Noah Wolf Box Set 2

by David Archer

  “Niner-niner-Charlie-Zulu,” came a voice through the headset, “takeoff clearance is denied. Return to parking and shut down your engine.”

  Noah glanced quickly over to where he had left McDermott, Davidson and the truck, and saw that the truck was no longer there. There was, however, an army vehicle driving quickly toward the runway, and he knew he had only a second in which to make a decision. He glanced at Sarah in the seat beside him, hunched down so that she couldn’t be seen through the windows, and then looked forward to the windscreen.

  He shoved the throttle all the way forward and the big Jacobs engine suddenly sounded like a locomotive. He released the brakes and the plane began rolling instantly, then leaned back and yelled, “Unpleasant company coming!”

  Neil was sitting right behind him, and he popped up to look through the window. The Army truck coming toward them had several soldiers in it, and some of them were pointing guns toward the airplane. Neil shoved the window open and stuck his gun’s muzzle out through it, flipped the switch to auto, and squeezed the trigger.

  The only thing he managed to hit was the front grill of the truck, but the radiator obliged him by blowing the hood open on the vehicle. The cloud of steam made it impossible for the driver to see, and most of the soldiers fell off when he slammed on the brakes.

  “YAHOO!” Neil yelled, and Marco echoed him. Sarah only looked back and stared as the tail of the airplane lifted off first, and then Noah pulled back on the yoke a few seconds later and they were in the air. The airfield was surrounded by trees, and Noah leveled the plane off just a few feet over the tallest ones, then made a slow turn toward the southwest.

  “You can sit up now,” he said. “All we’ve got to do is stay low and hope the sky stays overcast. The clouds are dark and low, so as long as I stay under radar, we should be able to make it.” He took out his phone and told Siri to show him how to get to Hanoi, then adjusted his course by the compass enough to be pointed in the general direction.

  The Cessna 195 was one of the legendary workhorses of aviation. Built between 1947 and 1954, it was still considered a classic and one of the most reliable airplanes ever designed. It could cruise at 170 miles per hour easily, and had a range of 800 miles. With room for a pilot and four passengers, Noah could not have asked for a better aircraft for the purpose he had in mind.

  From Hong Kong to Hanoi was about 550 miles, most of it over rugged, mountainous terrain. Noah kept his eyes on the altimeter and the horizon, but the darkening skies made it very difficult to be sure he was going to clear the trees and ridges ahead. Finally, he decided to keep the altimeter at 1800 feet, and watch as closely as he could for anything looming toward them out of the darkness.

  “I can’t believe we haven’t been shot down,” Sarah said after they’d flown for a couple of hours in silence. “They’ve got to figure our stealing this plane is related to what happened out at that safe house. Wouldn’t they have military planes out looking for us?”

  “I’m sure they do,” Noah said. “I’m hoping that thunderstorm just over our heads is going to make it difficult for them to find us, but I’m still trying to stay under any ground-based radar. If one of their military planes gets a lock on us, however, there’s probably not much chance we’re going to get away. This thing just isn’t fast enough or maneuverable enough to outrun bullets or missiles.”

  Sarah grinned at him. “You don’t have to sugarcoat it, Babe,” she said. “I’m a big girl, I can take the truth.”

  Noah shrugged. “Just telling it like it is,” he said. “We’ve got about another hour to the Vietnamese border, and after that we might not have to worry so much. I don’t think China wants to start any border wars at the moment.”

  Noah felt her fingers brush his cheek. “Thank you,” she said. “I didn’t think to say thank you before now, but thank you for coming for me.”

  Noah looked at her. “My world isn’t right without you,” he said again.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  A loud roaring noise suddenly burst onto their senses, and a few seconds later something big and fast flew over their heads. A Russian Sukhoi fighter jet banked to the right, and Noah knew instinctively that it was coming around for the kill.

  “They found us,” he said, his mind racing. “Okay, listen, we got one shot, and it’s got to be a good one. Marco, Neil, get your guns out the windows. When he comes around, he’s going to be trying to line up for a kill shot, and I’m going to be doing everything I can to keep him from it. I don’t have any way to know when he gets a radar lock, so the minute I think he’s lined up on us I’m going to roll this baby over and throw it into a diving reverse. That’ll give you a few seconds to fire, and all I want you to do is put as many bullets as possible in front of his plane. Don’t try to hit him, just let him fly into them. And if this doesn’t work, then I want you to know that I’ve never felt closer to anyone that I do to you guys.”

  Sarah and Marco were watching the jet through the left-side windows as it circled wide and came around behind them. “He’s coming up behind,” Marco said. “Say when, boss, we’re ready!”

  “Sarah, watch him the best you can and tell me when it looks like he’s coming right in behind us.”

  “He’s close,” she said, holding onto Noah’s seat as he threw the plane into a series of dips and wiggles. “There, I think he’s right behind us.”

  Noah wrenched the yoke to the right and then yanked back on it all at the same time, causing the plane to stand on its right wing tip, and he caught a glimpse of tracer rounds flying past as he did so. “Now!” he shouted, and both Neil and Marco squeezed the triggers on their guns and prayed that their aim was true. They emptied both fifty-round magazines, and then Noah cut the yoke to the left and hauled back again. This time he eased the yoke back to the right, and they saw the jet fly past them once more.

  There was a difference, though, as its right engine was trailing black smoke. As they watched, that engine seemed to explode, and then the plane was spiraling toward the ground. Noah followed it just far enough to be sure that it crashed, then checked his compass reading and got back on course for Hanoi.

  “Geez, we hit him!” Neil said, his voice full of surprise.

  “Maybe,” Noah said. “I think it’s more likely a few of your bullets got into the path of his induction fans and got sucked in. His left engine did a pretty good job of blowing itself to bits. That’s the kind of thing that happens when little pieces of metal end up in places where they’re not supposed to be.”

  “Don’t spoil it,” Neil said, “we got him! That’s the important part, right?”

  “Absolutely. In the history books that will unfortunately never be written,” he said, “there would be an interesting paragraph about Marco Turin and Neil Blessing, the only men ever to shoot down a supersonic fighter jet with slightly overpowered handguns from inside an antique piston-powered airplane. Remind me to make sure that’s included in my report, so you guys can each get a copy of it.”

  “Why do we need a copy?” Neil asked. “Hell, we know we did it!”

  “Exactly,” Noah said, “and you’re not going to be able to resist telling people, but do you really think anyone’s ever going to believe you without documentation?”

  There was silence from the backseat for a moment, and then Neil slowly leaned forward and looked closely at Noah. “Boss? I think you just—I think you just made a funny.”

  Noah blinked and looked at him. “I did?” he asked. “I actually thought I was being pretty serious.”

  “Whatever,” Marco said. “I’m having enough trouble getting my heart to slow back down. If another one of them shows up, we’re dead, you know that, right?”

  “Forty more minutes to the border,” Noah said. “Personally, I’d be saying whatever prayers you can think of.”

  “I already am,” Sarah said. “Our father who art in heaven…”

  “Hallowed be thy name,” Neil and Marco joined in.

  They flew on, with No
ah straining his eyes to see anything that might be ahead of them, but it seemed everything that might’ve gotten in the way was at least low enough to let him fly under his 1800-foot ceiling. He kept glancing at his phone, checking the time, and then Siri startled them all by announcing, “Welcome to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.”

  They looked around, but there was no sign of further air pursuit. Sarah leaned over and kissed Noah on the cheek, and Marco grabbed Neil into a hug, then rubbed noogies on his head. “Ow!” Neil yelled, and he elbowed Marco in the ribs to make him let go. “Stop that, dammit, I don’t like that!”

  Siri guided Noah to the airport at Hanoi, and he was able to raise a tower operator on radio.

  “Hanoi Tower, this is niner-niner-Charlie-Zulu out of Hong Kong,” he said. “We’ve had instrument malfunctions and have gotten lost, we’re just lucky we found you. I’m getting low on fuel and request permission to land.”

  The confused operator came back a moment later. “You get lost in Hong Kong, end up in Hanoi?”

  “Yeah, something like that,” Noah said. “Look, I really need to put it down. All I want to do is get my compass fixed and buy some fuel, then I can go back home, okay?”

  There was another hesitation, but then the operator replied again. “Okay, niner-niner-Charlie-Zulu, you land now. You no leave airport, you buy gas, you take off. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Noah said, “niner-niner-Charlie-Zulu, Roger that. Turning for final approach now.”

  Noah lined the airplane up on the runway, and lowered his flaps as he reduced throttle. He came in a little fast, not being sure what the actual stall speed was on the old Cessna, but the runway was long and he had no trouble easing its speed down until the tail wheel settled onto the runway. He turned the plane around and taxied toward the terminal, but then they spotted the Gulfstream sitting off by itself.

  Noah punched the speed dial button for the pilot and he answered on the first ring. “This is Duncan,” Noah said. “See the little Cessna coming at you? How soon can you get that baby started and ready to fly?”

  “Engines are idling,” the pilot replied, “and I can be in the air two minutes after you get aboard. Door’s open and stairs are down.”

  Noah shoved the throttle in again and the plane gained a little speed, taking off across the grassy field between the runway and the parking space where the Gulfstream waited for them. The ride was rough and bouncy, and Noah slid the plane to a stop a moment later. The door flew open and Sarah was the first out, followed by Neil, Marco and then Noah, and they all ran for the jet.

  A siren started going off, but Noah didn’t bother to look behind him. As soon as the others were in the plane, he dived through the hatch and landed on its floor as one of the flight crew pulled the hatch closed and latched it in place.

  “Get into a seat and buckle in,” he yelled as he ran for the cockpit. Noah clambered into a seat beside Sarah and helped her get buckled before he bothered to fasten his own seatbelt, and then the plane was moving.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” came a voice over the loudspeaker, “this is your captain speaking and it looks like we are about to annoy some people. Everyone please hold on, I want to get the hell out of Dodge!”

  The plane bumped across the grass onto the runway, and then the engines began to scream their loudest. It seemed like only a few seconds later that the wings bit into the air, and the rumble of the wheels came to an end. They were in the air, and fifteen minutes later the pilot announced that they were over international waters.

  According to Noah’s iPhone, it was just a little past eight o’clock. He thought over the events of the day and was amazed that so much could happen in such a short time. He glanced around the plane at his team, looking first at Marco, who was staring out the window at the endless sea of clouds below. Neil had leaned his seat back and had his feet propped on the seat facing him, snoring loudly.

  He turned and looked at Sarah beside him. She was awake, and watching his face, and smiled when she saw him turn to face her.

  “Am I dreaming?” she asked. “I’m afraid I’m going to suddenly wake up and find out that this is all a dream, that I’m still strapped to that table.”

  Noah looked at her for a moment, then reached over and pulled her face toward him. He kissed her lips gently, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Did that feel like a dream?”

  “Mmmm, no,” she said. “That felt wonderful.” She raised her hand to touch his face, and saw the engagement ring on her finger once again. She held it out in front of them and looked at it, then turned her gaze back to him. “Do you regret this?” she asked, wiggling her hand to indicate the ring. “Is it really what you want to do, or are you just trying to give me what you think I need?”

  Noah continued to stare into her eyes for a moment, and then he leaned forward and kissed her again. “I asked you to marry me because it’s what I want,” he said. “I don’t want to be without you, and I’m uncomfortable at the thought of you being with some other man. I find that I want to see you smile, and I want to be one of the reasons that you smile. I want to lay beside you when I go to bed, and I want you with me when I just feel like relaxing. If I have to face the world, I want you at my back, and I want you to know that I will always be at yours.”

  Her eyes were wide, and her breathing was a little bit ragged. Their eyes were locked onto each other, and after a moment, Noah blinked.

  “The last few days,” he said, “I’ve been—impatient, I guess, impatient to get you back, impatient to find out whether you were all right, impatient to get my hands on whoever did this to you. I’ve had to stay busy because I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by my own thoughts, but there were a few times when there was nothing else to do but think, so I thought about what I was apparently feeling and the only conclusion I can come to is that I love you. I don’t know if it’s the same thing you feel, when you say those words, but I know that it fits the only definition of love that I understand, that love exists when the happiness and well-being of one person is essential to the happiness and well-being of another. Well, your happiness, your well-being, they are essential to my own.”

  Sarah was breathing rapidly now, and Noah put an arm around her and pulled her close to him, kissing her again. “I love you, Sarah,” he said.

  * * * * *

  The plane landed for refueling in San Francisco, and was back in the air in less than an hour, finally touching down at Kirtland at just after one o’clock in the morning. Noah and Sarah held hands as they came down the steps and walked to the Corvette. Marco took charge of their bags, so Noah just fired up the car and headed for home. When they got there, he parked the car and walked around it to open Sarah’s door, then surprised her by sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her to the front door.

  And then he found that he couldn’t unlock the door while holding her, so she took the keys out of his hand and managed to get the door open, laughing happily the whole time. He carried her straight through the living room and into their bedroom, then into the bathroom. When she started to undress, he pushed her hands away and unbuttoned her, then lifted the dress over her head and removed her underclothes, then turned and started water running in the big bathtub.

  He tried to pick her up and put her in the bath, but Sarah drew the line at that point. She climbed in and lay back in the hot water, ready to soak all of the pain and horror of the day before away, but Noah wasn’t finished. He picked up her favorite bath soap and dipped it in the water, then lathered his hands and began to wash her. She had to sit up a few times to cooperate, and even stand for a moment, but the pure, nonsexual pleasure of letting him wash her body was almost heavenly.

  She slid down under the water to get her hair wet, and Noah squirted a tiny bit of shampoo into his hand and worked it in. With her hair so short, it didn’t take much, and when he reached for the conditioner she told him not to bother. She opened the drain with her toe and got to her feet in the tub, while Noah wrapped her in one
of their big bath towels and rubbed her head down with a smaller one.

  And then he picked her up again, ignoring her protests, and carried her to the bed. He took the towel away and laid her down, pulled the covers up over her and kissed her. “I’ll be right back,” he said, and started stripping his own clothes as he headed back toward the bathroom and a shower.

  The shower took Noah only a few moments, and it was less than ten minutes later that he came back to her and slid into bed beside her. Sarah was wide awake, smiling at him as he slid close to her, then put her head on his chest.

  “When I was in that house, before things got bad,” she said, “Chung tried every way he could to get me to talk about you. I always refused, and so he would change the subject. He asked me things about myself, things I thought were perfectly safe, so we would just chat like that. He tried to flirt with me, but I told him I was engaged and that my fiancé was an absolutely wonderful man who didn’t know anything about the kind of work I did, and other silly, girlish things that every girl wants to be able to say about the man she loves.”

  She rolled over so that she could look up toward his face. “Do you know that he figured me out? I’m not sure how I gave it away, but the day before Xiao got there, he told me that he knew that my fiancé was you. That was the kind of information that could have gotten him a reward of some kind, it would have meant that he could keep control over the situation, but he had stupidly made me a promise that he wouldn’t reveal anything I told him about my personal life, and he kept his word. He never told Xiao, and I believe he never told anyone else.”

  Noah looked at her, his face relaxed. “There was something about him,” Noah said. “I think it’s that he had a sense of honor, and so that promise was something he simply couldn’t break. Sooner or later, he knew that Xiao would figure it out for himself, but he kept his word to you.” He stroked her face gently. “I’m glad I didn’t kill him.”