"Thanks again, Bob for the use of the jeep." Steve shook hands with the base mechanic.
"Anytime, Colonel. Besides, getting to use that sweet ride of yours really is a treat!" the older man grinned, looking over at Steve's airplane.
"Okay, guys, have we got everything?" Steve turned to the wind burned group standing next to the terminal.
"I think so, Steve, Robbie, are we missing anything?" Rick took a quick look around then counted heads.
"Yeah we're good to go, 'cept, Ian, where's Ian, Rob?"
"Right here, sir, this man says he needs to see Steve." Ian came around the corner of the hanger, followed by a nervous little man in corporal's garb.
"Colonel Austin, Mr. Gregson asked if you would do him a favor and take this package to Dr. Wells." the short-statured man saluted, then pro-offered a large box.
"You're....' Jackson, Sir." the Marine stood at attention, and Rick suppressed the desire to laugh.
"All right, let Mr. Gregson know I'll take this to Dr. Wells." Steve grumbled, then climbed into the plane and wedged the parcel into a back corner.
"All set, let's head for home." Rick snickered at the rush for the open cabin door. "You'd think we hadn't seen our families for a month!" he teased, then caught Steve's melancholy look.
"I know, I miss Jaime and Crystal, too." Austin admitted, then smiled when Rick shook his head.
After a few minutes, Steve got clearance, and they lifted off. As they reached flying altitude, Rick saw his friend frowning at the paperwork he received on filing his flight plan.
"Don't' tell me the weather's bad in Phoenix." Rick said, then caught a startled look from Steve. "Yeah, thunderstorms are brewing over the California-Arizona border, how'd you know?"
Rick snickered, pointing at the heading on the update he was holding, "BAD WEATHER SITES".
"Oh that's bad, Rick." Steve groaned sheepishly. "I guess I do want my family but this was fun."
'That's the idea." Rick replied smugly, ducking a playful swipe from the Colonel.
As they neared the storm center, suddenly a strange noise came from the rear of the plane, and at once the power went out. Rick looked at his son then at Steve, who started hitting switches.
"What happened, what's wrong." Rick asked, an edge of fear creeping into his stomach.
"No power, Rick. Something's happened to the electrical systems." Steve answered calmly, working the switches, then trying the radio. "Everyone get ready, we may be going down."
"Rick, the noise that started this, I think it came from that box." Towne spoke up, indicating the strange parcel, now suddenly vibrating and making a faint high-pitched noise.
"Damn it, that's it!" Rick reached for the box as Steve borrowed his transmitter and called Oscar. Abruptly the plane began to rock, as heavy winds buffeted it.
"Here, I'll take that, Steve, you handle the plane." Rick grabbed the transmitter from the big man just as Oscar answered.
"Rick, is that you?" the older man smiled as he pulled into A.J.'s driveway. "I just arrived at your brother's, where are you?"
"We have a problem, Oscar, call Gregson and find out what the hell this thing is that he had Steve pick up for Rudy, it's cut the power to the plane and we're going down over the California/Arizona border."
"Wait a minute, Rick, Gregson didn't tell me you were bringing anything for Rudy, he's here now, let me give the transmitter to him and I'll alert the base at Flagstaff." Oscar replied, concerned. Bolting up the walk, he saw A.J. at the doorway and said "Get Rudy, son, we have an emergency."
"I know, Laurie saw her watch light up and was just trying to call you." The younger Simon took his coat then led him inside where Linda was holding Ricky as Robin clung to her namesake and Ceci. Rudy was already on the phone to the OSI as Jamie stood next to Laurie listening to their husband's voices.
"Dad." Laurie calmly looked up at Oscar as he came in the room. Oscar reached for her shoulder and squeezed it then sat down next to Rudy as he looked up from the phone.
"Oscar, Gregson was only sending paperwork on a new weapons device, not the device itself. It sounds like that's what was passed on to Steve. Tell him to throw it out of the airplane, it's their only chance."
"Did you copy that, Rick." Oscar heard Robbie's voice in the background then Rick came on.
"Just dropped it out the door into a deserted area." He told Oscar, then gave him the coordinates.
Immediately Goldman could hear the motors of the plane start, then Rick called, "Oscar, we're going to have to set down, we're about 50 miles from the Arizona border. If we can just make it over this storm cell, Oscar, I'll keep transmitting as long as I can."
The plane was losing altitude fast, but Steve's skills with light planes and jets came into play as he brought the airspeed down, then starting gliding the plane down toward a seemingly flat area of Copper Point.
"All right, everyone get into position, we're coming down." Steve managed to contact the tower at the airbase in Flagstaff, and was advised he was facing major windshear.
Listening to all this, Oscar saw the women start grasping hands, and A.J. came and took both
Laurie and Robin's hands as Rick quietly said, "If anything happens, Oscar, please look after my girls. A.J., it's been fun."
"Rick, you're the best big brother, don't you forget it." A.J. choked back his emotions as Robin buried her head in his shoulder.
Laurie grabbed Jaime's hand. "Honey, talk to Steve through me." she said, then closed her eyes as she heard Steve "tell" his wife, "Everything's going to be all right, babe, you and Crystal hang in there."
Suddenly they heard Steve yell, "We're down, oh, damn, the wing caught! No!!!"
A terrible crashing noise was heard, then Towne's voice, "We'll make it honey!"
"Towne! No!" Temple cried as the sounds of voices jumbled, then silence.
Suddenly Laurie moaned, "He's hurt, Steve!" then released A.J.'s hand and clutched her head, prompting Rudy to go to her and help A.J. lift her to the sofa."Grab my bag, someone. Come on, Missy, let go of Steve." Rudy took her hands as she hook her head weakly.
"No, can't let go, he's still alive, he's ...Grandmother?" Laurie opened her eyes then lay quietly, trying to concentrate on the jumbled images. Finally she told them, "I just heard Grandmother Kasey's voice, she says he's alive, he's dazed, that they're all okay. Steve made it out, Rick and Robbie pulled him out of the plane, it's gone."
"Honey, it's okay, you can let him go for the moment." Jaime looked up with hope in her expression. "Oscar, they made it, how soon can someone go up and get them?"
"I'm working on that right now, babe." he turned from the phone, anxiously looking at Laurie.
"Honey, how do you feel?" Rudy examined her eyes, then relaxed as she replied, "The pain's better, just a dull ache. I think he's going in and out of consciousness, it feels like the windshield caught him as the plane hit the ground. A.J., can you try the transmitter." Laurie tried to sit up.
"Easy, sis." A.J. came over and helped prop her up. "I'll try my big brother again, I'm sure if the main transmitter is out, he can contact us on his watch."
As he tried calling first Rick, then Robbie, Oscar got air support from the local air base to go up and survey the last coordinates Steve issued. Gregson from the OSI immediately sent a unit to meet with Oscar at the airport in Phoenix and also notified the Secretary regarding the dangerous weapon.
As their loved ones worked on locating them, Rick rested against the makeshift shelter that gave them some protection against the falling rain. As soon as Steve's plane came to rest near the top of Copper Peak, a dazed Rick saw smoke start to seep from the engines,
then realized the others were in various states of shock. Looking at Steve, he heard him moaning, then saw blood on his face. Quickly Rick grabbed a towel from the supplies and managed to stop the bleeding. Deciding they had to get out, he turned to survey the others.
"Robbie, Ian, are you guys okay?" he asked, seeing them still belted in.
"Pop, I'm all right, I just feel sick, Ian?" Robbie raised his head, then saw his friend open his eyes as he sat up slowly.
"My head hurts, otherwise, hey Towne, wake up." Ian realized the older man was still hunched over. "Uh, I'm awake, just trying to figure out what hit me." Towne squinted up at Rick who crawled over to release the three men's seatbelts.
"Guys, the plane may catch on fire, help me get Steve out and as much equipment as you can so we can take cover, I think it's starting to storm." Rick tried to remain calm, having seen the threatening clouds.
At once Robbie managed to climb over their belongings, now strewn around the cabin, and help place Austin on the makeshift stretcher Rick made out of a tent. As soon as Towne and Ian made their way out of the plane, they helped move the semi-conscious man some distance away from the plane, then took turns moving their camping stuff out of the wreckage.
Just as Ian started to make one more trip inside the fuselage, a puff of smoke came from the back of the plane and Rick yelled "No time, leave the rest and get over here!"
Scarcely had they taken cover when the plane burst into flames, then tilted and slid down the side of the mountain, revealing they had landed on the edge of a precipice. The men looked at each other, then Towne went to Steve's side, saying, "Remind me have you buy me a lotto ticket, talk about luck!"
After several hours of Steve's going in and out of wakefulness, Rick finally got him to rest. Finding a dry spot away from the mineral-laden rock croppings, he found a clear channel to get a signal out via his transmitter. "Rick! Is everyone okay?" he heard his brother yell, and he had to smile, even at this late hour his brother still sounded hopeful.
"A.J., I can hear you, we're all okay except for Steve and I think he's doing better, it's raining pretty steady. I take it that's why we haven't heard any planes." He added.
"You've got that, big brother. Oscar finally got the airbase at Flagstaff to run a search plane before sunset, but all they spotted was the wreckage on the desert floor. They couldn't send anybody your direction cause' the storm got too bad, but Gregson promises that as soon as the weather clears we'll be headed your way." A.J. promised.
"Thank God, I don't think I like camping under these conditions." Rick tried to make a little humor, then seeing the miserable expression on Towne's face as he sat with Steve, let out a sigh.
"Rick, it's a miracle you guys are even alive, you know." A.J. heard the worry in his brother's tone, then tried to change the subject. "You'd be proud of Mom and Laurie, they're both being so strong. Mom's been in the kitchen making sandwiches and trying to keep everyone's spirits up, and Laurie, well, she's convinced you'll be home for dinner. She's sitting with Jaime and Crystal, talking to Steve and I guess he's responded a couple of times. Of all things, she heard Grandmother Kasey's voice, she told Laurie you had all made it."
"I owe her one. Steve is responding, Towne's with him now, we'll wake him in an hour to check him for bleeding or nausea." Rick answered, suddenly exhausted.
"Why don't you say a word to Laurie then get some rest, I'll call you in an hour." A.J. offered, seemingly reading his brother's mind.
"Thanks, A.J., I'd love to hear her voice." Rick acknowledged, relieved he could at least do that. A moment later, "Rick? Darling, are you all right?" her voice trembled.
"Just a little banged up shoulder, sweetheart. We'll be okay, I miss you." He tried not to tear up as he listened to Laurie sniff, fighting off tears.
"I miss you too, love. Everyone's being so kind, and Dad and Rudy, we couldn't make it without them or A.J. Mom's keeping us fed, and well, you know how our daughter is." Rick felt the pride in her tone.
"I'm not worried about my girls, is Temple and Ramona okay?" he glanced over at his weary son and Ian, huddled under a half-set up tent.
"Ramona's finally sacked out, Temple's here, can she talk to Towne, she's really worried about him." Laurie asked, then when Rick answered in the affirmative, said "I love you, Rick, get some rest and 'll see you later, gator."
Smiling at their catch phrase, the older Simon replied teasingly, "in a while, crocodile." and was relieved to hear his wife giggle.
Handing his watch transmitter over to the rejuvenated Towne, he took his seat with Steve and was rewarded by the sight of his friend coming to.
"Hey, pal, how do you feel?" Rick got a bottle of water and helped Steve to raise up and take a sip. "Like I've been kicked in the head, but at least I'm not dizzy anymore." the big man managed a grin, then groaned as he saw the rain coming down.
"Still raining, I take it no calvary tonight?"
"No, not until later today." Rick saw by the light on Steve's watch that it was after midnight.
"I wouldn't want to fly out in this weather either, at least in a light plane. Tell Oscar a Huey would be the best bet, it's the only copter that can handle the altitude and weather." Steve told him thoughtfully, then caught the relieved grin on Rick's face.
"What, oh, you were worried, huh?" Steve smiled faintly.
"Nah, I knew you pilots were tough, I just had visions of having to hike down the mountain in this weather, you know how I love climbing down slippery rocks!" he joshed.
Just then Robbie came over and after seeing that Steve was awake, told Rick, "Pop, you look all in, why don't I sit with Uncle Steve and you get some shut eye."
"All right, son, wake me in a couple of hours." he agreed, then stiffly got up and traded places with Robbie. Limping over to where Ian was quietly sleeping, he grabbed a dry blanket from his backpack and wrapping it around himself, closed his eyes. His last thoughts before sleep overtook him was of his Laurie, and he suddenly felt her in his mind, softly telling him she loved him, that for him to rest. "I love you too, sweetheart." he sleepily "called" to her, then dropped off.
As the sun rose, activity picked up at the Simon condo in Phoenix, where Oscar was preparing to head for the airfield with A.J., leaving Rudy and the newly arrived Abby Johnson to handle security and the increasing amount of media calls.
As he was shrugging on his coat, Laurie came over to him with a thermos of coffee and a sack with sandwiches for him and A.J.. "Here, Dad, this ought to keep you awake." she quietly said.
Taking the hot meal from her, Oscar took her hand, saying "Thank you, baby, now I want you to get some sleep. I know you can't stand being without Rick and the others, honey, but it won't help us find them if you're sick."
Laurie looked at his tired face, then hugged the older man. "I love you, Dad, you've done so much. I promise to try to get some sleep. Please be careful and call me when you guys are ready to take off."
"I will, honey." he kissed her cheek. Seeing Cecilia come out of the bedroom, he went to say goodbye, then was moved by her embracing him, saying. "I know you'll bring my son and grandson home safe."
"Thank you, Cecilia. I leave you in charge of our girl; I made her promise to get some shuteye before we get back with the guys." Oscar answered. "Don't worry, I'm going to put her to bed right now." she remarked with a teasing look at Laurie.
"I'm ready, Oscar." A.J. came into the room and hugged his mother and sister-in-law. "We'll be back with them later, Mom."
"I'm counting on you, son." Cecilia replied spiritedly, then watched the two men leave.
Unfortunately the next several hours were a nightmare for all concerned, as heavy rain and wind started to buffet the area. When Rick awakened at daylight, the partial tents that they had erected were in tatters, and they were hard put to stay dry. Throughout the morning, the connection with A.J. and Laurie's transmitters was broken, once for three hours. Finally the sound of a plane flying overhead caught everyone's attention, and their location was noted by Oscar, who tried with limited success to radio the five men that they had been spotted.
"I see you guys, we'll be coming back with a Huey helicopter, it can handle these conditions." the older man got through to Rick and was overheard by the others. A small cheer went up, only for Steve to take Rick's watch and tell him "Whatever you do, be careful, Oscar. Someone went to an awful lot of trouble to bring us down."
"I will, Pal. I'm going to rendezvous with Jaime and Laurie at the base terminal just as soon as I have confirmation of the plane's coordinates." the older man replied, heartened by the strength in his friends' voice.
As Rick and Towne erected the last undamaged tent to cover everyone until Oscar returned, Laurie and Jaime waited impatiently in the office of the base commander as Gregson of the OSI spoke with the Secretary. Laurie had had to convince Oscar of the need for her to go with them, but the problems with getting a signal out of the crash area was a deciding factor.
"Oscar, she can communicate with both Rick and Steve, besides, I just got a call from Ron Johnson, there was a call asking to speak with "Mrs. Laurie Simon", then when Ron came on, they hung up. She's safer coming with us." Rudy had told the former OSI chief.
"Yes, sir, but we have to get them off the mountain today, all the forecasts are for even more severe weather. Plus Colonel Austin is stable now, we don't want him to be at risk of exposure."
Laurie was startled to hear the current OSI chief seemingly arguing with his boss.
"Sir, I realize this device is important, it is also deadly. We have reason to believe it is the reason Colonel Austin's plane went down." Gregson started to turn red with repressed anger, and looking at Jaime starting to get mad, Laurie decided to take action.
"Mr.Gregson, may I have a word with the Secretary, please?" she asked firmly.
Surprised, the younger man told his superior, "one moment please."
"Mrs. Simon, I'm sorry, I really shouldn't ..." Jaime interrupted him, "Look, Craig, I'll talk to him, he knows what I can do and he doesn't want to get me angry."
Reluctantly Gregson handed her the phone.
"Mr. Secretary, this is Jaime Austin. I hope I mis-understood Gregson here about the need to rescue Steve and the other's from Copper Peak before the bad weather returns, hmmm?" the former agent said matter-of-factly.
"Uh, Jaime, I apologize, but I'm sure you would understand the importance of retrieving that weapon from the crash site then picking up Steve and Mr. Simon and the others."
Laurie saw her friend's face turn pale with anger.
"No, I don't see the importance as far as taking precedence over Steve and our friends, especially since that weapon is responsible for nearly killing them already. Now I'm not so sure you want Laurie and Temple Brown to go on television tomorrow and say why their husbands are in danger, do you. Because I will not hesitate to join them in shaming you into saving their lives." Jaime's anger built, then she paused, waiting for his reply.
"No, Jaime, you don't have to do that. I will authorize a military helicopter to pick up you and Oscar and Mrs. Simon to rescue your husbands and friends. Afterward, I will expect full cooperation in locating the imobilizer so it doesn't fall into the wrong hands." the politician answered tersely.
"Steve and I will do everything we can to find this thing." Jaime said, then handed the phone to a stoic Gregson.
After a few words, he put down the receiver, then turned and smiled at the two women.
"Never let it be said it's a man's world." the younger man said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Craig, we'll wait here for Oscar then once we pick up the helicopter, we'll head straight for the coordinates Rick gave us." Jaime told him, then added ruefully, "Just in case, we'll fly over the area where that weapon landed and drop a marker, maybe that'll appease your boss."
"I'd appreciate that, Jaime. Let me radio Oscar and let him know we'll have a Huey as Steve suggested." Gregson replied.
Within the hour Oscar touched down and immediately went to meet with the two women, finding Jaime and Laurie talking with an emotional Ramona on the phone.
"Dad, I'm glad you're back." Laurie got up and hugged him, bringing a smile to the older man's tired face.
"I'm happy to see my girls." he dropped a kiss on her cheek then embraced Jaime.
"You'll be glad to know the guys are okay and ready to go home. Let me talk to Gregson and get an idea of when we'll take off. Both of you are going to need helmets, I'll get Commander West to have a couple brought in."
"Thanks, Oscar. I should warn you, I had a few words with the Secretary, and I had to use a little strong arm tactic just to get him to agree to the helicopter." Jaime hesitated, then saw anger in her old friend's expression.
"I'm sorry, babe, I'll find Gregson and see what the Secretary's problem is. Be right back."
Oscar turned on his heel and quickly left the room.