by Elaine Meece
When Brice entered the cockpit, he smiled. “Let’s go rescue Megan and Libby.”
“Sounds good.” Annie sat in the jump seat slightly behind him. “Take her up.”
He activated Vega I, and the robot hummed while its eyes opened and glanced around. Brice typed information into the robot’s keypad located on its side.
Vega I contacted ASOS for an updated weather report. The weather between Atlanta and Phoenix showed nothing but clear skies. No storms.
Annie hoped it was an omen that all would go well.
Brice started up the engine and taxied onto the runway.
Dwayne radioed. “How’s she doing?”
“Vega I or Annie?” He glanced back at her and grinned. “Annie’s fine.”
“Vega I, smartass.”
“We haven’t left the ground yet. Ask me when I get back.” Brice sped down the runway and lifted off. Vega I did her role as copilot perfectly. Once in the air, he contacted FSS. “Atlanta City, November 303EC on 122.2.”
A voice responded. “November 303EC, standby.”
In a few minutes the voice returned. “November 303EC, go ahead.”
“We’d like to open our flight plan from Atlanta, Georgia to Buckman, Arizona.” Our take off time was nine, ten, five, five, Zulu.”
“November 303EC, that flight plan has been activated.”
Once the jet rose to forty thousand feet and leveled out, Brice set it on autopilot. During the flight, he kept on headphones and spoke little. While Annie found the radio chatter annoying, she liked seeing the sky from the cockpit. Finally, she left to make lunch for Brice. She returned and set it within his reach. “Enjoy it.”
“Thanks. It looks good. What is it?”
“Turkey and cheese wrap.” Her apprehension had ruined her appetite. Since Brice was giving her the silent treatment, she left the cockpit and entered the cabin. Tears clogged her throat. Since he was doing this for her sister and niece, she wouldn’t force him to talk. He didn’t need to say a word. Annie knew it was over between them. She remained in the cabin for most of the trip.
When she reentered the cockpit, he glanced back. “Thanks again for the lunch. I turned around and you were gone. We’re about two hours out from the airstrip near the commune. Once we’re on the ground, it shouldn’t take long to set up camp.”
“You really think we’ll need it?”
“You could. That desert’s going to be brutal to cross.”
Finally, she had to ask. “How’s Shea?”
He stared at the blue skies in front of him while he answered. “She’s alive. When I left, her condition had been upgraded to stable, and she was being moved to a private room.”
“And the boys?” Annie asked.
“Upset. They’re with Pam.”
“Thank you for not canceling this trip.”
“We won’t be gone that long. They should be fine for a few days.”
As the jet neared the deserted airstrip, Brice dropped to five thousand feet, then gradually lowered more. He deactivated the autopilot. Then slowed drastically.
“The commune should be close by,” she said. “Look for a red bull on the top of a barn.”
Brice pointed. “There. See it.”
She nodded. “That’s a lot of wilderness and desert behind it.”
“It might be a longer trek to the airstrip than you planned on.” The airstrip came into view. “I see a driveway leading to the road.”
Annie scanned the area. “I see it. It looks overgrown. I don’t think any of this has been used in a while.”
“I’ll circle around and land from the south, so we don’t fly over the commune. Of course, this jet is so quiet they probably wouldn’t notice us.”
Being too high, Brice circled back around and prepared to land, lowering the gears “Buckle up. It might be rough.”
Annie nodded. “Is it long enough?”
“It is for this jet. We’ll land at a steeper angle. My only concern are the ruts and plant growth over the runway.”
The landing shook their bodies as the wheels rolled over ruts on what used to be a runway. Near the end of it, Brice brought it to a stop.
Annie breathed in a deep breath of relief.
At the edge of the runway stood a cluster of tall sequoias and several small boulders “That’s perfect cover for the camp and our supplies.”
“Let’s set up camp. We need to make it quick. They’re expecting us over at GYR.” He handed her a child’s watch. “Before I forget, here’s the GPS.”
“That’s larger than I thought it’d be. I’m not sure they’ll let me keep it.”
“Give it back a minute.” He took if from her, then forced the watch open and removed the small chip. He handed it to her. “That should be small enough to hide.”
“I know just the place to keep it. Thanks.”
The tent shot up with ease, and Brice staked it down. He pumped up a queen size air mattress. “If you come in from that desert, you won’t feel like doing this.”
While he set up the tent, she unloaded jugs of water, food, and camping equipment. Annie thought he was overthinking it. If the plan worked, he would arrive shortly after they reached the airstrip.
An hour later, they had everything completed, and boarded the jet. Brice set Vega I with new coordinates to the small Buckman Airport northwest of Phoenix. Brice took off from the deserted airstrip and headed Northwest.
Being so close to Buckman, Brice flew low and didn’t set the autopilot. “Part of the reason Cynthia let us bring it, is to see how Vega I handles on its own. She was supposed to try it out on her trip to Miami. Once we’re up, I’m going to turn control over to Vega I.”
Annie didn’t like being in the sky with a robot calling the shots. Though it’d been successfully tested at the facility, this was her first time flying with Vega I.
Brice contacted the tower. The small, private airport sat between rugged brown mountains away from the main part of town.
“GYR tower, this is November 303EC, we’re seven miles to the east, request landing.”
“This is tower control. November 303EC clear for landing, runway six, winds are five nots, northeast.”
Brice repeated the instructions. “Let’s see what Vega I can do.” He initiated Vega I to take control of the jet. “I was supposed to let it make all the contact with the tower, but I don’t completely trust it.”
The robot confirmed the order. Without any problems, the jet landed and came to a stop at the end of the runway. To his amazement, the robot taxied off the runway.
“Pretty cool, huh,” he asked. “That’s what Boeing hasn’t been able to do.”
“You’ve gone over to the dark side,” Annie said.
“I didn’t care for it at first, but now that I’ve seen what it can do, I’m sold. Every airplane should be required to have one. Boeing has been trying to build them into the aircraft’s internal systems like automatic pilot, and it hasn’t worked. Vega I is brilliant.”
Brice and Annie arranged an Uber driver to pick them up. While waiting, they stood under a porch to avoid the sun. Annie had a difficult time breathing in the dry heat. Her lungs burned. The thought of hiking through the desert in this heat terrified her. The two necessities essential for their escape would be plenty of water and hats.
The driver stopped at a small motel near the airport. Close enough that Brice could walk.
“Give us a second,” Brice told the driver. He stepped out and walked around to her. “I hate you’re determined to do this. I’ll watch for the GPS signal on my laptop.”
Annie nodded as tears filled her eyes. “I want to thank you for doing this. If I’m not out by next Monday, leave without me. You can’t hang around here forever.”
“If you’re not back, I’ll call the FBI.” He glanced at her small bag. “That’s all you’re carrying?”
“They don’t allow you to keep anything.”
“What’s in there?” he asked.
�
�My Bible, hair brush, toothbrush, deodorant, and money. I have the GPS chip with my taser.” She managed a sly smile. “God forgive me, I carved a section out in the middle of my Bible for it.”
“You, sinner.” He pulled her in his arms and hugged her. “Be safe.” He kissed the top of her head. “Remember you promised if you can’t leave with them, you’ll get yourself out.”
“I can’t leave them.” She stepped back. “I really appreciate you doing this. Most men in your situation would’ve changed their minds.”
“What situation?”
She sighed. “You’re going back to Shea. You’ve been as readable as a Dr. Seuss book.”
“Actually, I haven’t decided anything. It’s complicated.”
It’s complicated.
Cameron had used the same words.
“Figure out what you want.” Annie rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You’ve got several days to do nothing but think. See you soon.” She climbed in the car, then glanced back at Brice. She loved him so much it hurt. She wiped a couple of tears that had escaped.
There wasn’t an ounce of doubt that he’d return to Shea. Not because he didn’t love her, but because he felt guilty over his boys.
The driver pulled out on the highway and headed away from Buckman. In Garland, the driver pulled up to the town’s diner and let her out. She paid him, and he left.
Annie planned to contact the Cravens to see if they’d give her a ride to the edge of the commune. From there she’d walk. With this part of the country being three hours behind them, she had plenty of daylight left.
The bell over the diner rang, and the customers stopped eating and glanced her way. She sat at a table and picked up the menu. A waitress came over. “What can I get you?”
Though Annie hadn’t been hungry for the last few days, she decided to eat. There wasn’t a guarantee they’d feed her at Cactus Point. “I’ll take the special and sweet tea to drink.”
“Get that out to you in just a jiffy.”
“One more thing, do you have a phone I can use?”
“Sure do.”
“I’ll wait until I’m done eating.”
While eating the fried chicken meal, the door opened and the bell rang. Her friend the sheriff entered. Once again, his pet monkey was with him. He spotted her and came over. He pulled out a chair and sat without being asked. The red haired, freckle faced deputy did too.
She pushed the plate back and grabbed her tea, sipping it. “Sheriff, you’re right on time.”
He looked surprised. “I am.” He grabbed a roll from the basket on her table. “For what?”
“To drive me to the commune.”
“Thought we had an agreement.”
“Hawkins invited me to join them. That’s what I’m doing. I want to be with my sister and niece.”
He cocked one brow. “You know it means taking a husband he selects for you.”
“That’s okay. I’m not having much luck picking one that’s worth a damn.”
“Wait here,” he said to the deputy. “Couple of the men are in town. Let me go have a word with them.” He left.
“Care for a roll?” she asked the deputy. “They’ll just throw them away.”
Concern showed in Thompson’s eyes. “The last girl who wanted to leave that place disappeared and hasn’t been seen.”
“Maybe, she had someone waiting and actually got away.”
“Not possible.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I was supposed to pick up her.”
“You?”
He moved closer. “I work with a group that transports them out of the commune. You have no business going there.”
Annie didn’t know if this was a setup to get her talking. “I’m not planning to leave.”
He shook his head. “You don’t know what it’s like there for women. My mom got mixed up with that bunch. She got out, but sometimes they don’t live to tell about it. If you get in there and want to leave, you just tell Naomi at the grocery store. I’d appreciate if you didn’t mention this to the sheriff. He’s on their payroll. If he knew, I’d be killed in the line of duty with a bullet in my back.”
“I won’t. I’ll be fine.”
The sheriff walked back and motioned for her to join him. She handed the waitress more than enough money and left. The deputy followed behind her. Two men waited by a pickup truck. “You joining us?”
“Yes, I don’t plan on leaving.”
“Get in,” one of the younger men said.
Annie sat between them. They reeked with body odor. She recognized the railroad tracks when the truck rolled over them and anticipated the next turn. Once there, they waited for her to get out.
The man on the passenger side motioned for her to follow him. “Come on. Prayer meetin’ going on.”
They entered the primitive sanctuary where she’d been before. It had an old wood smell. As they entered, all the people observed her. In the dim lighting, they looked like pioneers from long ago.
Hawkins shouted fire and brimstone. After noticing her, he stopped. “Who’s that?”
“Megan’s sister. She wants to join us,” the young man said.
“Bring her forward.”
When she stopped, Hawkins glared with wild, crazy eyes full of suspicion and doubt
Megan gasped. “Annie!”
Annie glanced back and saw her sister and Libby. She turned her attention to Hawkins. “You gave me an invitation when I was here to join the commune. I’m here to do that.”
He studied her. “What’s in the bag?”
“My Bible and a few personal items and the money I won’t be needing on the outside.” She hoped the large sum of money would convince him she was sincere. “I’m giving it to the commune. Call it a love offering.”
One of the men looked in the small tote bag. “That’s all I see.” He removed the two thousand and handed it to Hawkins. “Dang, that’s a lot.”
When he didn’t remove her Bible, relief swept through her.
“You agree to take whatever husband God selects for you?” Hawkins asked.
“I will. When will that be?”
“I’ll need to pray about it first. Have you been with a man before?”
“Yes, but I have repented of my sin.”
“Oh, you will repent. We’ll drive the devil right out of you and purify you for marriage.”
That’ll be the day.
Annie didn’t plan to stick around long enough to meet the man Hawkins selected. “I’m tired from my trip. Will it be tonight?”
Hawkins shook his head. “No, we’ll start tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll pray about who you should be paired with.”
From what Megan said, it would depend on who gave the most money to the church and commune. Basically, she’d go to the highest bidder. Of course, she might be considered old since they married children.
Annie nodded. “That will be fine.”
Dan stepped forward. “She can stay at my house until a husband has been selected.”
Hawkins turned to Dan. “You couldn’t keep Connie from escaping. What’s to prevent all three of them from leaving.”
“I’ll lock them in the room tonight,” Dan said.
“You got a car parked somewhere around here?” Hawkins cocked one brow.
“I didn’t drive.”
“How’d you get here?” Hawkins asked.
“I paid a driver to get me to Garland, then I caught a ride here with your men.”
“She can stay with you tonight, but once her purification starts, she’ll be kept in another household.” Hawkins turned to her. “Trying to escape can have serious consequences.”
“I want to be with my sister and niece. I’m tired of the outside world and all the stress that comes with it.”
Annie was allowed to join Megan. They hugged for a long time. Then she hugged Libby. Her sister’s eyes questioned her actions, but neither could speak now.
Later at Dan’s
house, they hadn’t been left alone for a moment. Ruth, Emily, and Emma, his other wives, huddled between them every chance they had.
Ruth focused on Megan. “You may want to explain the purification process to her.”
Megan nodded. “You’ll be required to fast for days. They’ll only give you water. Then you’ll have Satan removed from you, and finally, they’ll baptize you. At that time, Hawkins will marry you to the husband God selects for you. You’ll go stay with his wives and children. He’ll bed you that night.”
“It won’t be much of a wedding night with the family there,” Annie said to Megan.
“Trust me, there’s no orgasm,” Megan told her. “He’ll be on and off in a matter of minutes. All he wants is gratification and to make a baby.”
Ruth and Emma actually chuckled.
“If you live here, so can I,” Annie said, trying to convince the others.
They’d have to escape tonight. She hadn’t planned on leaving so soon. And if he locked them in a room, how would they leave?”
Chapter Twenty
Later, the pounding of the hammer hitting wood rang out.
“He’s nailing your window shut from the outside,” Ruth said.
After they’d had dinner and bathed, Dan ordered them inside the tiny room. “One of you may have to sleep on the floor. I left extra blankets and pillows in there. I’ll let you out in the morning.”
Megan placed a hand on Dan’s arm. “Thank you for letting me have the night with Annie.”
Dan kissed her. “Don’t stay up all night talking.”
Megan smiled. “We won’t. Promise.”
Once they were inside, he nailed the door shut so they couldn’t open it.
Annie hoped the house didn’t catch on fire. She had a bigger problem right now. How would they get out of this room? She doubted Houdini could do it. After tonight, she’d be separated from Megan and Libby.
Once the house settled, Megan spoke freely. “Mrs. Craven delivered your message. I found the letters and burned them.”
Annie sighed. “Thank, God.”