Desperate Situations (16 page)

"Can't determine if there are any civilians. Negative," Razorback responded.

"And what happens if it's a welcoming bang for them boys back there?" Cowboy countered.

There was silence for a few seconds. Both pilots knew that they were too far for radio communications with the military base.

"I can't fire on a nonbelligerent target," Razorback finally said.

"And?" Cowboy asked back turning to look at Megan.

"That's all I'm saying, Death. I need to return to the convoy. I'll advise them of the situation. Razorback out." The military Black Hawk flew off.

Megan glanced at Cowboy. "Well?"

"Got me, Darlin'."

"Damn." Megan chewed her lip. She hated these split second decisions. Once more she looked at Cowboy. "I hate this."

"What to do?" he asked, already arming a missile. If they fired one of these babies, there'd be a lot of paperwork. They were extremely expensive.

"Fly by." She tilted the rotors and in a flash flew close enough to almost read the serial numbers off the dashboards.

"Easy, Meg. Too close," he said softly.

"Take a co
uple pictures Kelly―I don't see any bodies."

Cowboy grabbed a digital camera and quickly snapped several pictures as she hovered.

"See the cover over something in back. Could be boxes of explosives."

"Could be," Cowboy said still snapping pictures.

"Eyes," Megan said as she flew the area again.

"Nuthin' and nobody."

"Me either." She backed the helicopter away then glanced at him. "Fireworks, Cowboy."

"Yee-haw," Cowboy said as he hit the button.

From under the aircraft a Stinger missile released. Within seconds, the four trucks were no more. The explosion sent a shock wave that buffeted the helicopter. The blast was too large for just the four vehicles.

Megan smiled broadly. "Jackpot."

"I love my job," he said with an equally huge smile.

"Some days, me too."

Cowboy hit the channel button. "Razorback, this is Death."

"Go head, Death."

"We have determined that there is no longer a threat to the site." He glanced at Megan to see her eyes dancing bright.

A chuckle came back on the radio. "Affirmative, Death. And thank you."

"Ya'all welcome," Cowboy said.

"Have Cupcake investigate from the ground," Megan ordered.

"Death to Cupcake."

There was static on the channel for a second, then background noise of wind and road. "Go ahead, Death."

"In about five miles, ya'll come across a big scorched area where the road narrows. It's still smoking, so ya can't miss it. Check it out. Quickly. Get a ground eyes look-see. We'll cover ya'all from the air."

"Affirmative. Out."

Megan smiled. "Some days it just all comes together."

Within minutes, the convoy passed the burned out remains of the trucks. One Hummer swung to the side of the road and Megan watched as Jake jumped out, followed by Tiny. He and Tiny quickly eyeballed the sight. Both of them bent over a couple of times then hurried back to the running vehicle. Fisher was standing on the hood of the truck, gun out, scanning the area.

A wave from Jake to the helicopter as he entered the Hummer sent both of them flying back to the convoy. Within seconds of it pulling away, the radio crackled to life.

"Death, this is Cupcake."

"Yeah, Cupcake?" Cowboy replied back.

"Toast. Not much left of it. I picked up a couple of pieces of metal. Looks like there might have been a trip wire across the roadway. Looks similar to things I saw in Iraq. What did you hit them with?"

Cowboy chuckled in her ear.

Megan glanced at him, smiling.

"Just a little ol' match, Cupcake."

"Well…" There was a smile in his voice. "That was one hell of a match."

***

The next day they were returning from another supply run to a small village in the mountains. They had been delivering boxes. Unmarked boxes.

Cowboy nudged Megan and pointed down.

Megan glanced over his arm then frowned. She swung the helicopter around to take another look. Two vehicles were smoking on the road, and from their angle, it was a major accident. One had apparently run headlong into the other. There were three bodies lying in and around two brightly colored trucks. One man stumbled out of the truck and fell several feet away.

She hovered watching. There was no other movement along the deserted road or in the immediate area. Her eyes flicked to Cowboy. "What do you think?"

"Who are they?"

The intercom buzzed. "Looks like they need help down there, Ghost," Jake's voice called out.

Megan's frown deepened. She glanced at the fuel gauge then back to the road.

"Gotta be soon, Darlin'," Cowboy said, also eyeballing the fuel gauge.

"Yeah." Megan tilted her head, thinking fast.

"Ghost, people are dying down there," Jake's voice insisted.

"Do you see any indication
of what tribe they are from?" Megan asked as both strained to see anything to ID the people, colors or maybe a turban wrapped a certain way. She moved the aircraft into a different position.

"Nope."

"Ghost?" Jake's voice asked. "What're we waiting for?"

Megan scowled as she hit the intercom button. "ID Cupcake. This could be a trap."

"How would they have known that we were…?"

"I've seen it before," she growled at him.

"At least two are dead," Jake informed her. "The two near the burning truck. One's neck is at an odd angle. The other looks like he hit that huge boulder near by and bounced."

Megan moved the helicopter for a different look.

"The other guy is still moving. The one near him may or may not be dead. I think we should get them."

"When I want your opinion, I'll promote you to co-pilot, Cupcake."

"It's just that they are…"

"This is not a democracy, Cupcake. Do not speak again. That's an order." Megan clicked off the intercom.

"That one guy is moving," Cowboy agreed.

Megan was already turning the helicopter around 360 degrees for a total view of the area. "Something's not right. I feel it in my bones."

"Or it could get us in good with the local warlord," he suggested.

Megan nodded. She bit her lip. With an angry swat of her thumb, the intercom came on. "Listen up. We don't have the fuel for this but
… Two guys, Cupcake and someone else. Not Gunner, you get a gun ready. I'll settle close to the ground. Hop out. Check those guys fast. Guns at the ready. This could be a trap. We'll cover you from here. Be ready to run. Leave the wounded. Ready?" She didn't wait for an answer but dropped the chopper.

As soon as Gunner called clear, she pulled up and hovered several hundred feet above the area. Both pilots scann
ed nearby hills and valleys.

"Tiny, report on below," Megan ordered. Her eyes panned to Cupcake and Fisher who were moving fast, checking out the four bodies.

"I think two are dead. Cupcake is… the moving guy is alive. So is the one near him."

"Damn, we got company," Megan called out even as she lowered the chopper.

Cowboy glanced in the direction she was looking. Sure enough, four white trucks were quickly approaching on the road. "We got seconds, Girl."

"Damn it." Megan's eyes panned to the two crew members struggling to carry the hurt men back to the hovering aircraft.

Two more of the crew hopped out to help. Before the four and wounded were near the aircraft, Gunner began firing in the direction of the approaching trucks.

A couple shots ricocheted off the side and two plunked into the windshield, one right near Megan's head. Famine jerked a couple inches but still the helicopter hovered.

"Shit. Come on," Megan whispered.

Almost immediately, Tiny's voice sounded, "Go."

The helicopter shot straight up and away. Megan glanced back to see that the four trucks had emptied of men, all of which were firing at them. A couple more bullets hit the helicopter but appeared to do no damage.

Cowboy finally let out his breath. "Gray hair. I'm gonna leave this place with fuckin' gray hair." He smiled at Megan then it faded. "Meg?"

"Fly," she said softly. Her face contorted in pain.

"Got it." Cowboy took control of the aircraft. "How bad?"

Megan let go of the controls with both hands and moved her feet back from the foot pedals as she felt him take control. She grimaced as her left hand grabbed her right upper arm. She pulled her hand away to see blood on it. Moaning, she flexed her right arm.

"Meg?"

Megan shook her head. "Painful, but I've had worse."

"Shoulder?"

"No, arm I think." She turned her arm as best she could with the pain. "Yeah. Damn it hurts." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

"You gonna make it, Meg?"

"Yeah. Just don't break my bird."

Cowboy chuckled nervously.

Megan flicked on the intercom. "Okay, talk to me boys."

Gunner's voice came on. "Two men. Badly
bleeding. One is awake. One is… not awake. Man say he with Tashir village."

Cowboy let out his breath. "Thank God."

Megan nodded. "Do first aid."

"Doing it."

"Gunner, will they make it?"

There was a pause before he answered. "Don
't know."

"How bad?"

Jake's voice came on. "The unconscious one has head injuries. Pretty severe head injuries, I say. The other one has lots of cuts and bruises, maybe internal injuries. He's fighting us and keeps repeating something." Jake must have leaned forward toward the injured man because the man's weak voice sounded over the intercom speaking Dari.

Megan grimaced again before speaking, her hand pressing hard into her arm, blood beginning to leak around her fingers. "Cupcake, repeat these words to him as best you can…." She spoke slowly and deliberately. Megan heard Jake repeating them over the intercom right after her. "It means we're friends."

There was another pause on the intercom. "Thanks. That seemed to settle him down."

"Do the best you can, Cupcake." She clicked off the radio. "Oh God!" She bent over in pain. "Damn, this hurts."

Cowboy flashed a look her way.

"I'll make it. One lousy, little bullet isn't sending this Ghost to heaven." She tried a smile for him.

"Heaven? Woman, you're going to hell for sure. In two days, you'll be running the joint."

Megan chuckled and grimaced at the same time. "Well, I'll save a spot up front for you."

"Do that, Darlin'. Just hold on. We'll be at the military hospital lickety-split."

"Yee-haw," Megan said softly.

***

Megan worried as she waited in the emergency room of the military base. Right before they landed, Famine
began acting up, which meant that another of the bullets had hit something vital. Cowboy had gotten on the runway with only minor cursing, but she had no idea what the problem was.

The three injured had been transferred to a waiting vehicle, which immediately headed to the hospital. With only one doctor on duty, she had to wait,
since the two guys were in far worse shape than her. A male nurse checked her out and proclaimed her 'not likely to die.' His attempt at humor. In reality, it was a minor wound. And now that she had taken painkillers, she was only worried about her aircraft.

A knock sounded on the door. Jake stuck his head in. "Hi."

Megan scowled.

"Okay, so you're still mad." He walked in and stood just inside the door. "I came to give you a report on Famine."

"Yeah?"

"Bullet nicked one of the linkages. It'll be stranded here for a day until Corn can make it over to repair it. Cowboy said to tell you not to worry, there was no other damage."

Megan let out her breath. "Good."

Jake smiled. "You look good."

Her flight suit was off down to the waist, her body armor sitting next to her on the bed, and her T-shirt, which was partially blood-soaked on the right side, cut off at the shoulder. She glanced at her bandaged wound and grimaced. "Flesh wound, I believe is the Hollywood way to describe this."

"Does it hurt?" His blue eyes betrayed concern.

"Not any more." Megan smiled. Painkillers had dulled the pain.

Jake glanced down at the floor then shifted on his feet. "About what happened, I know I was out of line, I just hate to see people
…"

"Special Forces hero," Megan interrupted him. "We'll talk about it tomorrow when the painkillers are out of my system and I can be the bitch I need to be. You caught a break, Cupcake."