and searched for more
bandages. He found another and rapped the second over the first.
“Chris, wake
up. Come on, Cowboy! I can’t carry you!”
Larabee’s eyes
flickered open.
“Thank, God.
Come on, Colonel, on your feet.”
“Vin?”
“Yeah. No time
for chatting. Up!” Vin yanked Chris upright, but in the process almost
collapsed himself.
Tanner’s cry
seemed to reach down to the place Chris was falling to and drew him
back to
full consciousness. “Vin?!” Larabee grabbed Tanner and together they
forced
themselves to their feet.
The wounded
soldiers, leaning heavily on each other, began to move forward
resolutely. Vin
could feel Chris leaning on him more heavily with each step. “Hang on,
Chris.
We can’t be far from the road.“
They forged on
another thirty feet. Larabee began to slump “Chris?! Chris, don’t pass
out,
again!” Too late. Larabee collapsed against his partner. Vin struggled
to hold
them both upright but he was exhausted and his legs weak. The pair
crashed to
the ground in a heap.
Voices filled
the air. The rebels were coming. Vin lay for several seconds, trying to
push
the burning agony away. “Chris?” Tanner whispered, urgently. God,
damn it,
Chris.
The sounds of
men moving reached Vin’s ears again. He and Larabee couldn’t be
captured. Vin
withdrew his revolver. He swallowed. ‘Cold day in hell’. Tanner’s eyes
fell on
his best friend’s pallid face. We almost made it, Cowboy. Don’t
worry, I
know what I have to do, Colonel.
Vin heard
shouting. Tanner pulled himself upright. As he did so, he realized the
area
around him was bathed in sunlight. The sharpshooter gasped. They were
out of
the jungle! He and Chris were lying on the road! They’d made it! But
where was
the jeep?! Tanner forced himself to his knees and then dragged himself
to his
feet. He swayed as he scanned the gravel track. Chris had assured him
that they
would come out within a few hundred feet of the jeep, but which way?!
Vin studied the
ground. There was only one set of tyre tracks and they looked a day old
so they
had to belong to the team’s jeep. They’d come too far! Tanner leaned
down and
shook Larabee roughly. “Chris! Come on, Chris, we’ve almost made it!”
Larabee
failed to move.
Tanner glanced
into the jungle. He could hear a group of men coming toward him -
probably a
scout group out in front of the main troop, Vin realized. Vin knew he
and Chris
couldn’t remain in the open, but the shortest distance to the jeep was
via the
road.
Vin leaned down,
grabbed Chris’ arms and began to drag his colonel along the dirt track
on his
back. Vin’s leg was quaking under him, but he forced himself on.
Unfortunately,
Tanner’s strength was leaving him in a rush. The blood pumping though
his head
was pounding against his temples. He was beginning to see double. God,
just
a little further! Vin prayed the jeep wasn’t far or he would be
forced to
end both their lives so the rebels couldn’t capture them.
For more than
twenty feet, Vin hauled Chris. The young man was barely able to stand,
but from
somewhere he found the strength to keep pulling his friend along. Out
of the
corner of his eye, Vin spotted the camouflaged jeep.
“Yes!” The
relief was overwhelming and in that instant, Tanner felt darkness
closing in
around him. With dogged determination, he pushed it aside and steered
Larabee
across to the vehicle. Vin released his colonel and began to tear the
camouflage off the jeep. Then he turned, limped back to his best friend
and
dragged Chris the final few feet. Tanner gripped the vehicle with his
right arm
to steady himself and using his left, tried to pull Chris up. His
muscles
strained against the burden, but his leg gave way and he collapsed down
onto
one knee. Refusing to give up, Tanner hauled himself up. He was now
beyond
feeling pain. The adrenaline in his system was charging him on. Vin
took a hold
of Larabee again and with a roar of determination, dragged his colonel
up. With
a push, he shoved Chris into the jeep.
Exhausted, Vin
paused panting. Larabee stirred. “Chris?”
“Huh?”
“Sit up,” Tanner
instructed, gripping the jeep and leaning on it heavily as he made his
way to
the driver’s side. “Chris, get a rifle ready. I can hear the rebels.”
Tanner stood
next to the car, drew in a deep breath and then jumped up into the
vehicle. He
screamed in agony.
“Vin?!”
Tanner lay, half
in the vehicle, half hanging out. Larabee grabbed his friend’s arm and
dragged
Tanner into the seat.
Vin righted
himself, reached down and...”Keys?! Oh, shit! Buck’s got the keys!”
“No, I’ve got
the second set in my webbing.” Chris reached into his belt and withdrew
them.
“Hang on to your
hat!” Vin started the jeep and sent it rocketing out onto the road. He
slammed
the accelerator pedal to the floor and the vehicle shot off in an
explosion of
noise.
Ahead, Vin
spotted the lead group of six rebels pouring out onto the track. “Get
down,
we’re going straight through them!”
Chris raised his
rifle. The rebels knelt and began to fire on the jeep. Larabee knew
every shot
had to count. He fired six and the six men in the middle of the road
fell. Vin
ploughed through the group.
“We’re through!
We need to call the boys. Chris? Chris?!” Larabee had passed out again.
Vin
reached down into his own webbing and pulled out his cell phone. As he
tried to
dial, the jeep hit a pothole and the phone spilled from his hand.
“NOOOOOO!”
Tanner slammed on the brakes and glanced back. He couldn’t see the
phone.
Tanner threw the jeep into reverse, but the phone was nowhere to be
seen. Vin
realized it must have bounced off into the grass and bushes at the edge
of the
track. For several seconds, Tanner sat frozen in horror. It was gone!
His only
chance to... “Chris?! Chris, I need your phone!”
A shot. Tanner
responded immediately, starting the jeep and sending it hurtling back
along the
road. Vin shook Chris with one hand, the other gripping the wheel to
keep the
jeep on the road. “Chris! Wake up!”
Larabee groaned.
“Come on, Chris!”
“What’s wrong?”
the colonel asked, groggily.
“You’re phone!”
“Huh?”
“You’re cell
phone. We need to call the boys.”
Chris reached
into his webbing, but the pocket that usually held the phone was empty.
“I must
have dropped it.”
“WHAT?!” Vin
cried.
“What’s wrong
with yours?”
“I dropped it
out of the jeep. Where the hell does this road take us?”
“I don’t know.”
“Great. Just
great! Look, I think we... Chris? Chris?!” Larabee’s head lulled to one
side.
The massive amount of blood he’d lost was making it impossible for him
to
remain awake. “Hang on, Cowboy. We’ll get out of this, yet.”
Abruptly, a
chopper swooped over the pair. The pilot leered at the two men but
swept
passed. Tanner knew the rebel would radio the jeep’s position. It was
only a
matter of time before other rebels came to make the intercept.
Vin concentrated
on driving. For twenty minutes he was able to focus, but finally, his
body
began to falter. The pain was becoming too much. He realized he needed
some
more of the alcohol, but he’d have to be careful not to have too much
or he
would knock himself out. Tanner slowed a little and tried to grasp his
pack,
but it was out of reach.
“I’ll get it,”
Chris murmured.
“You’re awake?”
Vin cried startled.
“Yeah.” Larabee
retrieved the flask, removed the lid and handed it to Tanner. Vin took
several
long draws from the bottle before handing it back. Almost instantly, he
felt
the anaesthetizing effect.
“Mother’s milk,”
Vin cried. He was still high on adrenaline. “How are you feeling?”
Larabee took the
canister back and tipped it to his own lips.
“Hey, easy does
it, Cowboy,” Vin chuckled, watching as Chris downed the rest of the
contents. “Better?”
“Hell, yes.
Where are we?”
“God knows.”
Larabee dropped
the empty canister to the floor. The bottle rolled across to Vin’s
side. Tanner
kicked it out of the way with his good foot, but it struck something.
Vin
chanced a look down.
“My phone!” The
small cell phone had not fallen from the jeep but slipped to the floor!
“Hold
the wheel a minute.”
“Vin?!” Chris
screamed as his excited lieutenant disappeared under the dash in search
of the
elusive phone. “Vin, get back up here!” the colonel shouted, trying to
keep the
jeep on the road. Tanner reappeared with phone to his ear.
“Come on....
come on... pick up. J.D.?! J.D. that you?!... What’s going on? Hell, I
think
I’ve lost the signal!” Vin turned to Chris. “It was J.D., I’m sure it
was. The
Kid’s okay! J.D.? Ya there, J.D.?”
“Vin, you’re
alive!” Josiah’s voice boomed out of the small receiver.
“And Chris? What
about Chris?!” Ezra demanded.
Tanner glanced
at Larabee as he retook the wheel. “Larabee’s in a real shitty mood.”
There
were yelled expressions of euphoria from the other end of the line.
“Give me the
phone, Vin,” Chris insisted, glaring at his friend. Tanner was supposed
to be
focused on driving!
“Talk about
giving a man a heart attack! We saw you go down, J.D. Ya sound okay!”
“Give me the phone!”
Chris repeated.
“I’m talking
here.”
“Give me the
phone!” The jeep hit a pothole, tossing the occupants around. “For
Christ’s
sake keep your hands on the wheel! You’re going to kill us.”
“See, real
shitty,” Vin chuckled. The relief of hearing his friends’ voices had
sent
adrenaline flooding Tanner’s already swamped system. He was high as a
kite.
“They’re alive!”
J.D. cried happily
“How badly are
you hurt?” Nathan demanded. Vin chanced a look at Chris. Neither were
surprised
the medic had detected the pain in their voices. “How badly are you
hurt?”
Nathan repeated.
“I took one in
the leg. It’s okay. Cranky Cuss dug it out. Chris is the one who’s in
trouble.
Arm’s bleeding,“ Vin stated with real concern. “Haven’t been able to
stop
Chris’ arm from bleeding.”
“Where are you?”
The jeep swerved
crazily over the road as Vin attempted to drive with one hand.
“Give me the
phone! That’s an order, Lieutenant!” Chris grabbed at the phone at the
same
time as Vin was attempting to pass it to him. They juggled it between
them.
“Vin? Chris?
COLONEL?! Jackson yelled into the receiver.
Chris finally
regained control of the small instrument. “We’re okay. Just a minor
disagreement over the phone. Vin’s drunk as a skunk,” Chris chuckled.
Like Vin,
he felt unfathomable relief. Larabee was weak and tired, but he had to
mobilize
his boys before he passed out again.
“Bullshit. Ain’t
that drunk. Just... what’s Bucklin say? Tipsy. Yeah, I’m tipsy!”
“He’s drunk. I had to fill him
up on the
alcohol. Dug a bullet out of his leg yesterday. It seems okay. We’ve
both had a
fair bit of the alcohol.” Larabee studied his best friend‘s face.
Tanner’s
expressive blue eyes echoed so much discomfort. “Vin’s in a lot of
pain.”
“I’m alright,
Chris,” Tanner insisted, quietly. “Tell him about your arm.”
“Why the hell is
he driving if he’s so drunk?” J.D. asked curiously.
“I’m drivin’ because Chris keeps
passing
out! Tell him about your arm! It’s bleeding again!”
“Keep your eyes
on the road! Slow down! You’re gonna kill us!”
“Can’t do that,
Cowboy. When you passed out earlier, a chopper swooped over the top of
us. They
know where we are.”
“WHERE ARE
YOU?!” Josiah demanded. “We’ll come and get you.”
“Are you boys
still in the country?” Larabee asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
Those words were the ones that Chris needed to hear. His boys were
close - he
and Vin were out of trouble. As Chris relaxed, the unconsciousness he
had been
holding at bay, claimed him.
“Well, if you
fellas could get off your asses and come and pick us up, Chris and I’d
be
real... Chris? CHRIS!” ...
**
“...which was
when Chris passed out again,” Vin murmured. The wounded lieutenant had
taken up
the story some time earlier, but in the past few minutes, his voice had
become
softer and he had begun blinking. Nathan raised his hand to the others,
signalling
silence. Tanner was drifting off to sleep and Nathan didn’t want anyone
interrupting that process. “I pulled up... and then dragged him out of
the
jeep. Knew I needed to... keep an... eye.........” And Vin Tanner
slipped off
to the world of nod.
His friends just
stood. They were stunned. They all knew what had happened following the
point
when Vin had dragged Chris from the jeep. Considering all that their
colonel
and lieutenant had been though, the pair’s survival was even more
staggering.
“My God,” J.D.
murmured.
Chris sighed and
closed his own eyes. He and Vin had survived together. Both had needed
the
other. Both had played their part. Content, Chris, too, drifted off to
sleep.
“Alright, boys.
We need to let them rest,” Nathan whispered. The medic ushered his
companions
out of the room and pulled the door closed.
“They’re going
to be alright,” Buck stated, with a glowing grin.
All of the men
found themselves smiling. “With a lot of rest,” Nathan qualified.
“After
hearing what they went through...”
“It’s
incredible,” Ezra agreed.
“How the hell
did Chris carry Vin all those miles?” Josiah murmured.
“Sounds like Vin
walked a lot of them.”
“Yeah, with
Chris dragging him.”
“I get the
feeling they were dragging each other.”
“Right now, they
need to sleep. Depending how they are this afternoon, we might see if
we can
fly home.”
“I’ll contact
Ollie. He’s staying at the airport motel until he hears from us.”
“So, what do we
do now?” Josiah asked.
“I’m a bit
tired,” J.D. stated, quietly.
“Go back in there
to your bed and rest,” Nathan ordered. “The rest of you, why don’t you
go back
to the embassy and collect our things. As soon as I feel they’re strong
enough
to be shifted, we’ll take them home.”
Ezra smiled. The
other men eyed him curiously. “Now what the hell has tickled your
fancy,
Standish?” Buck demanded.
“Home. What a
beautiful word.”
Buck clapped
Ezra on the back and then he, Josiah and Ezra headed for the elevator.
Nathan decided
he had better go and ‘explain’ things to the hospital administration
and after
telling J.D. where he was headed, the doctor disappeared down the
corridor. As
he vanished into the elevator on the right, the one on the left opened
and
General Freleagus and his men stepped out!
Part
Sixteen
“They’re
alive?!” Mary repeated.
General Travis
nodded. “Don’t ask me how, but apparently they are alive and eating
pizza!”
“But you said...
thank, God.” Mary covered her mouth with her hand.
The general
slipped his arm across her shoulders. “I called Nathan and he said he’s
hoping
to bring them home tonight.”
“I better get
the place ready,” Mary murmured, dashing into the kitchen and pulling
pots and
pans out. She grabbed the mail and the small package for Vin and
shifted them
to the corner of the bench out of her way.
“Mary, I think
you better wait and see...” The look that the woman gave her
father-in-law
silenced him.
“They need a
decent meal.”
Travis nodded
and backed out of the room. Taking on terrorists and foreign armies was
one
thing, but interfering with Mary Travis’ plans to care for those she
cared
about was another altogether!
**********
J.D. moved
restlessly in his bed. He was tired, but he couldn’t get his mind to
settle.
Finally, the boy decided to go and get a glass of water from the
bathroom
connected to the room. J.D. climbed from his bed and padded silently
into the
small ensuite. He pulled the door closed, not wanting to wake his
friends with
his movement.
J.D. filled a
glass he selected from the shelf and downed the water in own gulp.
Outside, he
heard the door open. Nathan must be back.
A voice filled
the room speaking a language the youth didn’t understand. J.D. pushed
the door
open to find out who was in the ward. Abruptly, he was grabbed. A fist
rocketed
into his stomach. The boy doubled over. A second blow sent him to the
floor.
“Secure the
hallway. I want to get some answers before I kill them,” Freleagus ordered. All but two
men left
the ward. One moved to the door, the other walked across to stand next
to
Tanner.
Chris awoke
immediately. The Colonel took the scene in and dived at Nathan’s
revolver that
was sitting on the small table beside him.
“Don’t, or the
boy dies,” Freleagus ordered calmly. His own gun was pressed against
J.D.’s
temple.
Chris paused. He
could make the shot before this bastard pulled the trigger, but the
nerve
action may see the other man’s fingers tighten on the trigger and J.D.
wouldn’t
have a chance.
“Drop the
weapon. Do it!”
Chris paused a
moment longer and then dropped his revolver over the side of the bed.
Freleagus
smiled. He drew his hand back from J.D.’s skull and then slammed his
weapon
against the boy’s head. Dunne slumped to the ground unconscious.
Larabee’s
cheek twitched, but his face remained free of emotion.
“Who are you?”
Freleagus asked, moving toward Larabee. The man next to Tanner shook
the young
lieutenant, roughly.
“Leave him. He
hasn’t regained consciousness,” Chris growled.
“Katinese. You
served in the past conflict?”
“Yeah.”
“What were you
doing in my jungle?”
“Sightseeing,”
Chris snarled.
Freleagus
smiled. “Who was it you came to rescue? You are soldiers. You weren’t
on the
plane that crashed. Who was it that was so important that you were
prepared to
remain behind?”
“I don’t know
what you’re talking about,” Chris replied in a harsh voice.
The man standing
near Vin rounded the young man’s bed and stopped near Larabee. Tanner’s
eyes
opened a slit. He assessed the scene. They were outnumbered and out
gunned -
again. They couldn’t do anything. They needed to get word to their
companions.
On the table next to Vin’s bed was a mobile phone. Tanner slid his arm
out
slowly. His fingers encircled the small device and then he drew it
under the
blankets.
“I am not a
patient man. Do you have any idea who I am?” Freleagus demanded.
“You’re Juan
Freleagus. You served the last president as head of security and the
army. When
the new president took over, you were removed from office because your
policies
of war were not wanted.”
Keep talking,
Chris. Vin
felt for the
numbers on the phone and rang Ezra’s number.
**********
“Taxi is on the way,” Ezra
informed his companions, thrusting the phone into his pocket. They were
standing outside the building in the early morning sun. “What a
beautiful day.
If I never see another jungle in my life it will be...” The buzz of his
phone
caught his attention. “Hello, Standish... hello?” Ezra’s brow furrowed.
He
could hear voices.
“Ezra what is
it?”
All of a sudden
Ezra’s eyes enlarged. His head snapped up to the window of the room he
knew Vin
and Chris to be in. “OH MY GOD! The Ghosts of Freedom are up there!”
Standish,
Sanchez and Wilmington bolted back into building.
**********
Vin knew Ezra
had answered. Now he just had to pray that Standish understood what was
going
on. He and Chris needed to play for time.
“You collected
together a number of disgruntled soldiers and fled to the jungle where
you have
been building an army to overthrow the government,” Chris continued.
“You’re well
informed. I am only going to ask you one more time. Who are you and
what was on
that plane.”
Larabee face lit
up with an amused grin. Freleagus raised his gun.
“A new weapon,”
Vin cried. Everyone turned to stare at him. “The plane was carrying a
new
weapon.”
“Go on,”
Freleagus pressed, lowering his gun and turning his attention to Tanner.
“I’m sorry,
Colonel, but I’m not going to die for some weapon that didn’t even work
properly,” Vin snapped across to Chris. Their eyes met.
The boys are
on their way.
Chris didn’t
know why he understood the message, but the look in Vin’s eyes told him
that
somehow, Tanner knew Buck and the others were on their way here. Vin
flicked
his eyes to the side table. Chris’s eyes narrowed. The phone? You
rang them?
Yep.
“I want to know about the
weapon.”
“Powerful. Like
nothing the world has ever seen,” Vin offered, licking his lips.
Freleagus
frowned. “But it doesn’t work properly?“
“I don’t know
exactly. They were bringing it down here to test it again.” Vin was
saying the
first thing that came into his mind. He had to keep Freleagus occupied
until
the others arrived.
“So why were you
so desperate to rescue the men on the plane?”
“They were the
scientists who found it.”
“Found it?”
“Yeah, it’s from
an Alien space ship.” Larabee’s eyes widened momentarily.
“What?”
Freleagus asked, suspiciously.
“I swear,” Vin
insisted. “It came from Area 51. Majestic 12 captured the device back
in the
sixties.”
Freleagus and
his two companions exchanged glances.
J.D. stirred.
The general inclined his head. One of his soldiers dragged the youth to
his
feet.
“Tell me about
the weapon?” the general demanded of the boy.
“He doesn’t
speak Katinese,” Chris stated, quickly.
“Then I will
speak English. Tell me about Majestic 12!”
**********
Josiah, Ezra and
Buck leaped into an elevator. Ezra continued to listen to the muffled
conversation taking place over the phone.
“What’s
happening?” Buck demanded, as he readied his weapon.
**********
The soldier holding
J.D. thrust him toward Freleagus.
“Tell me about
Majestic 12!” the general repeated.
J.D.’s eyes
widened. He shot a look of confusion at Vin. Tanner nodded his
encouragement.
“Well,” the boy started, looking bewildered. “Majestic 12 was a TOP
SECRET
research, development and intelligence operation responsible directly
to the
President of the United States. It was involved in the assassination of
President Kennedy and dealt with top secret stuff involving aliens.”
“Why are you
talking in the past tense?” Freleagus demanded.
J.D. glanced
back at Vin.
“Majestic 12 was
shut down a few years ago, or so everyone thought,” Tanner stated,
quickly.
J.D. was beginning to understand. “Loengard, an agent working against
Majestic
12, contacted the President recently claiming to have a very, very
powerful
weapon that he had stolen from Colonel Frank Bach who was high up in
the
Majestic operation.”
“The weapon had
been taken from an alien ship and was powered by technology that was so
astounding, that the President ordered it tested,” J.D. picked up the
story.
“So Loengard and
a group of scientists were headed for Antarctica to test the thing when
they
crashed into the jungle. We were commissioned to get them out of
there,” Tanner
finished. The young man prayed that his fairy-tale had given the rest
of his
team time to arrive.
**********
“Ezra?” Buck
asked.
“I’m not sure.
J.D. seems to be talking about that show he likes - “Dark Skies.”
“Dark Skies?!
Give me the phone,” Buck ordered, snatching it. He listened intently.
“Are you
sure there are any rebels?” Wilmington demanded of Ezra. At that
moment, the
elevator doors opened. The ten Ghosts of Freedom fighters lining the
corridor,
turned toward the group, saw their rifles and opened fired.
Ezra, Buck and
Josiah threw themselves to the extremities of the elevator. Josiah hit
the
button to close the door. The rebels rushed toward them. The doors
closed.
Josiah sent the lift climbing.
“Buck,” Ezra
panted. “I think I can say, with absolute certainty, there are some
rebels in
the hospital.”
“So what the
hell do we do now?” Josiah demanded.
“We need to
clear that hallway.”
Sanchez’s brow
creased. “I may know how. I need to get to the cleaner’s room.”
“Even if we
clear the hall, there are men in the room.”
“And I may know
how to get in there,” Ezra commented. “I’ll need Nathan’s help.”
“Link up with
Nathan. Five minutes at most and we’ve got to hit them,” Wilmington
ordered as
the elevator doors opened. “Stay in touch over the phone.”
“Good luck.”
Ezra disappeared down a hallway.
“Josiah?”
“This way,”
Sanchez ordered.
**********
The gunfire from
the corridor startled Freleagus and his two men. They lifted their
weapons and
covered the three Em7 agents in the room. The gunfire stopped.
Freleagus’ eyes
narrowed. In the silence of the intensive care ward, he could hear a
faint
voice. The general strode toward the source of the sound. He glared at
Tanner
and ripped back the sheets. There, the rebel leader found the cell
phone that
had been communicating his every move.
The general roared
with rage. He grabbed the phone and hurled it across the room and then
turned
and slammed his rifle against the side of Tanner’s head.
“Noooooooo!”
Chris roared, leaping to his friend’s defence. One of the other rebel
soldier’s
slammed his shoulder into the colonel sending him careering to the
floor.
Larabee landed heavily, the wires attached to him ripped from his body.
Weakly,
Chris tried to sit up. J.D. rushed to his colonel’s side and struggled
to
support him.
Freleagus
grabbed a handful of Vin’s shirt. The young man’s face was splattered
with
blood from the gash at the side of his head. Vin fought against the
unconsciousness.
“You will pay
for that. How many men do you have?”
Vin swallowed.
His head was reeling. “More than enough to deal with you,” Tanner spat
back
defiantly.
Freleagus’ hand
moved from Vin’s shirt front to his throat and aggressively, he applied
pressure. “I have killed more men in my life than you and the rest of
your
annoying little band has even thought about killing, soldier!”
Vin maintained
eye contact with his attacker. “I wouldn’t bet on that, general,” Tanner
choked out. His lungs began to ache. Where the hell are you boys?
**********
Nathan had met
Ezra some moments before, after being contacted by phone. The startled
medic
followed his partner to the floor directly above the one where their
friends
were being held captive. “Ezra?” he asked.
Standish moved
along the corridor, counting doors. “When we were waiting for Chris and
Vin to
regain consciousness, I paced the hallway for almost an hour. Their
room is
nine doors along... which is here.” Ezra raced into the ward.
Thankfully it was
empty.
“So, we’re
directly above them?”
Ezra nodded,
grabbed some sheets off the closest bed and began tying them together.
Nathan
followed his lead. “We’ll secure these to the window, climb down and
then...”
“I get the
idea,” Nathan stated. “I left my gun in the room next to Chris.”
“You can use my
rifle. I have my revolver.” As soon as the pair finished tying several
sheets
together, they pushed a bed up against the wall under the window and
secured
their makeshift ‘rope’s’ to it.”
Ezra took out
his cell phone. “Buck?”
“We’re almost
ready. Josiah’s made up some crude tear gas from cleaning products.
We’re gonna
send it up in the elevator. When the doors open, he’s rigged it so it
will
explode. Anyone close to it should be overcome by the stuff. Josiah and
I will
rush the rest of them from the stairs. What about you?”
“We’re ready to
come down the outside of the building and enter through the window.”
“Alright, here
we go. We’re sending the elevator up there, now. Give ‘em hell, boys!”
Ezra nodded to
Nathan. The two men climbed up onto the windowsill. Ezra glanced down
and
swallowed. He hated heights. Me and my bright ideas.
Both men lowered
themselves out the window and climbed down the sheets. They stopped
either side
of the window and remained hidden. Nathan and Ezra craned their necks
to peer
inside.
**********
“Leave him.”
Chris shouted. He couldn’t stand by and watch his best friend be
killed. There
was only one way to stop Freleagus and that was offer him something
that he
wouldn’t be able to refuse. Larabee needed to play for more time. He
had
complete faith in the fact that the rest of the boys would not allow
Freleagus
out of the hospital alive and thus he felt safe offering some
information. “I
am Colonel Christopher Larabee. Leader of the S.T.F.1. If you want to
question
someone, question me!”
“Larabee!”
Freleagus exclaimed, his head snapping back over his shoulder to stare
at the
colonel. The pressure on Vin’s neck eased. The young man drew in a lung
full of
air. He had been seconds away from blacking out.
“You’re Larabee?
Well, well, well. The best of the best.” Freleagus turned back to
Tanner and
smiled in triumphant. Vin was unimportant, but he had pissed the
general off.
Freleagus bodily picked the injured man up and flung him over the bed.
Tanner
crashed to the ground with a gasp. He lay, drawing in oxygen. The
paddles and
cords attached to him had been torn off. Vin turned his head. Blue eyes
met
green.
Chris?
Stay down and
play dead. That’s an order.
But Chris?
Do it!
Freleagus nodded
to the soldier a few feet from Larabee. J.D. rose to his feet, standing
between
his injured colonel and the advancing rebel. The Ghost levelled his
weapon.
“Stand down,
J.D. That’s an order,” Chris snapped. The colonel reached up, and
leaning on
the bed, dragged himself to his feet.
Reluctantly,
J.D. stepped to the side. Freleagus shoved the boy out of the way. The
other
two rebels centred their eyes and weapons on Dunne and Tanner.
“This is an
honour and an unexpected pleasure. You and I have a great deal to
discuss,
Colonel Larabee. I think I may just take you with me.” Freleagus’ eyes
were
alive with excitement. Larabee was very high up in his nation’s
security and
military. If the rebel general could get his hands on some of that
information,
he would make himself an extremely powerful force.
“You’re wasting
your time, General. I won’t tell you anything.”
Freleagus
smiled. “The Kat Cong are not the only ones in these parts who have
mastered
the art of persuasion” Larabee met Freleagus’ eyes with a hard
and
unflinching stare. Now, it was a clash of wills.
The rebel leader
smiled. He raised his revolver and fired a bullet at Larabee‘s feet.
Chris didn’t
move a muscle. The general fired two more times in quick succession,
closer to
Larabee’s feet each time and still Chris didn’t move.
Vin held his
breath. J.D. stopped breathing.
The general’s
eyes became harder. He raised the gun so that it was level with Chris’
head.
Vin remained perfectly still. He knew Freleagus wouldn’t kill Chris.
The
general had already said he wanted him alive. At the moment, he was
just
testing to see how cool a customer Larabee was.
Freleagus fired
again. This bullet flew passed Chris’ right ear and still Larabee
didn’t
flinch. The rebel shifted his aim and sent a fifth bullet whizzing past
Chris’
left ear. Finally, Freleagus lowered his weapon.
“You have balls
of steel, Colonel, just as I have heard. I will enjoy breaking you.“
Larabee’s
defiance spoke volumes. Now it all made sense. Freleagus’ men had been
outclassed by Larabee and his highly trained squad. The rebel general
believed
that this man standing in front of him was the well-known American
colonel. No
one else could have done what he had with so few men. No one else would
have
stood so calmly with bullets whistling around him.
“I’ve seen
enough,” the general snapped, abruptly. “Let’s go. We’re taking him
with us.”
“NO!” Vin cried,
trying to get to his feet. He wouldn’t let them take Chris.
Freleagus and
Larabee continued to glare at each other. “Kill the other two,” the
rebel
general ordered.
Vin moved. He
dived across the bed, knocking Freleagus to one side. One of the other
two
rebels stepped forward. The general turned and lifted his own weapon at
the
fallen and dazed lieutenant. Chris threw himself between Freleagus’s
gun and
Tanner.
J.D. lunged at
the soldier nearest him.
**********
The elevator
doors opened. There was a small blast. A cloud of gas exploded out of
the lift.
The rebels began firing indiscriminately. Choking, those close to the
doors
sank to their knees. Buck and Josiah rushed into the corridor from the
stairs.
They both had handkerchiefs over their faces. The rebels still standing
decided
to make a run for it and headed for the fire escape. Sanchez and
Wilmington
disarmed the four gasping fighters and then knocked them out with quick
sharp
blows.
**********
At exactly the
same time, Ezra and Nathan crashed through the window. Nathan cut down
the
soldier who was locked in battle with J.D. The boy rolled free. Ezra
shot the
man advancing toward Tanner from the left. J.D. roared and tackled
Freleagus
before he could fire at Larabee.
The two fell to
the ground. As they rolled over and over, Freleagus got the upper hand.
Nathan
stepped forward and thrust his rifle to the rebel leader’s temple. The
general
froze.
“GET UP!” Nathan
roared.
Standish rushed
to the door and whipped it open.
“Ezra, there are
six making a run for it!” Buck called. Standish raced down the hallway
after
his companions who were disappearing out through the fire escape.
“Chris?! Vin?!”
Nathan called.
“Okay,” Vin
panted, sitting up and leaning against the wall.
“Ditto,” Chris
called, climbing to his feet. The men heard the sound of gunfire from
outside.
“Go,” Chris
ordered. Nathan snatched Freleagus’ gun and handed it to J.D.
“Shoot him if he
moves!” Jackson turned and rushed out into the hallway to assist his
companions.
Chris leaned
against the bed and waited for the room to stop spinning. “Vin?”
Larabee
glanced down at his friend. Tanner’s head was leaning against the wall,
his
eyes closed. “Vin?”
“Just resting my
eyes.”
“Can you get
up?”
Vin swallowed
and then shook his head. He was utterly exhausted. His body felt heavy
and was
radiating with dulled pain. His head was ringing from Freleagus’ blow.
Chris knew he
couldn’t lift his friend and J.D. was busy. Vin would have to wait
until the
others returned.
“Reckon I’ll
just stay here for a while, colonel”
“You disobeyed
orders!” Larabee growled.
Vin’s left eye
opened. I don’t remember hearing you give me any orders, Cowboy.
Chris glared at
his best friend, but he couldn’t stop the grin appearing on his face.
He hadn’t
actually voiced the order but that didn’t mean that Vin hadn’t
understood his
wishes. “Insubordinate sonofabitch.”
Larabee strode
across the room on shaky legs and collected the fallen weapons from the
two
unconscious rebels. The colonel took them and dumped them on the floor
on other
side of his bed. Overcome with fatigue and weakness, Chris leant back
against
the wall and slid down it.
“Colonel?” J.D.
asked. He was standing in the middle of the room with his back to Chris.
“Just tired,
Kid.” The ordeal had been too much for the injured man.
J.D. licked his
lips, nervously, chancing a quick look at his leader behind him and
then at his
lieutenant who was on his right. Vin’s eyes were closed and Chris
looked liked
he’d passed out. This fact had not slipped by Freleagus.
The general
smiled. “You’re on your own, son.”
“Shut-up.”
J.D. glanced
back into the hallway. “Boys?!” There was no answer. The other four men
had
gone in pursuit of the escaping rebels. J.D. swallowed. Freleagus
spotted the
weapon Chris had been forced to surrender. It was only a few feet away.
“Don’t even
think about it,” J.D. snarled.
The general eyed
the boy. He read the terror in the youth’s eyes. This young man would
not
shoot. It was obvious he had never killed anyone in cold blood. This
boy didn’t
have it in him. Freleagus extended his hand toward the weapon.
“Stop, or I’ll
shoot!” J.D. yelled, his voice wavering ever so slightly.
Vin forced his
eyes open. He read the situation in a split second. “J.D., shoot him!”
Freleagus’ hand
reached the gun. “He won’t. He can’t,” the general taunted.
“J.D. shoot!”
Tanner screamed.
Freleagus’
fingers curled around the weapon. “He‘s not the type. He doesn‘t have
the
guts!” The rebel general raised the gun and levelled it at Dunne.
J.D. fired.
Freleagus was
knocked back by the impact of the bullet slamming into his shoulder.
Chris rocketed
back to his senses and blinked across the room, disoriented.
“Well, done,
Kid,” Vin panted in relief.
J.D. drew in a
long deep breath. He’d done it. He’d never shot someone at point blank
range.
Freleagus lay
for several seconds and then his face blanketed with an evil grin. He
still
held Larabee’s gun. Freleagus pulled himself upright.
J.D. spotted the
weapon. “Drop it!” Dunne barked.
“Make me!” The
rebel general raised the revolver to shoot.
J.D. fired
again. There was an empty click. The boy’s face shadowed with terror.
Freleagus
smiled gleefully. He had known all along that the weapon J.D. held was
out of
bullets. It was the one the general had used to shoot at the S.T.F.1
colonel.
Freleagus drew
himself to his feet. J.D. stepped backwards.
“NOOO!“ Vin
shouted.
Chris grabbed
one of the rifles beside him, but J.D. was blocking his line of fire!
“Good, try! Now,
you all die!”
Larabee and
Tanner made eye contact. Chris sent a rifle sliding across the room,
directly
into Vin’s hands. The sharpshooter snapped the weapon up and fired a
single
well-aimed shot. Freleagus catapulted backwards and toppled to the
floor, a
bullet hole directly between his eyes.
At that moment,
Buck, Ezra, Josiah and Nathan rushed back into the room.
J.D. stood
frozen, his chest heaving. The other men took in the scene. Buck
approached the
boy and slipped his arm over his young companion’s shoulder. “You okay?”
The youth
nodded.
“He did well,
Captain. Real well,” Chris whispered. Nathan rushed across to his
colonel. “The
rest of the rebels?” Larabee demanded.
“In police
custody. They heard the shots and came to investigate,” Nathan informed
his
leader as he examined him. “We need to get you back in bed.
“Nathan! Vin’s
been hurt,” Ezra called.
“What?! Josiah,
get Chris back in bed!” Nathan ordered, racing around and dropping
beside
Tanner. The sharpshooter’s eyes were closed, the left side of his face
smeared
with blood.
“Vin?” Nathan
patted the injured man’s face. “Vin, you with us?”
“Stop slappin’ me.
I hear ya.”
Nathan smiled.
“Looks like you need some stitches. Open your eyes, I want to see your
pupils.”
“Go away and let
me rest... did we get all the bad guys?” the young man asked, opening
his eyes.
Ezra glanced
back at Freleagus. “I think it is safe to say the ‘bad guys’ have been
dealt
with.”
**********
It was just on
4:00am when the plane carrying Em7 set down on the runway at Four
Corners. Late
the day before, Nathan had decided his patients could fly and so the
team had
left in the evening and flown through the night. The group was met by a
very
relieved Mary and Orrin Travis and one exuberant little boy.
“Billy, hush
now,” his mother scolded, drawing the child away from Chris’ stretcher.
“Chris
needs to rest.”
“I’m fine. Sorry
I missed your birthday, Billy,” Larabee apologised as Nathan and Josiah
guided
his stretcher down the plane’s ramp.
Billy stepped
forward, put his arms around Chris’ neck and laid his head next to the
man he
idolised. “It doesn’t matter, Chris.”
“It does matter.
How about tomorrow, we go fishing?” Billy pulled away, his young eyes
lighting
up with excitement.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay, son, move
back,” Nathan ordered. Vin and Chris were wheeled into the house and
carried up
to their rooms. Once Jackson had each settled, he moved downstairs to
join his
weary companions.
“Nathan?” Mary
asked.
“They’re fine,
Mrs. Travis. All they need is lots of rest.”
“I... when Orrin
told me that...”
“Ma cried all
night,” Billy informed the men, helpfully.
Mary blushed
crimson. “Are you hungry?”
“Mrs. Travis, I
could eat a whole cow,” Josiah claimed.
“Sit down and
I’ll go and organise some breakfast, and perhaps we can have a ‘whole
cow’
tonight for dinner”
**********
The hand on the
mantel clock swept to five o’clock. Morning had come and gone and
afternoon was
almost over. All of the men had surfaced after grabbing up to eight
hours
sleep. Tanner and Larabee had been carried downstairs and were lying on
the two
sofas. Nathan continued to fuss around them, making them drink water
and covering
or uncovering them with blankets depending on the changing temperatures
of the
afternoon.
All in all,
Nathan was pleased with each man’s progress. Tanner’s leg would need
some work
but Jackson had already arranged for a physiotherapist to visit for an
hour
twice a day, starting tomorrow. His leg aside, Vin seemed to be
recovering
well. The shocking pain he had gone though had left him quite weak, but
with
some decent food and a lot of rest and care, Vin would be back to
himself in no
time.
Of most concern,
was the fact that the young man had suffered from some intense
nightmares since
returning. Every moment he had been in the jungle had been a trigger
for some
memory locked in his mind. While those memories had been unlocked at
the time,
none had been reviewed until now because Tanner had been able to focus
on the
mission. His returning recollections were not helping - the experience
draining
in itself. However, his friends were well aware of what was happening
and both
Josiah and Chris were assisting him to deal with the trauma he was
going
though. Needless to say, Vin had been quiet... though, that was far
from
unusual.
Chris, too, was
making a pleasing recovery. His arm was sore, but appeared to have
suffered
little damage. With each passing hour, Larabee grew stronger and more
obstinate. Already, Nathan was having difficulty keeping his colonel in
bed.
Finally, there
was J.D. The boy seemed to have overcome any ill effects from his brush
with
death. The bruising was well and truly out and his face was an
interesting
kaleidoscope of green, blue, black and purple. That would fade with
time. So,
physically, J.D. would suffer no permanent damage. However, Dunne had
been a
little withdrawn since the incident in the intensive care ward. It was
the
first time he had pulled the trigger while he could see the face of the
man he
was shooting. Again, it was Josiah who stepped forward to assist his
team mate
to come to terms with what had happened.
“Colonel
Larabee, I have decided that, in the future, when you resolve to accept
a
mission that requires a jaunt into the wilds, I will pass.”
Chris smiled at
Ezra. The pair, Nathan and Vin were the only ones in the lounge room.
“Ya mean ya
didn’t enjoy yourself, Ezra?” Vin chuckled.
“I suppose you
are trying to be funny. Not only will my skin never recover from having
that
obnoxious uniform on for two days, but I flinch every time I see a
worm.”
“A worm?” Chris
asked. “Ohhh, leeches.”
“Precisely.
However, I must say that since returning, I have learned to value some
of the creature
comforts that I have tended to take for granted.”
“Such as?” Vin
asked.
“Such as toilet
seats. Having had to squat like some sort of primitive caveman,... I
fail to
see why that amuses you so hysterically.”
Nathan and Chris
had both burst out laughing. Vin was smirking with amusement.
Josiah and J.D.
entered the room, both men devouring sandwiches that were at least six
inches
thick.
“Are you two
still eating?” Nathan laughed.
“We missed a lot
of meals,” Josiah pointed out.
“Where’s Buck?”
J.D. asked.
“He disappeared
into the study. He’s addicted to those chat rooms on the Internet, you
know,”
Ezra claimed. “It’s quite frightening, really. I think perhaps we
should
contact some sort of support group for him.”
“Is there a
support group for chat room addiction?”
“There should
be!”
Chris’ attention
was drawn to the radio that had been on in the background. “Turn it
up,” he
ordered.
J.D. trotted
across and did so.
“... police took
a number of the rebels into custody outside the hospital. According to
our
sources, there had been a confrontation between the Ghosts of Freedom
and a
small group of American soldiers.”
“Ouch,” J.D.
murmured. Travis had told them to stay out of the news. All of the men
were
relieved that the general had gone home earlier in the day. Not that
that would
prevent him from wanting to ‘discuss’ the point.
“During the
confrontation, General Juan Freleagus was shot and killed, effectively
freeing
the country from the threat of being forcibly taken over by his rebel
group. We
have been told that the group of American soldiers was in the area
rescuing
some scientists who were testing a new weapon.”
Vin glanced at
Chris and bounced his eyebrows.
“I see they left
the bit out about alien...”
“Rumour has it
that the weapon could possibly be of alien origin, though little
credence is
being given to this claim.”
All of the men
in the room burst out laughing.
**********
Colonel Doug
Kane, leader of the mercenary group, the Hawks, rose to his feet and
turned off
the radio. He glanced at his second in charge. “So that’s where they’ve
been.”
“How can you be
so sure it was them?” Dalton asked, curiously.
Kane walked to
the doorway and stared outside. “I know.” He understood Larabee... he
was
obsessed with the other colonel.
“Sir, our men
are getting restless.”
“I know. We move
tonight.”
“Sir?”
Kane turned
around. “Larabee’s back in the country.”
“Are we going to
take him down?”
Colonel Kane
stared at the other man. “Yes, but not now. He’s too powerful. We wait.”
Dalton opened
his mouth, but closed it again.
“Is something
wrong?” Kane asked, curiously.
Dalton paused,
considering his options. Should he tell his leader about the little
surprise
package a few of the boys had sent to Larabee and his men? “No, Sir.
There’s
nothing wrong.”
Part
Seventeen
“Buck! Buck, the game’s starting shortly!” Josiah called to his companion. It was 7:30pm and football was about to come on, on the box.
“Coming!” Wilmington shouted.
Nathan, rose to his feet and leaned down over Vin. The young lieutenant had been asleep for the past hour.
“He okay?” Chris asked.
“Yeah. It took a lot out of him.”
Chris lay back and nodded. “I don’t know how he did it.”
“His returning memories are taking their toll, too.”
Ezra, entered the room with a huge bowl of popcorn and placed it on the table in the centre of the room. Both J.D. and Josiah attacked it like it was the first food they had seen in a week.
“Really!” Ezra exclaimed in disgust. Standish took one of the single chairs and Josiah the other. Nathan and J.D. settled on the carpet.
“How long until it starts?” J.D. asked, his mouth overflowing with popcorn.
“Try not to speak with your mouth full. The game is still another ten minutes away.”
From the study, there was a roar of words none of the men could quite pick up. They could all hear Buck talking loudly to himself. Moments later, the big man raced out of the study, a grin plastered across his face. He pointed his finger at J.D.
“You were trying again, weren’t you! You must think I’m stupid. I ain’t falling for something like that a second time.”
J.D. stared up at his friend bewildered.
“Lusty legs,” Buck giggled. “Well, I just sent you a message telling you exactly what I think! Rub chocolate all over me and... huh! I’ve just told you what you can do with your chocolate, Lusty Legs!”
“Lusty Legs?” Dunne asked confused.
“Yeah, first it’s Hot Pants and now it’s... “ Buck’s voice trailed off. He had just realized that J.D. was nowhere near a computer. “You aren’t Lusty Legs?”
J.D. shook his head.
Buck stared at the boy, his eyes growing wider by the second. “Ya aren’t lying to me boy, are ya?!” The big man cried. A fortnight earlier, J.D. had joined Buck’s Internet chats as ‘Hot Pants’ and led his friend to believe he was a hot young woman with the hots for Wilmington. “J.D., I’m serious, now.” Already, Buck knew it was true. The boy needed to be near a computer to be taking part in the chat!
Again J.D. shook his head.
“Oh shit! She was real! SHE WAS SERIOUS!” Buck spun around and darted back into the study. “J.D.! Is there any way to stop a message once you’ve sent it?! J.D.! Get in here, boy! This is an emergency!”
**********
On the other side of the country, in a room darkened to help shield the identity of the occupants, a meeting was taking place.
“What are you doing back in the country?”
“I have some business here,” the man in the shadows stated in a hushed voice.
“What about...”
“He will not be a problem.”
“He was last time,” one of other three men claimed. “We underestimated him.”
“I dealt with him then, I will again.”
“It won’t be that easy.”
“If he gets in the way, I will eliminate him.” The statement was lethal.
“He isn’t alone any more.”
“His reputation has been sullied. No one will believe him. You leave Ezra Standish to me.”
**********
At Four Corners, the lounge room was filled with laughter and chatter. All men turned and watched as a very forlorn looking Buck re-emerged from the study. “She got the message,” he stated, pitifully.
“Oh dear,” Ezra whispered, faning sympathy.
“What did she say?” J.D. asked, grinning.
“You’re too young to hear such language. This is your fault, you know! I thought it was you!”
“You thought I wanted to rub chocolate all over you?”
“Oh, shut-up!”
Mary listened to the men from the kitchen. She was cleaning up after the meal. Buck, Ezra, Josiah, J.D. and Nathan had all offered to help, but she had sent them off. While they weren’t injured as Vin and Chris were, all of the men had been though a terrible ordeal and deserved to rest.
“Coffee?” she called, loudly.
“Yes!” came the collective response.
Josiah entered the kitchen. “I’ll give you a hand, Ma’am.”
“How many was it?”
“Six. Vin’s asleep.”
“How can he sleep through all of that noise?”
“As Vin would say, it depends on how tired you are. Besides, he’s used to sleeping though my snoring.”
Mary smiled. The pair piled the mugs onto the tray. The woman pushed the kettle back into place and turned to join Josiah. As she did so, her elbow knocked the tea towel hanging on the rail. It floated down and landed on the insignificant looking brown package on the bench, covering it - hiding it from curious eyes.
“Josiah! Hurry! It’s starting!” Buck yelled.
Sanchez carried the tray into the room and indicated for Mary to take the spare chair. The woman smiled and shook her head. “No, thank you all the same. I’m heading up to bed. Billy and I will be returning home tomorrow morning. I want to get an early start.” Mary Travis didn’t want to intrude. She understood that she was one of only a few outsiders these men allowed into their private circle. She didn’t want to abuse that privilege. Quickly, she wished the group good night and disappeared up the stairs.
The young woman paused on the balcony and looked down on the men below. What an unusual group they were, she marvelled - a boy, a lady’s man, an ex-preacher, a doctor, a sharpshooter, a colonel and a... and Ezra. They were all so different, and yet, they complimented each other perfectly. As she watched them, Mary sensed the powerful friendship they shared and the genuine affection they had for one another.
These seven men had saved the President’s life. Chris had told her some of what had happened. These seven men had saved a nation from the threat of a rebel takeover. These seven men had protected each other with their own lives.
“Here we go!” J.D. shouted.
Buck dropped beside the youth. “Move over!”
“I was here first!”
“Careful, you’ll knock the popcorn!” Ezra scolded.
“Buck, I’m not moving.”
“I can’t see.”
“Then move the table,” Nathan suggested, sensibly.
“It’s my team playing tonight!” Buck cried.
“So, I want to see the game, too.”
“Watch it!”
“Now look what you’ve done!”
Mary smiled. These seven, deadly, well-trained members of the world’s most elite force were very human and bickered like siblings.
“My team’s gonna kick your ass tonight, Nathan.”
“Hah!” Jackson responded. “They haven’t beaten my boys all season.”
“They will tonight!” Wilmington insisted. “J.D., move over!”
“Kick off” Josiah boomed. All of the men began cheering.
“We’re gonna win this one!” Buck roared.
“Hasn’t even been one minute played, Buck!”
“Look, J.D.... run, run, you stupid bastard! J.D. get out of the... Pass! Pass the ball! Yes! YES!” Buck leaped to is feet, his arm flailing around his huge frame. The popcorn flew up into the air and crashed down into Ezra’s lap.
“BUCK!”
“Haven’t won a game this season!” Buck shouted at Nathan. “Did you see that?!”
“Sit down, Buck!”
“Nathan, you don’t have a chance. Cough up the money now.“
“The game has barely started.“
Chris glanced across at Vin. The young man’s eyes were open. Larabee grinned. Tanner returned his colonel’s smile.
“How are you feeling, Sundance?”
“Not bad. How about you, Cassidy?”
Larabee simply nodded.
All of the men turned their attention to the screen and watched as Buck’s side set their play. “I’ve got ten bucks on this. Give ‘em hell, boys!” Buck cried.
The words echoed in Larabee’s ears. ‘Give ‘em hell, boys.” That’s what he and his men had done. They had overcome both horrendous conditions and almost insurmountable odds, but they had done it together. That’s what put his team apart from others like them. They were the world's most elete response unit - the best of the best. Thankfully, for the first time in almost two weeks, Em7 was under no threat.
In a meeting across
the country...
in their very own kitchen...
“Yes! Yes! TOUCHDOWN!”
“Sit down, Buck!”
Wilmington began to give a victory dance that saw him trip over J.D., crash into Ezra and sprawl across the coffee table.
“BUCK!” the other six men admonished.
Chris scanned the faces of his team - his family, he realized with affection. Whatever challenge arose in the days, months and years ahead, he and his team would....
“GIVE ‘EM HELL, BOYS!”
The End
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