Chapter Twenty: Ships in the Night
Case stepped over to the rack where Logan slept and knelt next to him. Case grimaced trying to keep quiet and suddenly found himself uncertain that waking Logan was a good idea. Certainly it would wait for after reveille? Case changed his mind and was about to get up when Logan's eyes came open a crack looking directly at the younger man, "What?" Logan whispered sleepily.
"Damn it!" Case said with a start. It was easy to forget that Logan had internal radar that kept him in touch with every one near him. "We need to talk," Case said quietly.
Logan groaned heavily and turned his face away a moment. Case heard Logan's muffled sigh as he pushed himself up from his rack. Swinging his legs over to touch the floor and rubbing his eyes Logan asked, "What time is it?"
"Three thirty," Case said gritting his teeth, expecting a backlash. He heard Logan groan in the dark.
"Case…can't this wait?" Logan queried a hint of frustration tainting his voice, "We leave in four hours, and I don't sleep well in planes."
"That's what I need to talk to you about," Case said sounding desperate.
Logan looked up at him sharply as if reading his intent from his voice. He glanced about the room a moment then back at Case, "Go to the head, I'll be there in a minute."
Case nodded silently and moved away glancing about him as he did. Case padded to the bathroom knowing that Logan's suggestion was a good one. The bathroom was the most private place in their barracks and they could carry a conversation in their without having to whisper. He waited there impatiently as Logan groggily joined him. Logan squinted hard in the bright light of the head, probably waiting on his night vision to give to his normal sight. After a moment he blinked several times and then looked meaningfully at Case.
Case did not wait for him to ask, "I think it is about time to set things in motion," Case blurted in a low tone.
Logan was shaking his head, "Not yet its not. We don't have the others cooperation yet. This will not work unless we have at least a majority of the unit agree to it." Logan said crossing his arms over his chest, "Besides, we have a better bet of getting free when we get to the other end of the flight."
"How do you figure?" Case argued leaning one hand on a nearby sink, "We land at another base and then we're in a mission. I don't see that as the best time to attempt an escape."
"Think about it, Case. If we try to escape from here, we have the whole of the Cadre Rojas to fight through as well as nearly five hundred Norm soldiers that are stationed here. Then there is the miles and miles of desert in any direction we go. I only have an inkling of a notion where the next town is, if it even is still populated, and I am not sure our supplies will hold out.
"Once we leave here we fly to Wyoming, which is so close to Washington you could practically spit on it. I know that area…I've been to Wyoming and I know where everything is along the way. That increases our chances of success right there.
Add to that, there will only be Torri and maybe one or two others from the Cadre to accompany us once we head for the border. The odds are a hell of a lot better than here on the base. I say we let the others in on it on the flight over there. If they will support it, we take over the vehicles before we cross into Canada and head for Washington."
Case was silent long after Logan had stopped speaking, his eyes on the tile on the floor, "What if they don't go for it?"
Logan threw up his hands, "I don't know…We could try it on our own, try to get one of the vehicles away from them. I don't like the odds on that though, I don't honestly know if the others would actively attack us, they're pretty well entrenched in this."
All Case could do was nod, "That does not sound very promising."
Logan just shrugged, "At this point we are playing it by ear anyway, this mission has pretty much blown the timeline out of the water." He saw the frustration on Case's face, "I don't like this any more than you do, Case, but what else can we do? I have as much reason to want out as you do, more…" Logan looked away, "The baby is about due."
"You've got some really high expectations about them still being there for you when you get back," Case said sourly.
"It's the thing that has kept me going to this point," Logan said with a shrug. He looked down at his watch, "For now we need to get to bed, we are on the pad here in about two hours."
Case nodded, feeling like they were without closure on this particular train of thought, but he saw by the look on Logan's face that they were done talking. Logan walked out without another word trudging back to his rack as if he had just gotten up long enough to go to the bathroom. Case waited about ten minutes before doing the same.
Zach opened his eyes wide, fighting fatigue as the darkened desert passed. He glanced over at Tima sleeping soundly in the passenger's seat next to him. She had just gotten done with a major portion of the driving to this desolate isolated place and she had seemed more than ready for a break. Unfortunately he had been awake the whole time she had been driving, and now he was having a real fight to stay alert. He looked back up seeing the light color staining the night sky announcing the coming dawn. They had to be getting close. He looked at the bright green numbers of the clock telling him it was nearly six in the morning. He groaned softly, felt like he had been driving for hours and it had only been about fifteen minutes.
"Ah!" he said as his headlights speared a faded green and white sign, reassuring him that they were almost to their objective. He slowed as he ascended the off ramp to the overpass and Tima was immediately awake beside him.
She squinted looking into the brightening sky now shining through her window, "We there?" She asked. She was quickly awake despite her catnap, looking around for any sign of the base that they had been sent here to find.
"Not quite, almost," Zach answered her. He shook his head irritated by more than just his lack of sleep. They had been chasing "Geese" all week long, following leads to bases that supposedly were used by Manticore. Most were long abandoned; wind, weather, and time was taking care of the evidence. They had actually come to several that were active sites, teeming with Manticore troops. There had been several narrow escapes from those. And still they had gotten no closer to Logan's whereabouts. It wasn't until the call from Max had come to them that they had what seemed a solid lead on the wayward leader of Logan's Brigade. "He'd better be here that's all I got to say."
"And if he's not?" Tima asked her eyebrow raised above her bright emerald green eyes.
He smiled crookedly, "Then we'll keep looking…" He glanced over at her, seeing if his cover had abated her rising indignation, "Of course."
"Thought you might say that." She said grinning herself. She unbuckled and turned in her seat preparing some of the stuff they had stored in the back of the vehicle. Zach glanced over at her again, seeing her firm posterior now next to him. It was all he could do to resist the temptation to smack it.
"You know Tima," Zach said, "You really shouldn't do that when I am trying to drive.
She glanced back at him, "Do what?"
Zach reached over and ran a hand from her waist down her close butt cheek, "Distract me with this."
She quickly turned around and plopped down in the chair smiling widely, "You distracted? During a mission? That is not the Zach that I know!" She joked with him as she strapped back into her seat.
Zach's smile widened and he laughed a little, "A lot has changed since you came into my life."
"Yeah well don't let that get in the way of what we're doing out here in the middle of Bum Frickin' Egypt."
"You know me better than that!"
They pulled off the highway well out of view of the gate, moving along a dirt track or dry creekbed that paralleled the perimeter fence. They parked the car in a dry ravine near the fence line and got out. They crawled to the top of a near by dune searching slowly the barracks and training areas of the base. They saw nothing at first to raise any interest just several large companies of soldiers drilling on a dried out track infield.
"This doesn't look good to go in and get him out if he is in fact here," Zach said doubly cautious since getting them both nearly captured at the last Manticore base they had found.
"That is a lot of soldiers alright," Tima agreed, "But I don't see Logan."
"Neither do…" Zach paused, "Yes I do. Second barracks to the right."
Tima shifted her gaze, "You sure?" She asked. She spotted the man outright but was uncertain that the nearly gray haired man was the same as the one who had kept her from getting killed when she had tried to get reinstated into the organization.
Zach nodded, "Definitely," and they both watched as seven people were ushered out of the building lining up in a neat formation of two, three person rows. They looked at each other warily, for leading the formation was Logan. Standing next to him was a shorter Manticore woman with a pink barcode on her forehead, and she was giving orders or instructions to the group, "What the hell did they do to him?" Zach asked quietly, watching as he stood at stiff attention before her. There were two other younger Manticores flanking the dark-skinned woman.
"Looks like they brainwashed him," Tima said bluntly, "We movin' in or what?"
Zach shook his head in the negative this time, watching as the ten people in the party fell out of the formation and moved to a waiting van, "They're moving out, we'll never get there in time. Get the car I want to follow them."
"Got you," Tima said and then disappeared down the hill.
Zach stayed atop the dune until he heard the sound of the car's engine. In that time he watched as the van carrying Max's husband drove deeper into the base rather than heading out the gate as he had hoped would happen. He slithered back down the hill hurriedly getting into the passengers sea, "Their headed for the airfield!" Zach growled, "Follow the fenceline!" He said even as he gesticulated the direction that he wanted to go. Tima was quick to respond but careful not to give them away to the people still living and working on this side of the base.
Zach clenched his jaw worrying that they were going to get away from him, "Maybe this is better," He said trying to convince himself as much as Tima, "There will be less people to deal with on the other side of the base."
"I hope your right," Tima said with a shake of her head. She concentrated on keeping the car going straight in the soft sand of the creek bed. They were not making much time, and without warning Tima swerved sharply to the right hitting the low lying bank at an angle and sending the car careening onto more solid ground.
She nodded to herself as the car picked up speed even as Zach looked at her in concern for the lack of warning. He shook his head and looked back toward the last place he had seen the van. He drew a breath only when he caught sight of the vehicle now peeking out from between small buildings at the edges of the airfield.
"Stop!" Zach ordered opening the door even before Tima was able to comply. He stepped out watching the vehicle slow and then disappear behind one of the large hangers on their side of the airstrip. Zach signaled Tima to get their gear and she was quick to return with rifles and their harnesses holding several flash and smoke grenades. He slowly suited up, keeping his eyes on the Hangar in case the van retreated out the other side.
"Let's go…" Zach whispered as if there was someone who would overhear if he spoke any louder. They easily leapt the fence using the tower to block their crossing from any onlookers. Tima covered Zach as he darted to another patch of cover near another outbuilding and then followed him. They relayed in that manner until they were near the hangar where Zach had last seen the van. He paused by the door of the hangar scanning the area behind them quickly with his eyes trying to ensure that no one had seen their passing. No one seemed to be aware of his or her presence however and Zach slowly let out a breath. He nodded at Tima who eased the small personnel door open. She then peeked in quickly sweeping the area with her eyes and her weapon. She was back out in a flash signaling all clear. Zach eased into the hangar and Tima shadowed him. The hangar was empty save for the dust and the cobwebs that had built up over time. The dust under their feet made the smooth surface of the bay slippery and they moved cautiously. Parked outside the other end of the hangar framed by the partially opened doors was the van they had seen Logan transported here in. They flanked the doors, listening for any activity beyond their range of view. Tima darted out the door crouching next to the solid wall of the van hiding her slim frame behind the aft wheel and sweeping the area fore and aft of her position. She motioned to Zach and he joined her slowly moving toward the back of the vehicle.
Zach leapt around the open aft door sweeping the inside, "Damn!" He muttered finding the vehicle empty. Tima came up beside them and Zach glanced over seeing her brow furrow at the sight.
"Where'd they go?" And as if that was a cue an engine started on one of the craft. A second engine coming on line swiftly followed it. It was not too far from where they stood but several other smaller buildings blocked it from their view.
Zach and Tima ran in unison toward the source of the sound fearful of the implications. As they rounded the hangar the third and fourth engines were coming on line great gouts of smoke issuing from their tailpipes. They ran as quickly as their genetic make up would allow, dodging between small outbuildings on the skirt of the tarmac and as quick as it was it was not enough to close the distance between them and the now taxiing C-130. It made the runway in moments and was accelerating quickly to take off speed. They didn't quit however, running after the aircraft even as the distance between them grew and the wheels left the deck.
Logan leaned back, butterflies in his stomach, there was so much that had needed planning and yet he had not managed to get it done before Torri had thrown a mission at them. Logan sighed heavily leaning forward again and glancing out the still open back end of the plane. Logan noticed movement behind the plane, and straightening a bit he refocused on two people running behind them. He was unable to squash his reaction jerking into a sitting position as he immediately recognized the two trailing the C-130.
"Zach?" Logan muttered. The Brigade had finally tracked him down, but would they be able to get to the plane in time? He glanced about him quickly trying to think of a way to get them to stop the plane. He felt the plane accelerate and then the squeamish feeling as the plane resisted gravity and took to the air. He stared back out to the tarmac watching Zach, Tima and the ground fall away from him.
"What is it?" Shawnee asked leaning toward him and looking where his gaze was still fixed.
Logan started, "Nothing," He said too quickly, looking away, "It was nothing."
Too late…they were too late!
"Damn it," Zach said slowing to a stop, panting hard.
He looked over at Tima who caught up slowing to a stop beside him. She doubled over her chest heaving trying to regain her breath. "Max…is not… going to be happy about this." She added between gasps.
"No, she's not," Zach agreed sidestepping closer to Tima, "You OK?"
"Yeah fine," She breathed, "Just out of practice."
"Yeah," Zach said smiling, despite the bad deal they had just been handed, "Me too!"
They jumped as a loudspeaker squelched loudly, "You there! Stop," A voice thundered. Both of them looked in unison the direction of the voice. Several truckloads of soldiers were barreling down the tarmac toward them. They both raised their weapons lighting off a volley at the upcoming vehicles.
"Move!" Zach ordered even as his feet moved of their own volition toward the perimeter fence. The air sizzled around them with return fire, many bullets ricocheting off the tarmac pelting them with sharp bits of cement. The soldiers were unable to get a good bead on the retreating Manticores however, both for the motion of the trucks and the speed and unpredictable path the two were taking. Without pausing the pair vaulted the ten-foot fence their feet already in motion as they hit the ground on the other side. They were in the car and on the road before the trucks had neared the perimeter fence. They headed straight into the desert driving until the base was no longer visible before making a path back to the nearest highway. They were well on their way out of the area before they placed the call they both were dreading.
"You…Saw him?" Max said on the phone and Zach could hear the tears in her voice, "You actually saw him?" It was barely a whisper.
"Yes," Zach repeated, "They flew him off the base along with seven others."
"You're sure it was him," She asked confirming her fear.
"Absolutely."
"Any possibility you found out where they were headed?" Max asked trying to sound hopeful.
Zach glanced over at Tima who looked devastated that they had been unsuccessful, "Our presence on the base was discovered, we couldn't investigate further without risking capture."
"So," Max's voice sounded very small, very hurt, "We're right back where we started?"
"I'm afraid so Max," Zach said apologetically, "I'm sorry."
"Me too," She whispered.
"Max?"
"Yes?"
"He'll come back," Zach said earnestly, "He has too."
"MMmm," Was all Max replied with, sounding unconvinced.
Max hung up the phone and immediately broke into tears, not wanting the news to be true, not willing to start this whole process all over again. All the work they had done to get to this point, and all for naught, he was gone again, only God knew where and now she would probably never see him again. They couldn't possibly get that lucky twice.
"Damn it!" She growled through her tears, the pain of Logan's loss welling up fresh within her again. She felt like her insides were tearing apart, and that only made her cry harder. She was unable to move frozen by her pain and her guilt.
It was only when her water broke did she realize that the pain was not from Logan's loss, and when the contractions hit her again it was all she could do not to cry out.