NOW
The false-dawn sky was smudged pewter when Desi and Jack reached the camp. Jack paused and covered his mouth with his forearm.
"Gah! What is that smell?" Desi shook her head. Both held their pistols at the ready and eased into the camp. The stench came from a half-melted lump where they had left the fire.
"Mac." Desi said. She shared a serious look with Jack. He tipped his chin toward one side of the three stones. Desi nodded and eased the other direction. Jack frowned studying the ground. Several sets of boots, blood spray on the stones. Debris everywhere. He was slightly reassured by the absence of coats, food and water. That meant the Phoenix trio had at least left camp. The question was how far did they get.
"Jack." Desi hissed. Jack's gut fell. Evidently not far. He jogged to Desi. She crouched over a body. Jack's heart lurched, until he reached her side. He let out a deep breath. One of the Red House's local hires. Two shots, center mass. Jack smiled.
"That's my girl." He whispered. Desi scanned the ground.
"There were a lot of combatants. They climbed...here." Jack followed the lithe woman up a steep incline. The pair froze. They found six bodies. Two has faces screwed into a rictus of pain. They held their throats and their skin was blue.
"Mac made a lethal gas." Jack nodded agreement. He scowled. Things had to be bad if Mac decided to go such a deadly and cruel route. Their backs were against the wall. Jack cursed himself. If he'd been here-
"There's three more over here. All shot, I think these guys were actually hit by their own men. Good help is hard to find, I guess." Desi and Jack shared a grim smile. Jack appreciated the effort, but worry twisted his gut too much to be reassured. Jack studied the footprints following the fight in his head. He saw a Riley-sized body print in the dewy pine needles. He saw his spare gun half buried beside a stone. He dusted it off. All the rounds were gone. He shot Desi a desperate look. Desi frowned stepping further onto the top of the bluff. She knelt and picked up a shredded piece of foil. She stood and showed Jack.
"I see scuff marks heading to the East."
"Back to the Red House." An owl called it's mournful cry as it headed to its nest for the day. Birds started their chirping as the sky started to mix blue with the grey. They couldn't see the sun, but rays shone through the morning mist giving the trees gnarled human shadows. Jack rubbed the sweat from his forehead.
"Ok, that's Bozer and Riley. Anything for Mac?" Desi shook her head.
"No, but that doesn't mean anything, he was still pretty out of-" Desi froze staring at a tree behind Jack. Jack whirled his Beretta ready for blood. He didn't see it at first. His mouth dried when he did. A thick blood spray painted the fragile leaves of a new maple.
"No." He hissed, "No, no, no-" Both scrambled to the edge. Jack was barely aware of snapped branches all around him as he pulled them back from the stone ledge. His heart lurched as he looked down. The bluff ended with a vertical stone face that plunged a good 50 feet. There was a narrow ledge, no more than 18 inches, then there was straight drop to a dark shadow. Jack couldn't see the bottom, but estimated it had to be more than 200 feet down.
Mac laid with his legs and hips twisted on the narrow ledge, his torso, arms and head hanging in a fragile web of small maple leaves. His chest was soaked with blood and a steady stream of blood ran down his neck, across his face then off into the void. Jack eased back not daring to breathe until he and Desi were away from the lip.
"Holy shit." Jack muttered.
"Yeah, damn." Both scanned the fight scene. They shared a glance then moved in unison. Jack pulled out his Woodsman buck knife; Desi tugged out her combat knife and flicked it open in one easy move. Without a word they set to the bodies cutting off clothing and weaving it into strips. Soon they had a rope about 40 feet long.
"Dammit, it's too short." Desi snarled as she leaned over the ledge studying the drop. Jack growled and tugged off his coat and boots, "Sarge, what are you doing?"
"Shut up, Desi. And we are never talking about this ever again, got it?" Desi grinned as Jack pulled off his pants and tied one leg to the end of the rope. He stood with his too-pale legs in black briefs twitching foot to foot.
"C'mon, it's cold out here." He growled. Desi bit her lip to keep from teasing the older man. She leaned over the ledge.
"I'll go down and tie him into a noose."
"Right, hold on." Jack moved to the thin maple at the top of the bluff and pushed on it. It seemed sturdy enough. He wrapped their makeshift rope around it and braced himself, "Desi, don't break the butt out of my jeans, right?"
"Sarge, if they hadn't blown by now, they never will." Desi said with a laugh. She tossed the rope down, careful to make it land near Mac, but not touching the fragile branches holding Mac up. She glanced at Jack.
"Do it, kiddo."
"Don't call me, kiddo."
"Yadda, yadda-go!" Desi turned and carefully walked down the vertical stone until she reached the narrow ledge. Jack wished he could see what was happening over the ledge.
"Desi?"
"Hold on...I just...ok, got it. Pull him up, Jack." Jack didn't answer saving his energy for the grueling task of pulling Mac's entire dead weight up the cliff. Jack didn't care how tall it was, he grunted to himself. It felt like a cliff, looked like a cliff- He cried out as he put out a last burst of muscle. He saw the top of Mac's head raised above the stone edge. Yes! Jack looped the loose rope around a stump then ran to the cliff. He set his bare feet then grabbed Mac by the scruff of his coat's neck. Jack gritted his teeth and felt every muscle he had bulge and strain. Finally he was able to grab Mac under the arms and drag him to safety.
Jack untied the loop around his chest and tossed the rope down to Desi standing to untwine the entire length from the stump. Jack knelt beside Mac. Mac's pale skin had a greyish tinge Jack didn't like. He felt the kid's carotid and let out a breath. It was weak and fast, but there.
"Thank god." Jack let out a long breath. Desi alighted beside him. She opened Mac's jacket and shirt. Just below Mac's left clavicle blood flowed freely from a ragged puckered hole. Jack slid his hand under Mac's back in his coat. Blood likewise poured down his back. He could feel a hole in the coat and the dirt underneath.
"A through and through." He said. Jack gently felt along Mac's collar bone. He felt slight give. Jack met Desi's worried gaze.
"It came in at an angle, bounced off the bone then went out the back. It might have nicked a little of the lung up here, but probably not enough to interfere with breathing-at least not for now. That clavicle is definitely broken."
"At least it's his right shoulder this time." Desi said. Jack didn't have to look to know where the tiny circular scars marked the bullet that almost cost him his life at Lake Como or the smaller one Murdoc put in allegedly to save Mac's life.
"Still too many holes." Desi put a hand on Jack's shoulder. He looked up. She squeezed his muscle, but didn't say anything. She didn't have to. They both felt the same way. Both had vowed to protect Mac, both had failed-again.
"Ok, we need a bandage and something-" Jack froze watching Desi wide-eyed. She twisted in her jacket then with a flick of her wrist handed him her bra. Jack's mouth dropped in shock as his brain tried to process the logistics of how the small woman was able to take it off in seconds from under several layers of clothing and the fact that it was pretty, padded, lacy and pink. Desi rolled her eyes and shoved Jack out of the way. Jack finally managed to shut his mouth and shook himself. He stood and removed his undershirt. Both looked at each other and broke out laughing.
"This is worse than that time in Thailand."
"No, it isn't."
"What? That straw did not cover-"
"No mosquitos."
"Touché, here hold him up while I wrap this around his arm." Jack gently leaned Mac against his chest. As Desi used Jack's T-shirt to hold Mac's arm tightly bent across his chest. The cups of her bra reached perfectly as a pressure dressing on both sides of Mac's shoulder. Jack and Desi worked Mac back into his coat letting the left arm hang. Desi zipped it up as Jack eased Mac down to the ground. They both stared at the pale genius worried. Through all of that, Mac hadn't stirred.
"He's lost a lot of blood." Desi offered. Jack nodded. Frowning at the stickiness covering his hands, he plucked through Mac's hair until he found a large lump.
"It's not bleeding anymore, but it's a hell of a bump." Jack didn't have to speak the worry both of them felt about an injury like this following being drugged and whatever trauma Mac had faced in the last couple days. Jack checked Mac's abdominal wound. The stitches were pulled taut and dried blood circled the wound, but he couldn't see any active bleeding. At least there's that. Jack wiped his hands clean on the damp pine needles then cloth from their improvised rope. Desi untied Jack's pants and tossed them at Jack. Jack slid into them then shoved his feet into his boots.
"I'll go after Bozer and Riley, you get Mac out of here. The vehicle is about 4 clicks straight south from here." Desi said as she bent and checked the load on her Sig. Jack frowned. He didn't like the idea of not being there to help, but he also knew they had to get Mac out of here. If they got their hands on Mac again...Jack growled. That wasn't going to happen. Desi's eyes softened.
"Don't worry, Jack. I'll bring them home." Jack looked deep into those brown eyes and nodded.
"I know you will, it's just…"
"I know, Sarge. You're just a control freak."
"No, that's not…" Jack trailed off and stared into the woods a long minute, "Desi, this is my family, you understand? It's hard…"
"I know, Big Guy, trust me. You trusted me with them while you were gone and they all survived...mostly intact." Desi winced when she thought about the .45 Mac had gotten in his side from saving her life. She squared her shoulders. She would just have to do better. There was no way she was going to disappoint Jack again. She owed him too much.
"I got this, Jack. I promise." Jack smiled at Desi. He remembered the young woman he had found in the jungle so long ago. Desi wasn't like Mac, Riley or Bozer. She wasn't one of his kids. She was more like a younger sister. He had helped her hone her skills over the years in a dozen hell spots around the globe. She could hold her own against the best of them. Jack trusted her with his life. More, he trusted her with Mac's. He bent and held her by the shoulders.
"Desi, I know you do. I never doubted you. I just wanted to be there when that bitch gets hers, especially after what she did to Mac." Desi glanced at Mac then gave Jack a feral grin.
"Don't worry, Sarge, she'll feel it-a lot." Jack bumped fists with her. She turned and in seconds disappeared into the woods. Jack crouched by Mac taking a deep breath. If they weren't in the situation they were in, it would be a beautiful place to camp. Jack sighed and looked down at Mac. He had to find a way to get him to the car or whatever Desi had come up with as a getaway vehicle. As secretive as the woman had been, Jack was worried it was cardboard with wheels or something. He shook his head and stood pulling out his knife. He moved to the nearest pine tree and started cutting branches.
Jack lost track of time as he wove the pine boughs together into a travois. After he finished, he wiped the sweat off his brow with his forearm and turned back to Mac. He froze and grinned when he saw familiar blue eyes watching him.
"Ah, so you finally decide to wake up, I was beginning to think I'd have to start singing." Mac wrinkled his nose and offered a weak smile.
"How long was I out?" Mac's voice sounded like a rusted piano wire. Jack crouched beside him and held his hand, checking Mac's pulse with a finger. It was stronger, but still too fast.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Mac closed his eyes and groaned as he moved to sit up. Jack moved to Mac's side and helped. Mac leaned forward paling another four shades. Jack kept a hand across Mac's shoulders and waited as Mac breathed through what had to be a flood of agony. Mac's breathing was faster than Jack liked, but he didn't comment. Jack figured the worst that could happen is Mac would pass out and the trip out of the forest would be easier for his partner.
Mac let out a long breath then squinted up at Jack.
"There were guys here...Riley shot the gun...then I fell…" Mac shook his head, "That was all...last night? I hope." Mac raised a questioning eyebrow. Jack sat beside his friend and let Mac leaned back against his side.
"Near as we can tell Riley took out a bunch, there over there-dead...and naked."
"Naked?"
"You fell off a cliff and ended up half on a ledge and half in a tree we had to-"
"-make a rope, got it." Mac leaned forward and felt his wrapped shoulder through the coat, "Bullet?"
"Looks like a through and through that bounced off your collar bone." Mac nodded. He offered Jack a white-lipped taut grimace.
"Hurts like it." Mac put a hand inside and felt the dressing. He shot Jack a puzzled look.
"What did you use to bandage it? It feels like elastic and...lace?" Jack held up a hand.
"Trust me, you do not want to know. In fact, the less said about the whole thing the better. For everyone." Mac stared at Jack a half grin on his face. Jack groaned knowing he was in for it. Mac gasped and closed his eyes. Jack knew that look. He tilted Mac and supported him as the kid lost whatever memory of food he still had inside him. Jack offered him one of the cleaner scraps of cloth to wipe his mouth. Mac spit and turned away groaning.
"Concussion?" He asked.
"Not sure, definitely a big bump on the noggin. Head hurt?" Mac shot Jack a glare that answered everything. Jack stood, his knees cracking loudly. Mac was too caught up in pain and nausea to tease the older man.
"Are you ready to get out of here?"
"If we're going after the others."
"No, ol' son, Desi's on it. We have to get you to a doc." Mac narrowed his eyes.
"Jack!"
"Don't Jack me! I can help you onto this sled thing or I can carry you to it and tie you down, your choice."
"Jack, we have to help-" Mac's voice cracked as he fought to maintain a calm tone. Jack crouched and gently squeezed Mac's good arm.
"And we will. This time we get to be Rin Tin Tin and bring in the Cavalry, right?" Mac swayed, his eyes heavy. Jack ducked and put Mac's good arm over his shoulder. He lifted Mac and held him up with an arm around his waist. Mac's legs wobbled and threatened to fold. Jack half carried, half dragged him to the pine boughs. Mac cried out as Jack eased him down as gently as he could. Mac laid back taking deep breaths as Jack straightened his legs. He noticed Mac was shivering.
"Are you cold or hurtin', kiddo?" Mac cracked his eyes and offered a wan smile.
"A bit of both." Mac whispered. Jack nodded and stood. He travelled around the bodies and found two mostly intact coats. Jack removed them and shook them out. They smelled like blood. Jack mentally shrugged. There was no use for it. He returned to Mac to find the kid out cold. Jack tucked the coats around him.
"Hang in there, brother. I gotcha." Jack put his hand on Mac's forehead. Cool and clammy. Jack turned and lifted the trio of belts he'd connected to the tree frame as a kind of harness and drew it diagonal across his chest. He grunted as he leaned into it and started dragging Mac toward the south.
