“So now I’m old, too?”
Keeping the headlight off and navigating via night vision goggles, he shook his head and smiled while steering toward the trees on the downward side of the mountain. “Like I keep telling you...I said it was a little tummy bulge.”
*******
TEN MINUTES LATER...
Having emerged from the trees at the base of the mountain, Randall and Devlin had gone east to get away from the more heavily populated part of the resort area.
One-point-five miles later, he stopped near the edge of a clearing and placed a call from his cell phone.
The line connected after the second ring.
“I know I said I wouldn’t get you involved, Chase, but I could really—”
“What do you need, Noah?”
“We need another extraction point. First one was compromised.”
“Where are you?”
“About two clicks east of the mountain...in a valley of sorts. The helo is still in the...” hearing a whining noise, “area,” he looked back to see lights blinking intermittently among the trees. “And it appears we have unfriendlies on our six.”
Moments passed.
Chase: “All right. If you’re where you say you are, there’s another valley a half click east and north of your position. Get there. I’ll relay the coordinates to the bird.”
“Copy that, old buddy. King out.” Randall half turned his head to see Devlin out of the corner of his eye, “Hang on,” before facing forward and punching the thumb throttle.
*******
MINUTES LATER...
Randall stopped the Yamaha, undid the belt around his waist, and let Crane topple over sideways and slam into the snow. “Let’s get him behind that shrubbery over there.”
His hands under Crane’s armpits, Randall walked backwards while Devlin held up the prisoner’s legs.
They dropped their cargo behind a large bush, and Randall broke off a low-hanging branch from a pine tree.
She glanced in the direction from which they had come. “They’ll be on us before the helicopter arrives.”
“I know. That’s why you’re,” he handed her the branch, “going to hide here while I draw them deeper into the forest.”
“What? No way. You pulled this crap in Mexico, too. We’re sticking to—”
“No time to argue, Jessica. You gave me,” he took her gloved hand and closed her fingers around the wood, “you gave me control of this op, right?”
Devlin scowled at him.
Randall noticed. “Whether or not that was a wise decision on your part,” he grinned, “no takesies-backsies now.”
“I don’t like this idea of yours.”
Beckoning her, “Follow me,” he bolted away, hopped onto the snowmobile, and pointed at the stick in her hand. “Use that on these footprints and then hide until the chopper gets here.”
“Noah, this is nuts. You can’t—”
“Trust me, Devlin. I’ve been in a similar situation before. I’ll find a way off this hill.” He gunned the engine, “I promise,” and sped away.
“You pig-headed, stubborn son-of-a—” she finished the curse in her head while watching him pick up speed and disappear over a shallow rise. The whining noise from distant snowmobiles brought her attention back to her current task. Stooping, she backtracked while sweeping away the boot prints in the snow.
∞=∞=∞=∞=∞=∞=∞
.
Chapter 30
I’ll Find a Way
1:49 A.M.
Three snow machines had zipped by Devlin’s hideaway five minutes ago. She had thought she had seen short-barreled rifles strapped crossways over the riders’ chests. And they had seemed to be going faster than she and Randall had been going.
Now, while securing a harness around her body and under her armpits, a helicopter hovering overhead—the downdraft from its blades throwing snow and debris—she glanced at the crest she had last seen Randall traverse.
“Trust me, Devlin. I’ve been in a similar situation before. I’ll find a way off this hill.”
Devlin tugged on the rope. “And I’m,” the slack in the rope disappeared, and the harness went higher, lifting its passenger off the ground with a slight jerk, “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that happens.”
*******
Faith got two hands on her sister and pulled her into the Bell 412EP helicopter.
The hoist operator helped get the harness off the U.S. Marshal, climbed back aboard, slid the wide door shut, and radioed the pilot. “We’re clear. Take us up.”
The aircraft rose higher and banked right.
“Jess, are you all—”
“I’m fine.” Devlin scrambled to her feet and made a beeline for the cockpit.
*******
Speeding over a wide expanse of snow, a gradual upward slope on his nine o’clock, his thumb fully depressing the throttle, Randall tossed a look over his left shoulder, winced at the lead snowmobile a hundred yards back, faced forward again, and ducked down further to reduce drag. They’re gaining. They must have faster sleds.
Helicopter blades churned overhead somewhere on his four or five o’clock.
His eyes never straying from his destination—a stand of trees—he mashed his thumb harder against the throttle to no avail. Come on, baby. Give me a little—
“King, this is Raven. Do you copy?” A pause. “Over.”
He forced a grin. You’re getting the hang of this, Devlin. “Go ahead, Raven. I read you loud and clear—over.”
“You have three men on your six. And I think they have rifles.”
Randall glanced behind him.
The nearest recreational vehicle had closed to seventy-five yards.
He turned back toward the trees in time to see a hole appear on the left side of his windshield a split-second ahead of hearing the report. Instinctively, he veered right before steering left to get back on course. I believe you are quite correct.
“They’re gaining on you, King.”
“You’re two-for-two, Raven.”
“There’s a long stretch of open land on the other side of those trees. We’ll meet you there.”
Randall entered the trees. “Copy that, Raven.”
*******
“Copy,” static came through Devlin’s earpiece, “—at,” more crackling noises, “—ven.”
Bringing her MP5 in front of her body, Devlin faced the pilot and raised her voice while jabbing an index finger at the landscape below. “Get us to the clearing beyond those trees.”
“I’m not sure how close to the ground we can go, ma’am. That’s some rough terrain. Winds coming over and around those hills
