Chapter Seventeen:
Flight

If Chris Larabee had been in a venomous mood after leaving the burning wreckage of William Styles's home, what he learned upon returning to his ranch made him positively homicidal with rage.

It was bad enough the Erran had abducted JD and would almost certainly use him as a hostage in order to acquire the remaining Pillars, but to learn the sons of bitches had violated the sanctity of the home he'd bought for Sarah and Adam, heightened his fury to volcanic levels. The ranch was inviolate and the idea it had been sullied by the Erran stoked his desire to see every one of their kind put down for good.

They'd returned to the ranch house in the mid-afternoon, only to find the place reeking of a stink that would have raised the dead buried in the Great Pyramids. Not to mention having to endure an unholy level of complaining from Ezra Standish regarding the destruction of yet another suit. It appeared Buck, Josiah, Nathan and Ezra had escorted Orin Travis to the bank where his Pillar was kept and in the course of retrieving it, were forced to take a turn through the sewers of Albuquerque, to escape the Erran who had followed them there.

Fortunately, Nettie who played housekeeper to the premises had come to the rescue by ensuring their ruined clothes were taken away and laundered, resulting in Chris's living room resembling the locker room of a men's gymnasium. Leaving Chris and Vin to deal with his comrades, Mary and Alex had opted to freshen up after their ordeal in the mound, themselves needing baths after their unceremonious landing in a mud puddle.

"I honestly don't know what's worse!" Chris growled, schooling his team, even though Professor Travis was in the room, like they were errant school children. Vin simply offered them looks of sympathy, allowing Chris to go on a tear until it was time for him to step in. The sharpshooter always seemed to know the best time to stop in and remind Chris he was among friends when he was in this kind of mood.

Like now.

"Take it easy pard," Vin said gently, understanding what had motivated the others, even though like Chris, he wouldn't have gone after the Pillar either.

"Take it easy?" Chris growled and shot Vin an annoyed glare, suspecting the younger man was attempting to handle him. "Are you kidding me?" Chris snapped and face the others again. "Why the hell didn't you just stay put until we got back?"

"Hell Chris!" Buck jumped to his feet, clutching the towel that was hanging precariously around his hip, feeling his own ire raised. It wasn't Chris who had gone trekking through the sewer like rats. "They got JD! What were we supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to use your head!" Chris retorted sharply. "Not go running after the Pillar which was exactly what they wanted you to do. They knew the minute they made the demand for JD, we were going to have to retrieve the Pillar to get him back. It's what they were waiting on. They don't plan on keeping any bargain they made with us Buck. The minute they get within sight of the other Pillars, they're going to kill us all, if they haven't already killed JD."

Buck's eyes widened at the thought and so did the dread in his face at the possibility. At that instant, Chris saw just how fearful Buck was for the young man's welfare and immediately felt badly for pushing so hard.

"Mr Larabee," Ezra winced at the harsh rebuke as deeply as their pilot. Secretly, he had also wondered whether the decision to retrieve the Pillar had been made too hastily. They had simply reacted when they learned about JD's situation without considering all the angles. It was a testament to Ezra's affection for the young men that he, who should have seen the duplicity, missed it. "Despite the outcome, we did elude them and we still have the Pillar."

"Yeah, just because we didn't exactly take the scenic route didn't mean it ended up worse than it could have been." Nathan pointed out. It had been his idea to take the sewer and though it had been a filthy trip through those tunnels and wide drains, at least they had escaped with their skins intact and the Pillar still in their possession. Besides, the sight of Ezra slipping into knee deep sewage had made him smile.

"It was my call Chris," Orin spoke up, his voice taking on the same authority he used when he commanded them all in France. "I decided we should go and get the Pillar."

Any further rebuke Chris was about to make, died in his throat following the Professor's statement. Orin Travis was the only person Chris Larabee would not raise a voice to. Even though it was years past, Chris still saw Orin as the commanding officer who led him and K-Troop through the battlefield of France. His conditioning to obey the man was not merely out of respect and loyalty but affection because the scholar had saved him in more ways than one, during the worst time of his life.

"Well it's done now," Josiah added. "The question is, will they honour their agreement now that we managed to sidestep their double cross."

"I don't know," Chris sighed, deciding both Orin and Josiah were right. There was no point arguing over what had taken place but instead focus on what came next. "We still have two Pillars, which means we have something to bargain with."

"Or not."

Chris had heard a door creak open and assumed it was the girls moving through the bedrooms or Nettie coming back. Except the voice who had spoken wasn't any of the women.

It was JD.

The kid looked hot and tired. He had lost his jacket and his white shirt was stained with dust and sweat stains. A satchel of eastern origin was slung over his shoulder and he was breathing hard as he stood by the doorway, one arm propped up against the frame. He was trying to catch his breath following the announcement of his return, temporarily oblivious to the burst of surprise and elation at his sudden appearance.

"JD!" Buck's voice boomed first as he got to his feet and strode across the floor, arms open as if he was about to envelop the young man in a big bear hug of relief.

"Buck, don't you dare hug me until you put a shirt on!" JD cautioned with a smile of amusement, when he saw the pilot on approach. Now that he had time to survey the room, JD's brow wrinkled in confusion as the number of his friends in various states of undress before turning to Vin who was nearest to him at the door. "Why isn't anyone wearing any clothes? What the hell have you all been doing while I was escaping those kooks?"

"Long story," Vin chuckled. "How did you get here?"

"Yeah, how did you escape? And don't think just because we're happy to see you I won't kick your ass." Buck retaliated, still wearing a happy grin as he paused short of hugging the boy because, well it did feel kind of strange when he wasn't wearing anything but a towel. "We thought those bastards still had you."

"I escaped," JD explained, walking into the room after noticing a pitcher of water on the coffee table and headed straight for it. He'd go for something a little stronger a bit later. Like the whisky in the decanter he could see at the other end of the table.

"You escaped?" Ezra stared at him incredulously. "How in Perdition's Fire did you manage that?" The gambler was genuinely surprised. While JD was intelligent enough, the young man was still new to the life and that level of resourcefulness was something none of them had seen him display so far.

"What do you mean how did I manage that?" The boy stared back at him with an expression that was part hurt and part offense. Bristling inwardly, he supposed it was exactly this kind of thinking that allowed him to get past the great Khan.

Next to Ezra, Nathan rolled his eyes and swatted the back of the man's head at his tactlessness, something Ezra should have been practised enough to avoid. "Nice, Ezra."

Ezra cursed himself inwardly at the remark and quickly tried to explain himself. "I simply meant..."

"I can take care of myself," JD sulked, somewhat hurt by Ezra's lack of faith when it was the skills he learned from the gambler that served him most during his escape.

"JD, continue ." Chris spoke up, his patience reaching its limits because he wanted to hear how JD had escape. Such miracles didn't happen without a considerable price tag and Chris suspected, they would be paying for it soon enough.

Remembering himself as well as the danger he had placed them with his escape, he resumed speaking. "After they took me from Doctor Styles's house and set the place alight," JD's expression darkened in correspondence with Vin, who was still angry at how Alex's family home had been burned to the ground in vengeance. "They took me to the Yards near the river. The Erran have private train or something stationed there."

The older men in the room exchanged silent glances with each other, the same thought running through all their minds though no one was speaking it. The Erran never had any intention of releasing JD if they had been so free with letting the young man see where they were holed up.

"Go on kid," Buck prompted, his jaw ticking as genuine anger filled him. Buck never let the emotion get a grip on him the way it did Chris, but knowing what the Erran had planned for JD, allowed Buck to make an exception.

"Anyway," JD resumed quickly because whether or not they knew it, they were on the clock. "The guy in charge, they call him the Shah. He thought I was some stupid kid. It made him think I couldn't take care of myself so when he had to leave when some of the Erran ran into trouble, they only left one guard with me. I managed to get the drop on the guy. Once I laid him out cold, I took those red robes he had on and got lost in the crowd long enough to reach a car."

"Not bad," Vin complimented, glad to see JD was proving himself. As the youngest member of the group until JD came along, Vin remembered what it was like to be in a similar position.

"They follow you?" Josiah asked, unwilling to imagine JD's escape would be that easy, not after the lengths the Erran had gone so far to achieve their ends.

"They did but first chance I got, I ditched the car and the robes. I saw a bus and jumped on before anyone saw me. As soon as I got to the depot, I called one of my pals from school to come get me and give me a ride out here. I got them to drop me off the main road, near the trees, so I could sneak in here on foot without anyone seeing me."

"Good job young man," Orin complimented, mirroring the approval of everyone else in the room.

As nice as it was for JD to hear the compliments, he knew they were running out of time. The Erran were coming and he had to tell them why, now. Standing up, he looked at Chris. "Chris, we have to leave here right now. If they're aren't here yet, they soon will be."

The intensity of that delivery made Chris's spine stiffen and the urgency spread around the room like wildfire.

"Why?" Chris was almost afraid to ask.

"Because I didn't just take some goon's robes, I took something else." He unslung the satchel around his shoulder and emptied the contents onto the coffee table with a loud clunk, stunning everyone into silence.

"Good God," Orin Travis was the first to break the silence, staring at the objects, two of which he hadn't seen in almost fifty years.

"Jesus Christ," Buck's voice chimed in soon after. "Is that..."

"The other two Pillars and the Heart," Chris grinned, never prouder of the kid than at this moment even though he fully understood the danger they were now in. JD was right, they had to leave and right now.

"How the hell did you manage to get your hands on that?" Nathan asked, unable to believe the Erran and more importantly, Shah could be careless enough to let JD get his hands on the artefacts.

"I told you," JD smiled, revelling in the admiration he was receiving from everyone in the room. "He thought I was a stupid kid, I proved I wasn't ."


Less than thirty minutes later, with everyone armed and dressed in still damp clothes, they left the ranch after ensuring the Erran were nowhere in sight and headed out to the only safe place left to them. On board the Darlin' Millie , 25'000 feet in the air.

Buck contacted the West Mesa Airstrip where the Millie awaited them in a private hangar during the period between jobs, to lodge a flight plan and get clearance to leave while Chris ensured Nettie and her niece were safely out of harm's way. Though annoyed at having to leave, Nettie understood the situation and headed off in her Ford pick up to collect Casey from school. She intended on visiting with Agnes Doherty, an old friend who was still in the service and stationed at the army base in White Sands. At least Chris was assured of her safety there.

He doubted even the Erran could get past the US Army.

In light of JD's dazzling display of deceit resulting in their acquisition of all the pieces needed to open the cryptexes and revealing the location of the Tablet, Erran would be on their way and they would be doing it in force. Thanks to a nineteen-year-old dropout who wasn't even old enough to drink, the purpose to which the Erran had devoted themselves for centuries was literally stolen from under them. If the Erran caught up with them before they could get to safety, Chris had no doubt the fanatics would kill every last one of them.

"We got clearance," Buck stepped out of the house, grateful the afternoon sun was drying the damp clothes they'd been forced to wear due to their hasty departure. "Damned if I know how. Fastest clearance I ever got. I didn't even have to sweet talk Gloria into working her magic for me. Anyway, we can leave as soon as we get there."

In front of the house, both their cars were parked and waiting. Josiah was behind the wheel of his Roadmaster, with JD in the back seat with Orin Travis and his daughter. Nathan and Ezra were in the backseat of his Oldsmobile, no doubt bitching about something like a bunch of hens. Chris shook his head as he heard their argument, wondering at what point did he miss the wedding.

"Well don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Chris remarked. Buck was wearing his shoulder holster, his Remington pressed against his rib. "You drive straight there and get Millie ready for take-off. Vin and I will be right behind you."

"Where are we headed?" Buck asked needing to lodge an actual flight plan. He'd gave Gloria some half assed destination, just in case anyone came calling after they'd left.

Chris thought quickly. "I don't care as long as we're wheels up as soon as possible. We need somewhere we can put down for a few hours without the Erran interrupting us."

"I gotcha," his old friend nodded and looked over his shoulder at Vin, who was engaged in talk with his new girl. "He's really gone, ain't he?"

Chris tossed a look over his shoulder and noted the duo, unable to keep a smile from tugging at his lips, despite the urgency of their present situation. "All it takes is the right girl."

"I prefer it to be any girl," Buck grinned. "Hey Vin, we've gotta get moving!"

"You're a lost cause," Chris laughed shaking his head.

Vin gave Buck a look and turned to Alex who was now wearing jeans and a loose shirt, her hair pulled into a ponytail. Even though he had met her less than two days ago, it astonished the young sharpshooter how hard he had fallen for her. Yet when he looked into her eyes, he was convinced she felt just as deeply for him. While they weren't going to be parted for long, Vin still felt this tug knowing she was going to leave him, even for a little.

"I'll be right behind you. Me and Chris are just gonna make sure none of them Erran bastards try to follow us to the airstrip."

"You will be careful right?" Alex asked quietly, trying not to sound like some needy woman but the truth was, he'd caught her completely by surprise and since meeting him on that rooftop above the museum, Alex could no longer imagine her world without Vin in it. After losing her father, she had resigned herself to being alone. She never expected her life to change just because she shared a box of sugar babies with a stranger.

"Always," he grinned and leaned in for a kiss.

"For crying out loud!" Chris tugged him by the collar, impatient to get moving. "We're just driving to the airport, not retaking the Marne. Buck needs to get going to get the Millie ready."

Vin shot him a look. "You get surlier every year pard," Vin grumbled and turned back to face Alex who giggled softly. He kissed her lightly on the lips. "I'll see you soon."

Chris shook his head as Alex started towards the Roadmaster, with Buck holding the door for her. As Chris headed towards the driver's side door, he looked at Vin over the top of the vehicle.

"You know, you could play a little hard to get."

"Kiss my ass Larabee," Vin glared before getting into the car.


They spotted the Erran coming towards the ranch the instant they drove into Coronado Highway.

As anticipated, they were at least three cars approaching them from the other side of the road, no doubt on their way to the ranch where they intended to retrieve their stolen property. The Roadmaster was in the lead because Chris wanted JD who was carrying the artefacts and the girls safely on board the Millie first and foremost. With all the Pillars out of hiding and ready to be opened with the Heart, the last element of the Errans' ritual of unmaking, were the sacrifices for Tiamat's resurrection.

He had no idea if it was Alex or Mary who was intended for this purpose, but he was not about to find out.

The trio of cars screeched to a halt the instant they passed each other on the road, with Chris seeing the face of the tall man JD told him was called Krestos. Wasting no time, Chris swung the wheel around, providing a temporary barricade between the Erran and the Roadmaster. As the tyres screeched, filling the air with the scent of burnt rubber, Vin was already winding the window down on his side of the Oldsmobile, raising the fully loaded Tommy gun that had been tucked between his legs while he rode shotgun

Sliding the barrel past the window, Vin wasted no time unleashing a deadly barrage of ammunition across the windscreen of the lead car. Glass shattered and the vehicle swerved sharply after he put a bullet through the head of its driver. He followed the wide arc of the vehicle as it veered through wards the shoulder of the road, continuing to fire until its doors were similarly covered with bullet holes. While he wasn't certain he had put down all the men in the vehicle, he had definitely shot out their tyres enough to ensure it would not be in pursuit.

However, the Erran in the remaining two cars were not idle either. Krestos opened fire on Vin, driving the sharpshooter back into the vehicle, while at the same time, creating an opening to allow the third car to go after the Roadmaster. Still, even as Vin was driven back into the Oldsmobile for cover, Ezra had emerged to start shooting. The gambler concentrated his fire on the car attempting to catch up with Josiah, aiming for the tyres. Chris almost hear the bullets rushing past his ears through the window. Ezra, who was almost a good a shot as Vin, with a lot more chatter, hit one of the tyres, which exploded with a loud depression of gas.

The car, a Buick, dipped sharply to one side, the tyre deflating so quickly, the chrome rims ripped it apart against the tar and forced the vehicle to the other side of the road, facing oncoming traffic when it happened by. In either case, it was going nowhere and the Roadmaster continued ahead, un-accosted, maintaining its lead on the rest of them.

As the back windscreen shattered, Chris kept his head low while shouting at Nathan. "Let them have it!"

"Alright Lieutenant!" Nathan grinned, producing the stick of dynamite he had stashed into an old duffel bag on the floor of the car. Lighting a stick, he peered through the shattered rear window, at the car, a Caddy, so close he could almost see his reflection in the grill. Staring across the distance, his eyes made connection with the driver before he revealed what he was about to toss out.

"Just like playing chicken." Nathan grinned as the fuse began to burn and his intention made plain to his Erran opponent.

"Will you just throw the infernal thing?" Ezra shouted as he saw the strand continued to shorten with each second.

"You sure you don't want to hold it?" Nathan smirked wickedly at the gambler.

"MR LARABEE! MAKE HIM THROW IT!"

"I swear to Christ if you two don't knock it off, I'm stopping the goddamn car!" Chris shouted at them with exasperation as Vin rolled his eyes and continued his assault with the Tommy gun.

Grinning, Nathan tossed the stick of dynamite which promptly bounced off the trunk of the Oldsmobile to land directly in front of the pursuing vehicle. The Erran driver, not about to risk driving over the thing when it exploded, hit the brakes so hard, the car swung in a neat arc and then tipped onto its side and began to roll.

The healer saw at least one man tossed out of the vehicle and judging by the size of him, it was Krestos. Meanwhile, the caddy flipped over twice before tumbling down the embankment at the side of the road, while the dynamite it tried to avoid to such detrimental effect, exploded, and created a small crater in the middle of the road.

As Chris peered through his rear mirror, he could see Krestos getting to his feet, glaring at them as the gap between the Erran and the Tablets widened further. By the fury that must have been in his eyes, Chris did not think the Erran would be far behind for long.