“Please, keep trying. That sample is crucial to my work.” She was leaning back in her chair when the pilot shocked her.
“Orders from command, ma’am. If the retrieval team hasn’t obtained a sample, we’re to fly you as close to the sight as possible and assist you in obtaining the sample.”
She shook her head vigorously. “No, wait…you don’t understand. I don’t have any of the equipment necessary to—”
“That’s our orders, ma’am.” The pilot banked the craft and Vivian reached out to steady herself.
“I have no way to take the sample. I have nothing to contain it in.” Her eyes were wide as she tried to think of anything she could use to protect herself from exposure, much less anything to seal the sample in.
“Let’s just hope the retrieval team got what you needed.”
She sat back in the seat and swallowed hard. If they were left to her makeshift attempts, she might well end up exposing everybody on the research vessel. She pushed the thought from her mind. Surely the pilots could come up with something.
Roger stood on the roof, his eyes scanning to the east. He hoped he would see some sign of Simon’s group. A fire, lights, noise…something that told him the group was in a place from which they could monitor their activity.
He sighed as he lowered the spy glasses. “Come on, you bastard. Make your position known.”
“Talk to yourself often?” Candy asked, sliding in next to him.
“Only when I want to talk to an idiot.” He handed her the binoculars. “I’m sorry. The more I think about my plan, the more I think I could have royally screwed the pooch.”
Candy nodded slowly. “It was a good idea. It was…hopeful.” She chose her words carefully. “I didn’t think he’d buy a group of a half-dozen as a real settlement, but it was a good thought.”
He shook his head. “The more I think about it, the more I fear he would have tried to either kill them or make them part of his group.” He sat down and leaned against the parapet. “People like Simon can’t be reasoned with.”
“No, but you think the big guy Savage could be reached, right?”
He shrugged. “I barely spoke to the man and we rode in the same club for over a year.” He sighed and lowered his head to his hands. “I have no idea how Savage would have reacted.”
“Look, setting up a fake compound to measure his reaction to a cooperative was a good idea. I just don’t know if you would have gotten the results you’d hoped for.” She took his hand in her own and squeezed it. “I know you worry about the innocent folks that travel with him, but people like that…people who have a real evil streak in them, they can’t be reasoned with. It’s probably a good thing those riders didn’t follow you.”
He nodded slowly. “I know you’re right.” He leaned his head back and noted the sky lightening in the east as the sun prepared to rise. “I think a part of me hoped that once he found the supplies you left in the grocery store, they would have loaded up and left the area. Maybe gone on to Albuquerque.”
“Do you think he’s still searching for Daniel?”
Roger shrugged. “I’ve given up trying to second guess Simon or his motives.” Roger groaned as he climbed to his feet. He held a hand out to Candy and she pulled herself up.
“Let’s get some rest.”
Roger wrapped an arm over her shoulder without thinking about it. “I think I’m going to get some coffee. Maybe come back up here and watch for them.”
Candy instinctively slipped in closer, wrapping her arm around his middle as they made toward the roof access. “I think you should rest. Pushing yourself too hard will open you up to mistakes. We can’t afford for that to happen.”
He paused at the roof access and stared down at her. He took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re probably right.”
She reached up and pulled his face closer to hers. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before she turned and took the ladder below.
Roger stood at the top of the ladder and watched her climb down, part of him surprised she had kissed him. An even bigger part of him was surprised at how comfortable he had suddenly become with her. It didn’t bother him at all that it happened.
He grabbed the ladder and slid down to the floor below.
Chapter 11
“Sir, we have incoming!”
Hollis was on his feet and moving toward the door. “Which direction?”
“The sky, sir. Incoming aircraft. Sounds like a chopper!”
Hollis spun, eyes staring into the cloudy early morning sky. “Somebody get on the damned radio! Make contact with that craft!” He darted to the lead Humvee and rifled through the back. He emerged with a flare gun and fired it into the sky.
The soldiers all turned their eyes to the sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of the craft. They strained their ears, hoping to hear the engines change pitch as the chopper banked toward the signal in the sky.
Hollis shook his head slowly as his eyes scanned the gray skies above. “They’re above the clouds. They can’t see the flare.” He spun and yelled at the men in the yard. “Get them on the radio now!”
Hatcher stepped beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It sounds like it’s going away from us. Is there any chance they’re going to one of the original landing zones?”
“If I could get them on the radio, I’d know.” He glanced back into the house. “Get the kid ready to travel. We’re heading back.”
Hatcher turned to go back into the house and met Buck walking out, carrying a box of the food they had scavenged. “We might as well take it. If we miss that ride out then we’ll be glad we got it.”
Hatcher gave him a lopsided grin. “Good thinking.” He stepped past the
