Lean on Me (53 page)

The helicopter hopped up and slammed
down.

“
Fey, we need to go up,”
Zack said.

“
Sir, I need to
disconnect,” Alex said. “The Jakker has notified us of the need for
oxygen.”

“
Yes Fey,” the President
said. “I’m told Blizzard Albert is underway and you are in the
middle of it.”

“
We need to get above the
storm, sir, to get around it,” Alex said.

“
You’re entering
Canada?”

“
We have permission to
enter into every country in the world, sir,” Alex said. “The Jakker
and his team have already received permission from Transport
Canada. However, we’re just on the edge of this thing. We think we
can stay in-country and get around it.”

“
Good luck,” the President
said. “And good work.”

“
Thank you, sir,” Alex
said.

Raz held an oxygen mask out to her.

“
Last call,” Zack said. The
helicopter began to rise through the storm.

“
Dad?” Alex took the mask
from Raz. “I have just a second.”

“
Wanted you to know that my
team has things contained here,” Patrick said. “You’re going for
Julie?”

“
Yes sir,” Alex
said.

“
We’re all safe and sound
here,” Patrick said. “The Denver Police have picked up quite a few
unsavory visitors to our fair state. They are waiting for you at
Lowry along with the security out of Buckley. I hear Fort Carson is
sending a team.”

“
The only show in town,”
Alex said.

“
Yes sir,” Patrick said.
“The Fey gets a lot of attention.”

“
When everyone is bored,”
Alex said. “Got to go. And Dad?”

“
Yes Pumpkin?”

“
Don’t take too much money
from the boys from the North,” Alex smiled. For all of his friendly
charm, Patrick was a card shark.

“
Merry Christmas Pumpkin,”
Patrick said.

“
Yes sir,” Alex
said.

She rotated her mic up and put on her oxygen
mask. Looking around the chopper, she was glad to see that everyone
had their masks on. The helicopter rocked back and forth in the
wind. Their gear rattled and the chopper shook but somehow held
together. Alex closed her eyes and took deep breaths of her
oxygen.

“
Sleeping?” Raz asked.
Accustomed to the masks and the helicopter, they spoke between
breaths in each other’s ears.

“
Trying not to barf,” Alex
smiled at him.

He put a protective arm around her.

“
I smell pretty bad,” Alex
said. “Death, body fluids, and mold.”

“
I don’t care,” he pulled
her into him. “You should rest. What’s on our plate is full of not
easy or nice things.”

“
Yes our plate is filled
with bitter pie,” Alex said.

Next to her, Royce threw up into a bag.

“
And you wonder why I don’t
eat much on these trips,” Alex said. She patted Royce’s
back.

“
Bitter pie and barf,” Raz
said. “Sounds like a country song.”

As if on cue, Cliff played
the intro piano cords to “Golden Slumbers” by the Beatles, which
was Larry’s favorite song from his favorite album,
Abbey Road
.

“
Once there was a way to
get back homeward,” Trece began to sing. Even with the oxygen
masks, she could hear the team’s voice loud and clear. Alex rested
her head on Raz’s shoulder. He kissed her hair and held her
close.

“
You won’t let this pull
you into the darkness, will you?” he asked.

“
Can’t,” Alex said. “I have
a house full of guests. What would my mother say?”

He smiled. She looked up at
him and they laughed. “Boy, you’re gonna carry that weight” came
over the speakers and they took up the song. Cliff played the rest
of
Abbey Road
and
they sang for Larry. By the time “Here Comes the Sun” began, there
wasn’t a dry eye in the compartment.

F

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Friday morning

December 25 – 9:47 a.m. MST

Over Denver, CO

“
Fey? Can you give us a
rundown of the situation?” Joseph asked after assigning tasks to
the team.

“
Paddie and his mother are
in a closet near the back of the house,” Alex said. “Colin built a
bookshelf that covers the entrance to the closet. From the outside,
you cannot tell there’s a closet there. Paddie and his friend,
Katy, like to play in the closet.”

“
Paddie knows how to close
the bookshelf,” Colin said.

“
But he can’t get out of it
by himself,” Alex said. “He needs help. Colin kept a disposable
phone, food, and water in the back of the closet in case Paddie got
stuck in the closet. Paddie knows how to use the phone.
Raz?”

“
We have a heat reading on
a single person moving through the house,” Raz said. “He appears to
be pacing. We can see what seems to be a smaller person and an
adult in the general area where we expect this closet to
be.”

“
From what Katy’s parents
said, two things happened at the same time. A ‘scary’ man came to
the door and Julie started having contractions,” Alex said. “Paddie
was able to get his mom into the closet before she ‘got sick.’ We
believe the ‘scary man’ doesn’t know they are in the
closet.”

“
Or he doesn’t know where
the closet is,” Raz said. “I’ve been watching the scans since we
left the storm front at the state border. He hasn’t gone near the
back of the house. He seems to be waiting for them to come
home.”

“
How did he get in?” Leena
asked.

“
According to the Denver
Police, a neighbor let him in,” Sergeant Dusty said. “The man said
he was a visiting a relative and they weren’t home from Mass yet.
Julie told the neighbor that they would be with Colin tonight and
so he let him into the house.”

“
Sergeant, can you tell us
about the scene?” Alex asked.

“
Yes, sir. I have a direct
line to the Denver Police,” Sergeant Dusty said. “The house is
surrounded. Snipers are set around the house. No one has approached
the house, as per your request. They want to know if you’ve
called.”

“
We wanted to wait until we
were close enough,” Alex said. “We don’t want to alert their captor
to Paddie and Julie’s location before we can get there.”

“
DPD wants to know why the
child hasn’t called you,” Sergeant Dusty asked Colin.

“
He was told not to,” Colin
said.

“
You sure he’s your child?”
Shaking his head, Trece leaned over to look at Colin.

“
He does what Katy tells
him to do,” Colin said. “Not me. Not his mom. He does everything
Katy tells him to do without question.”

“
But how…?”

“
We believe he called Katy
and asked her what to do,” Alex said. “John had already spoke with
Sergeant Dusty and Katy’s parents. Katy told Paddie to keep quiet
so the man in the house couldn’t find them.”

“
We will be able to make
one call,” Joseph said. “Let’s make sure we’re in place when Colin
calls.”

“
Very quickly,” Alex said.
“The closet is a rectangle. There is a door and, of course, the
bookcase outside the door. There is a small transom window near the
closet ceiling. When Paddie started playing in the closet, Colin
had it put in.”

“
In case he got stuck,”
Colin said. “I was always terrified he’d get stuck. But he… hates
that house. The closet is the only room he likes.”

“
We’re in location,” Zack
said.

Standing, the team moved into position for
parachuting.

“
Check yourself and check
your neighbors,” Joseph said. “You don’t want us to tell your
family that you can’t be there for Christmas because you’re an
idiot.”

They were jumping from the helicopter miles
above and to the east of Colin’s house. With the easterly wind,
they would make an almost silent approach to the house. Alex waited
for Joseph and then Matthew to check the team. She went to
Margaret, the first person to jump.

“
Are you ready, Sergeant?”
Alex asked.

“
Yes sir,” Margaret
said.

“
It’s a big day for you,”
Alex said. “Lots of hostage rescue.”

“
Never thought having a
little Ind’n on your team would come in handy,” Margaret gave her a
wry smile. “Did you?”

“
Not this kind of handy.
I’m glad you’re with us,” Alex smiled. “Good luck.”

“
Marines don’t need luck,
sir,” Margaret said.

“
What do they need?” Alex
asked.

Margaret laughed. Alex gave her a
communication ear bud and went to MJ.

“
How is your leg?” Alex
pointed to his prosthetic leg.

“
I’m fit for duty, sir,” MJ
said.

“
You’ve received her latest
medical information?” Alex asked.

“
Yes sir. I’ve reviewed
Julie Hargreaves’s medical records,” MJ said. “I’ve coordinated
with one of the ambulances on scene. They are ready for her and
have a doctor online. I’ll get her stable and we can move her. And
Paddie?”

“
If he’s uninjured, we’ll
take him to Katy’s house,” Alex said. “That’s where he’ll want to
be.”

“
Yes, sir,” MJ
nodded.

Alex gave him an ear bud communicator and
patted his chest. For the briefest moment, she remembered patting
MJ’s father’s chest before a jump. She gave MJ a sad smile and
moved to Leena.

“
How are you holding up?”
Alex asked.

“
Well, sir,” Leena said.
“Thank you again for assigning White Boy to assist me with my
issues. He’s been an anchor for me.”

“
I’m glad he’s helping,”
Alex said. “You met the wife?”

“
Love his wife,” Leena
said. “She’s caring for my baby today.”

“
Good.” Smiling, Alex gave
her an ear bud communicator
.
She moved to Vince.

“
Just because you always
know everything,” Vince said. “Emmy’s pregnant. We were going to
tell everyone today. Christmas present and all.”

Alex hugged him.

“
And I know about Amelia
and Frederic,” Vince said.

“
And?”

“
Young love,” Vince
shrugged. “Who am I to knock it? Without it, we wouldn’t have
Amelia. And before you ask, she’s on birth control, although she
says she doesn’t need it.”

“
Congratulations,” Alex
said and gave him a communication ear bud.

“
You don’t have to check
me, Alex,” Trece said. “I already checked myself.”

Trece gave an exaggerated wiggle of his
eyebrows and Alex laughed.

“
I’m going to guard the
back with the kid and the mutt,” Trece said. “Keep the jerk from
exiting.”

After giving him an ear bud communicator,
Alex checked his body armor and his parachute for good measure. She
was about to move on when he touched her hand.

“
Merry Christmas,” Trece
said. “It wasn’t so long ago that I was sitting at Walter Reed on
Christmas wondering if you’d make it.”

Alex nodded.

“
I’m glad you did,” Trece
said.

Alex hugged him. Pete stood next to Trece.
Bill was strapped onto his chest. Pete was talking to Bill and
petting his head. The dog looked at her with amused eyes.

“
All set?” Alex checked the
parachute and body armor. She gave him an ear bud
communicator.

“
Yes sir,” Pete said. “Our
last jump was in theater. This will be a piece of cake.”

“
I believe there’s cake
waiting for us at home,” Alex said.

“
Good to know,” Pete
smiled.

Alex looked up as Margaret jumped from the
helicopter.

“
We’re going, Fey,” Matthew
said. “Come on.”

She made a very quick review of Matthew,
Troy, Joseph, Colin and Raz before falling in line. She passed the
communicators down the line. Raz checked her body armor and
parachute.

“
You’re up for this?” Alex
asked.

“
Are you?” Raz
said.

The line shifted to the left. Sergeant Dusty
gave her a pocket computer.

“
Royce is managing
communication between the team and other military units. He’s been
in touch with Washington. Peterson is monitoring the air space,”
Sergeant Dusty said. “The Admiral would like you to report the
moment the matter is resolved.”

The young man leaned forward to say in her
ear.

“
Between you and me, he’s a
little miffed you updated the President and not him after the last
one. He’s waiting at your house,” Sergeant Dusty leaned back. “I
have team communication and coordination with the Denver
Police.”

“
Thank you,” Alex said. “Is
it hard not to go?”

Sergeant Dusty and Royce both nodded.

“
We will be one hundred
percent next year,” Royce said. “Right Dusty?”

Sergeant Dusty nodded. He pointed as Raz
jumped from the helicopter. Alex took a running start and jumped
after him. In the air, she found Matthew, Troy, and Raz waiting for
her. Joseph and Colin had already begun their military freefall.
She formed a perfect arrow and blew past Troy. Laughing and
hooting, Troy was hot on her heels. Over her ear bud, she heard
Margaret, MJ, Leena and Vince make the more technical drop onto the
small strip of grass called Bayaud Park. She and Troy continued the
race until landing together in the US Air Force “Accounting”
department parking lot on Quebec Street.