“Why not,” I asked.
“If you take Carl, then you can split up andget both medical and police or military help. Carl is alsoindependently mobile on foot. If you take Linda and for some reasonhave to abort the flight, then you’ll be stuck in the middle ofnowhere with her. Also, I have a gut feeling that Linda will be okand just needs more time. Last, but not least, if something doeshappen to you, then Linda and I can come rescue you once she’shealed up.”
“I don’t quite like it, but I can’t faultyour logic.”
“Eat something and get some rest. We’ll beable to make better decisions by tonight. We’ll wake you ifanything changes.”
Nodding, I accepted a ham sandwich from Carland started eating. I choked it down and wondered if it seemedunappetizing because of my condition or because the weirdo putpickles in it. I drank some more water and lay down with Lindaagain. “I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but everythingis going to be ok.” I sent to her while gently stroking hercheek. I fell asleep almost instantly.
When I next awoke, it was with Carl shakingmy shoulder. “Wake up bud,” he was saying.
“Which part of you do I have to punch inorder to hit the snooze button,” I queried.
“It’s getting dark and we need to exchangesome information.”
“Ok, ok – give me a sec, will ya.”
As I started to wake up more, the first thingthat I noticed was that Linda was still asleep, but her hand wasclenching my wrist. Elated, I asked “Did she wake up?”
“Yes, but only briefly. She complained of aheadache and of being cold before passing out again. She’s going tobe ok! How are you doing now?”
“I’m cold and have a headache,” I saidbluntly. “What’s the word from the Russian front?”
“It’s cold and Sid is giving me a headache,”Sara replied deadpan. “I spotted some movement just beforetwilight, so I think there are definitely watchers out there. Wepromised to wake you when it got dark or if anything changed, sohere we are. Are you ready to make a decision yet?”
I took a mental inventory and found thatother than being stiff and sore all over, I wasn’t in too badshape. My headache was still fairly prominent, but it was farbetter than it had been earlier. As a test of my psionics, I liftedone of the packs off the ground briefly. There didn’t seem to beany problem doing it, but I could feel the effort echoed in myheadache. It seemed akin to the unpleasant feeling of hot sun onskin that was already sunburnt, except I’ve never had sunburn onthe back of my eyeballs before.
“I think I would be able to make a run forit, but it won’t be easy; it hurts a bit to lift just the one pack.If I had to exert myself carrying a lot of weight for an extendedflight, then I don’t think I would be in any kind of shape when Ilanded.”
“Ok, then how about this: wait until falsedawn before making your break. That’ll give you more time torecover, and you’ll still have bad lighting outside in case anyoneis looking to shoot at you. Dawn and dusk are the two worst timesfor acquiring a target. You can get some altitude and follow themountain spine toward town. By the time you get clear of here andneed to turn down into the valley, you’ll have plenty of light tofly by.”
“Do you think I should still take Carl, orjust go myself?”
“Take Carl with you. We’ll give him yourlaptop and a phone. If it doesn’t look safe to go into town, thenmaybe y’all can hole up in someone’s yard, shed, or maybe an emptyhouse. If you can get a phone signal or internet connection, thenyou can get help without exposing yourself.”
“I doubt that Sid went so far as to puttroops in town,” I said in disbelief.
“It’s not likely, but I try and think ofeverything possible. We already know he contacted the sheriff, andit’s possible that he left a man there to liaison with him. Or tospy on him and make sure that we don’t make contact.”
“Alright, it sounds like we’ve got a plan. IfI’m able, then we leave at dawn. What if I’m not ready though?”
She shrugged. “If you can’t leave, then wewait another day. I’m pretty sure that we’re safe up here, and thelonger we wait, the better your chances are of not being seen. Inanother day, he might figure that we’re long gone and moveout.”
“If Linda’s getting better, should we justwait a week or so and let them go away?”
“No. We’re pretty much trapped in here rightnow, and the goofy gourmet over there only made us a dozen hamsandwiches out of a whole fridge full of food. There’s a trickle ofwater that I can reach just outside the cave, but we can’t hunt orforage with his men out there. We’ll have to leave within a coupledays at the outside.”
“Very well then,” I decided. “Unlesssomething changes, Carl and I will leave in the morning.”
***
Our breakout went as planned. I was feelingmuch better by this point, and so, it appeared, was Linda. Shehadn’t woken up again, but she occasionally shifted in her sleep soI was much encouraged in her recovery. Carl had filled and put onhis backpack hours ago in case we had to leave suddenly. I debatedeating another one of Carl’s grotesque sandwiches but declined. Wecould get something to eat if we made it to town. WHEN wemade it to town, and not IF, I chided myself.
Sara handed us each a full bottle of waterand also gave Carl a spare clip of ammo for his handgun. She onceagain warned us to try and keep evasive in our flight and then madeus wait until the first lightening of the sky heralded theapproaching dawn.
Ok, it’s time to go,” she finally said. “Getsome altitude quickly so you don’t ram Carl’s pointy head
