Chapter 29

Lara completed the dressing to her thigh. The local anesthetic that she had applied had numbed the area sufficiently to remove the slug herself - removal of bullets was taking less and less pain killer the more times she was shot. Perhaps one day she would be bullet proof?

Perhaps not.

The cargo area of the Boxcar now seemed more deserted and lonely than on their previous trip, far more empty...

...Max's car was not with them.

The airport had been placed on alert before they had arrived and ground security personnel immediately began to pursue the little wagon - just as Jon was taking off. Max had managed to reach the C119 safely, the pursuing UAZs never had a chance to catch the turbo charged Subaru.

Jon had the rear "clam shell" doors open for their entrance, and the Impreza slid into the cargo bay perfectly as the large cargo liner was on final takeoff. Moments later, more ground vehicles had blocked off the runway, forcing Jon to activate the Jet-Assisted-Take-Off boosters that had been concealed as wing fuel tanks.

The resulting force and lift carried the aircraft into the air quickly, but has the opposite effect on the little car, which had yet to be secured in the cargo area, plummeting to the ground from a hundred feet through the rear doors.

Luckily, Max and Lara had already exited the vehicle and managed to hand onto the webbing that lined the rear of the aircraft and were unharmed as they made their escape.

Max had not spoken since that incident.

Now, the aircraft and its passengers were safely out of Russian airspace and en route to Alaska. With the bandage applied (not too loose, not too tight) she rose and proceeded to the jump seats where Max had collapsed - she had something to share with him that just might lift his spirits.

Staring at the wall, Max was shaking his head as though trying to figure out a calculus problem without pen, paper, or calculator. Lara was torn by her friend's depression, for a large part of her was still buzzing from the excitement of a successful excursion. However, another part of her shared the pain that Max must have been feeling, as his excursion had be almost entirely unsuccessful.

She very much wanted the two of them to celebrate their moments of victory together and perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance of just that event happening. She closed her hand around the small device and took a seat by Max's feet.

"You once told me that your bum wouldn't be worth beans if your project failed."

"It was hill of beans, and right now, it ain't."

"You're alive, must be worth more than beans..."

"Yeah, but I took a healthy advance on this whole project, and they are gonna want that back now that I got nothin' - probably sue me too."

"If it's money that..."

"No. Lara, I love you, but no. This is my deal, and I'll take the heat."

Lara paused for a moment after hearing the tired (yet still powerful) phrase of affection. It had been a terrible long time since someone had uttered those words to her in sincerity - it felt good.

"As you wish..."

"Man! Nothin'! I mean, I've gone out and not gotten any footage plenty of times or lost a camera or even a car, but I lost all of that great stuff - could've been really great."

"It's not all lost."

"What?" Max perked up instantly, "tell me you found some of the tapes after I got hit, I can put it back together, cut whatever is left..."

"No, Max. This was in your car."

Lara opened her hand to reveal a digital camera.

"I found this is your little..." she almost said 'purse,' but the moment was a little too solemn to chide Max's effeminate accessorization, "bag."

Powering it on, the small display presented a picture of Max and Lara striking poses before Mount Koryaksky.

"Not really enough to make a movie out of, is it?"

"No, but I'll treasure it always - assuming that you'll send me a copy."

"You got it. I'll e-mail you just before they repo my computer."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, you're not very good at it."

"Sorry."

"Accepted."

"Ah, I can always go back to my old stuff, or maybe it's time for a career change for the old Maxi-Pad."

"A door never closes without another opening."

"Cheesy Lara, really cheesy."

"Quite."

"Wonder if the insurance will pay for the Sooby? Don't think I covered it for impromptu-dive-bombing-mission loss..."

"There are many cars out there."

"Yeah, I know...I had a helluva time turboing that normally aspirated two-point-two liter, don't wanna go through that again..."

"I happen to have a turbo Subaru I might be willing to part with - for a reasonable sum..."

"Thanks, but I'm really not looking to take a hand-out right now. I did all of this, I went in with eyes open - it's my responsibility."

"Our little adventure would have turned out very differently if you hadn't been there...I feel that I owe you something."

"Oh, I think that you owe me at least two, but I'm not asking for anything right now - 'cept maybe a drink..."

"Can't help you there - won't, actually."

"I know."

There was a moment between the two, and then it dawned on Lara...

"There still might be some who are interested in your story, even without and film..."

"Video..."