It was ten hours later when Chip woke from an uneasy sleep. Flicking on a flashlight, he stood and stretched then leaned over to check Lee and Nelson. Then he sat nearby and pulled a protein bar from a pack, tore away the wrapper and ate. He drained the last of the water from his canteen then picked up the map and smoothed it over his knees and shone the light on it. With a finger, he traced the route of a stream marked in blue on the map then unfolded it and traced to a spot almost at the opposite end of the map, marked with a star as the capital. He frowned, tossed the map aside, stood and walked past the bend to the mouth of the cave. Only slivers of sunlight penetrated the barrier at the entry and reached the floor, the only contrast to the absolute dark of the cave. He stood there a minute, just listening. Then sighed and leaned into the wall.
He nudged the dirt with the toe of his boot and watched the dust swirl in the slices of light. He checked his watch then walked back to the main chamber. Once again, he stood over his friends to see their chests rise and fall. He knelt beside Lee and placed his palm on his forehead.
"How is he?" Nelson asked quietly.
Chip sat cross-legged and moved his hand to rest on Lee's arm. Lee didn't stir.
"I think he has a fever, but not too high."
Chip looked over to Nelson.
"How are you?"
"Better." He moved to raise himself but grimaced and was still.
"Let me help you, sir," Chip said. He grabbed one of the packs and put it under Nelson's head to raise it a bit. From the other pack he pulled a protein bar and half liter bottle of water. Nelson took the water but waved away the food.
"Sir, if you could, it would really be best if you ate." Chip unwrapped the bar and held it out to the admiral. Nelson frowned but took it. Chip examined the bandage over Nelson's abdomen.
"We were just trying to stop the bleeding as fast as we could. I don't know how deep it went. But, considering you're better and it hasn't gushed anymore, I'd say it was just a flesh wound. No stitches, though. I'd hate for it to open up again." He looked back at Lee.
"Admiral, how long do you think it'll take the president to regain power?"
"There's no guarantee he will, Chip."
"I know that. But, with what you do know and saying he could, what do you think would be the least amount of time?"
"It's impossible to say with any certainty. There are too many variables." Nelson's hand brushed his shirt pocket. "Hand me my pack."
Chip passed it to him. Nelson removed a box of Marlboros and a Zippo. After Nelson lit the cigarette and took his first draw, Chip spoke.
"Sir…"
"What?"
"Will says smoking can interfere with oxygen levels in the blood, and you've lost a lot of blood. I'm no doctor, but I don't think-"
"You're right," Harry cut Chip off and took another drag. "You're no doctor and Will isn't here."
Chip was silent but pointedly looked from Nelson to Lee then back again. Harry glanced over to Lee, laying less than three feet from him. The arc's glow weakened as it spread from the flashlight beside Harry's knees. But, the light still caught the smoke drifting and hanging over Lee's face like a tiny fogbank. Harry scowled, stabbed the cigarette out on the cave floor and threw the butt into the darkness.
They sat there silent a few minutes until Chip suddenly straightened.
"Lee's contact! If I could get to him, he could help Lee. Bring a safe doctor or move him-"
"No," Harry interrupted him. "Lee wouldn't allow that. Nor should he."
"But-"
"No, Chip. It's out of the question and a moot point anyway. Lee is the only one who knows and he'd never tell you. He's protected the man's identity for twenty years and he wouldn't jeopardize him now." Harry glanced again at Lee then resumed speaking, his voice even lower than it had been.
"ONI, years ago, tried to force him to tell. They wanted more than one link to such a valuable asset. Lee refused. So, ONI manufactured a mission and shadowed Lee to find the man. Lee lost the shadow, fulfilled the mission, came home and confronted his immediate superior. He was told it was not up for discussion and dismissed under threat of charges of insubordination. At which point, Lt. Commander Crane jumped the chain of command to air his grievance. The head of ONI came home late one night to an unexpected visitor waiting in his bedroom."
"No," Chip said, smiling.
"Oh, yes. Admiral Hennessey had just sat on his bed to remove his shoes when Lee emerged from the shadows. Lee came to attention and began, in no uncertain terms, to state his case."
"You didn't hear this from Lee," Chip said.
"Of course not. Lee never mentioned a word of it. After he retired, Don and I were having a drink together. He asked me how Lee was doing and one thing led to another to the story. No specifics mentioned, but I assume it's the same contact."
"Lee got away with breaking and entering the admiral's place?"
"He's fortunate he wasn't shot. He circumvented sentries and a state of the art, supposedly infallible, security system. But, as Don said, he couldn't let him be hauled off to the brig before he knew how he'd breeched security. Lee told him that and more, a lot more. Don didn't go into detail. But, he did say there were reassignments and restructuring as a result."
Chip was about to respond when Lee stirred. Chip immediately moved to kneel beside him. Lee opened his eyes.
"Are you with us?" Chip asked.
Lee nodded. "Water…"
Chip got a bottle of water and helped Lee to lift his head to drink.
After he drank, Lee looked to find Nelson. "You okay?"
"Fine, to quote a friend of mine."
Lee responded with a small smile before his eyes closed again. "Lee?" Chip got no response.
"Not only is he injured, Chip, he's probably exhausted as well. Considering there's nothing else we can do for him, rest is probably the best thing for him."
Nelson took his own measure of rest that day, spending only half the hours awake. Lee woke several more times to drink and manage brief conversations. Chip expressed concern about Lee's drinking when they didn't know the extent of his internal injuries. He and Nelson agreed, though, that they had no choice. Lee couldn't go without and they had no other way. By afternoon, their supply of water was low. Chip gathered all the empty bottles and canteens together in one pack. The stream was less than a quarter mile from their location. Once night fell, he would leave to replenish their supply.
The time came and Chip went to the cave's mouth. He stood to listen before removing just enough of the entrance's cover to allow him through then stepped cautiously outside. He was drawing his first breath of fresh night air when a hand clamped over his mouth. In an instant, more men appeared from the dark. Chip struggled, trying to break the grips of the three men who had him-one on each arm and one that forced his silence. A forth man came to press the barrel of a pistol into Chip's chest. Chip was still.
