Desperate Situations Page 5

  Megan smiled back. "Did it hurt you?"

  "Only a little." Jake's smiled grew. "Seriously, it's nice to know that back up is so dedicated."

  "It's getting thick in here," Megan said chuckling.

  Jake joined in. "I checked you out after the Iraqi rescue and, except for some negative comments about your attitude, all I heard, especially from the pilots, were high compliments."

  "Yeah, I got them hood winked." Megan leaned forward as her phone rang and picked it up. "Cartwright." She listened for a few seconds. "Okay. Why can't the Coalition pick him up?"

  Jake watched as she frowned.

  "Okay, we're on our way." She tossed the phone in its cradle. As she stood, grabbing her helmet and scarf from the cabinet behind her, she motioned for McGrew to follow. "Gather any of the crew you that can find. Meet me in the hanger as soon as possible. Find Cowboy."

  They exited the room and she took off running down the hall.

  ***

  Megan grimaced at the three crewmen present, Cowboy, Fisher, and Cupcake. "Where are the rest?" she asked McGrew.

  "Couldn't find them."

  She looked around. "Okay, then we're it. We have a medical rescue. We're picking up a military doctor, then a young victim, and taking them back to the U.S. military hospital." She motioned to Cowboy who headed out to Famine being fueled on the runway. "Fisher, you'll be in charge in back. Cupcake, you'll be with the doc and his people as protection. Both of you get your normal, hot mission equipment, with full body armor. Be back here in…" She glanced at her watch. "Five minutes."

  Both men took off running to the barracks. Less than five minutes later, they were fully loaded and ready. They climbed in back and put helmets on, plugging in their headsets. Famine was already warmed up, blades twirling.

  "Guys, we're heading into a hot zone, so don't spare bullets if need be," Megan said as she increased the blade speed. She glanced at Cowboy who was just finishing with the last pre-flight item. "Ready?"

  "Ready, Darlin'."

  Famine went airborne.

  "Cupcake?"

  "Yes, Ghost?"

  "Here are your instructions. You're the security on this detail. The military doc and medic are top priority. Next comes the little kid. Under no circumstances is anyone allowed near my aircraft. I mean no one comes near―no mom, no dad, no crying grandparents, no village leader, no anybody. Do not accept gifts from anyone. And…" She hesitated a second. "Pat the kid down. Do a thorough inspection of his entire body. Understand?"

  "What's this about, Ghost?"

  "I don't have time to explain. Just follow orders. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, Chief."

  "Fisher, get both door guns ready. When we're landing and taking off, Cupcake will man one of them. He shouldn't have problems with anything, but help him if he needs it. Sorry to throw this at you Cupcake, but I'm sure you'll adapt."

  Soon they picked up the military personnel and were heading into mountains surrounding the city.

  "Fisher, Cupcake, get into position. We'll be at the pick up zone in two minutes."

  The landing went off without a hitch. They were in a valley similar to the one earlier. Again poppy fields were the dominant feature, but this time the village was larger with more houses.

  McGrew accompanied the two medical personnel to the gathered group of Afghan locals. It seemed that the entire village had come out to see the helicopter. And the crowd continued to get bigger as the Bird sat on the ground, blades still rotating.

  Megan cursed as she watched the growing crowd. She no longer see Cupcake and the medical personnel. "What's taking them so long?" she asked no one in particular. "Cowboy?"

  "My side's clear, Girl."

  "Fisher?"

  "Don't see none looking funny, Ghost."

  Megan's eyes roamed the group trying to watch everyone and everywhere. Finally, she spotted the Americans. The two medical people were bent over working near the ground. Jake was trying to keep people away from them, so they could work. "I don't like this."

  "Who's this anyway, to warrant us comin' on this little roundup?" Cowboy asked as his eyes panned the small field.

  "Masood's forth cousin twice removed or something, some relative that's connected to his tribe and a family member of this area's warlord. This is a personal favor from Masood. The kid's maybe a year or so old."

  "And this kid? What's the emergency?"

  "I don't know. A head injury of some sort. Something about the kid fell off the roof last night. Why they don't put a fence on the roof tops when they sleep there in the summer to beat the heat, I'll never understand. The military picks up a few every year because of this." Megan saw the small group heading back to the chopper.

  She watched as McGrew shook his head at an elderly woman who was pointing and crying. He kept trying to shake off her arm as she kept grabbing him. His attention was divided between her and the military personnel carrying the child. With a final headshake to the old woman, he took her hand off his arm and pointed away from the aircraft. Then he hurried to the side of the medical personnel.

  Megan continued to watch the slowly departing crowd as she heard the three scrambling in the back. Most of the people backed farther away, except the father, mother, and elderly woman. She narrowed her eyes watching them.

  The parents looked truly distraught but the elderly lady didn't look particularly sad anymore. Megan's left hand started to leave a slight sheen of sweat on the collective. She added more power but waited before lifting off for the 'go ahead' from Fisher.

  Finally, his voice came on. "We good. Go Ghost."

  As Megan lifted off, she still watched the retreating crowds. Her eyes flicked to the family members. Megan’s eyes narrowed more at the way the elderly lady was smiling.

  "Damn it. Cupcake?"

  "He not on," Fisher replied. "He helping doctor."

  "Ask him if he inspected the kid. And tell him to get the damn headset on." Megan hovered the chopper twenty feet off the ground as the elderly lady's eyes met hers.

  Within seconds, Jake's voice came on the intercom. "I'm on."

  "Did you inspect the kid?"

  "All except the big bandaged area on the head of the baby. And he’s head is strapped to- Why?"

  "I told you everywhere. Do it now."

  "The doc said…"

  "Something isn't right. Pull those bandages off. Now!"

  There was silence for several seconds. Megan saw the elderly lady get a puzzled look on her face. There was arguing over the intercom between Jake and the doctor.

  "Shit. The kid has some sort of…." Jake's voice stopped.

  "Get it off my ship now! Toss it out the left side away from the crowd," Megan said still hovering above the field.

  "Open the door. Damn. It's stuck." McGrew's voice was heightened.

  Megan cursed under her breath. Her eyes locked with the elderly lady who smiled at her, then chuckled.

  The parents stopped focusing on the helicopter and turned to the old lady. There was confusion on the ground, lots of yelling at each other. The elderly lady spoke with what could only be a sneer at the father and mother. With that, the mother screamed and fell to the ground crying, with her hands held toward Famine. The father of the child hit the elderly lady. And hit her again.

  "Get it out now!" Megan repeated.

  "Out!" McGrew yelled.

  Megan accelerated up and off to the right. The blast rocked the helicopter but with a quick adjustment to the foot pedals and some fancy maneuvering, she kept the craft under control.

  Some distance above the ground, Megan hovered. She glanced at Cowboy who wiped his brow and shook his head. They glanced down at the small gathering to see the father of the child beating the old woman, probably to death.

  Megan muttered a curse. "How's the kid?" she asked to no one in particular in the back of the helicopter.

  Fisher answered. "Doctor is stopping blood from leaking. Bomb thing was, uh, near head. Stuck in blood and ba
ndage. Wound is ugly."

  "Yeah." Megan gave out another breath in relief. She shook her head and tried to calm her frail nerves. Too close. Again.

  Cowboy summed up her feelings. "Crap. That was an ass burner, Girl."

  ***

  Famine landed at the White Pine compound after dropping off the injured child and medical personnel. Megan scrambled out of the cockpit as the two crewmen in back were still securing guns and picking up the mess. "McGrew!"

  Jake hopped out of the back. His face hardened. "Yeah?"

  "What the hell were you thinking? I gave you specific orders for a reason." Megan jammed her hands on her hips.

  "Look, the doc said…"

  "I don't give a shit what the doc said. You do what I say. I told you to inspect that kid. You damn near got us killed. We've had other tours here. We know how things go. Don't do that again. When I give you an order, you follow it or you're gone. This was your one mistake."

  "Can I say something?"

  "No. There was no excuse for this. If Famine is damaged, so help me God, I'll drum you out of White Pine. I don't give a shit if you don't like taking orders from me." Megan strode off to the side of the chopper.

  ***

  An hour later, Jake stood in Megan's office doorway, watching the sad expression on her face. She sat at her desk fiddling with her camouflage scarf. She was listening to the phone, not saying anything.

  "I'm sorry, Fahim. Is there anything they can do?" Megan asked softly. She frowned at whatever was said on the phone. "Tell him not to worry. It didn't damage the chopper and there are crazy people everywhere. None of the crew has hard feelings toward him or his village."

  Jake knocked quietly on the door frame to get her attention. Seeing her with defenses down caused a quickening of his heart and made her even more attractive.

  Megan looked up at him and her expression changed. It became hard again. She motioned him in. "No. Thanks. When it happens, please express our condolences… Yes, thanks." Megan placed the phone in the cradle softly, all the while staring at Jake. "What?"

  "Crew reports," Jake said. He hefted the three reports.

  She sat back in her chair still glaring.

  Jake placed them on her desk. "Look, I want to explain―"

  "Look nothing." Megan sprang up, sending the chair crashing into the file cabinet behind her. "Because you didn't follow orders, we about died."

  "Yes, I know, but…"

  "Can you follow orders?"

  Jake swallowed the apology and stiffened. "Yes."

  "Then do it. Get out of my face."

  Jake stood his ground for a second, then strode out of the office. He didn't stop until he entered his room and slammed the door. Slowly, he unclenched his fists and took a deep breath.

  It wasn't that he didn't deserve the dressing down. It was the fact that she hadn't even wanted to listen. The least she could have done was to ask why he hadn't looked the wound area over. But no. She just assumed I didn't want to follow her orders. Damn her.

  He flopped on the bed and laid his arm over his eyes trying to relax.

  ***

  "Chief?" McGrew asked as he entered the briefing room the next day. There had been a note left for him to report early today in the squad room.

  Megan motioned for him to sit near her. "From here on out, you'll be working with me from the beginning of every mission. The faster you're trained, the faster you'll be out of my hair. Kill your own crew."

  Jake sighed softly but sat.

  Megan handed him several sheets of paper. "Pre-mission for today."

  Jake nodded as he looked the paper over. The work order was to provide security for a construction crew of White Pine's along with locals who were rebuilding runways that had been abandoned when the Russians pulled out. Right now Kabul International Airport only had one usable runway, the rest had been bombed during the war with the Taliban.

  Before the Taliban, the Russians had merely used large concrete slabs as a runway, which meant that with every change in season the runway would buckle. Once the new runways were built, bigger cargo planes could be brought in on a regular schedule. This not only facilitated military troop movement, rotation, and associated supplies, but it also meant that people in the city and surrounding communities would again have an international airport―very important for the city and nation.

  "We're support," Jake said. "Do the execs know where this 'possible attack or sabotage' might come from?"

  Megan shook her head then leaned back. "You've seen the runway and area being built. Give me your opinion of where we should deploy security."

  Obviously, she's testing me. Jake thought hard. "Definitely need more security at the entrance to the runway. I'd have at least a couple of guys on the actual building site with local workers watching them. If we're going to get an attack on the ground, it'll probably come from the surrounding foothills. I'd have someone watching that area too." Jake looked at Megan to see if she was satisfied with his answer.

  Megan gave him a cocky smile. "It was a trick question."

  "What?"

  "I doubt there'll be an attack. I'll spread the two crews with the workers like you said, but the rebuilding crew is actually the safest group in the whole area. They're mostly in danger while flying with us or here at base."

  "Excuse me?"

  "What do the terrorists want?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Easy access to the world and their own people in charge. The only way they'll accomplish this is by letting the Coalition rebuild the airport and runways. They want this to happen as much as the U.S. military and the UN forces. Trust me."

  "I guess that makes sense, but what about some crazy fanatic?"

  "Won't happen. Even the fanatics are listening to their warlords, al Qaeda, or Taliban leaders. They need this. So, this is a milk run for us. Several easy days of light duty." She motioned for the pre-mission papers. "You'll be in charge on the ground. Stay alert anyway. Stranger things have happened, but I highly doubt anything will." She glanced at her watch. "Briefing with the full squad, that's our crew and another, in five minutes."

  "About yesterday…"

  "Concentrate on today." Megan turned her attention back to her paperwork.

  Jake waited a couple of seconds then stood up and left. He knew when he was dismissed.

  CHAPTER 4

  Four days later was a celebration of Afghanistan independence from the British. The celebration lasted a couple of days with the actual Independence Day on Friday. It was a time of feasting and a chance for employees of White Pine to see the real Afghanistan people.

  As predicted, the last several days had been a milk run. Not a whisper of trouble. Actually boring. Megan walked into the base office when one of the clerical walked up to her with a big smile on her face.

  The secretary wore a head scarf while on base but off base wore the full chadari, sometimes mistaken as a burqa in the West. This was a full covering from head to feet of blue or white material with a mesh opening for the eyes. Even after the Taliban had been ousted, most women still wore it in public.

  "Ms. Cartwright."

  Megan smiled at the Afghan woman. Zarin Saikal was not only intelligent, but being the only two females on base they had naturally been drawn together. "Hello Zarin."

  "Mail today." Zarin handed two envelopes to Megan.

  "I got mail?" With only her brother, who she hadn't spoken to in years, and her father being her only living relatives, she never received anything that she didn't send for over the internet. "Thanks."

  "You are most welcome." Zarin smiled and walked off.

  Megan glanced at the outsides of the envelopes but neither had a return address. The post office mark showed them to be from her hometown, which meant they were probably from her dad, who hated to write letters. With a frown, she grabbed the work reports and headed to the briefing room. The rest of the crew was due in a few minutes to turn in reports, then they had a couple days off.

  After sitting down at th
e head of the table, she tore open the first postmarked letter with a frown. It was short and to the point.

  'Megan, I'm writing to tell you that I was taken to the emergency room four days ago after a car accident that I caused. I blacked out and they're still working on the reason why. I don't think it's serious and I considered not even writing you, but I thought that you should at least know about it. I'm home now, only a broken arm. I'll write again if they find out anything. Take care. Dad.'

  The frown deepened as she read. This was not good. She tossed the first letter onto the pile of blank crew reports and tore open the second, postmarked two days after the first.

  'Megan, I have a brain tumor. Cancer. I have an appointment on the sixteenth with some asshole cancer doctor. For all of the shit I went through and this is what's going to kill me. Damn Russians couldn't kill me. I retire and look what happens. I should have stayed in the Company. A bullet would have been faster and easier. Keep your head down, Kid. Love, Dad.'

  Megan swallowed hard. Today was the fourteenth. She leaned her head on both of her hands and stared at the letter she had dropped on the table, her mind completely blank.

  "Hey little Cowgirl, I like this kinda job. Fly and park. Fly and park. No shooting at us…" Cowboy began as he walked into the room. He stopped seeing Megan's expression. "Meg? Darlin', you okay?"

  Megan swallowed back the tears threatening to come. She sniffled twice before looking up. With a quick swipe, she brushed her hand over her damp eyes.

  Cowboy slid into the chair next to hers. "What's the matter?"

  Megan gathered the letters up and shoved them under the crew reports. "Just news from home."

  He frowned. "You never get letters from home. Must be somethin' bad."

  Megan merely nodded, pulling out a form and began filling it in.

  "Wanna talk about it?"

  "Nope."

  "Come on. Tell me."

  "I said no." Megan busied herself with the report. "Did you find out if that part was sent for Death?"