by Cara Charles
“No. You said never do a teardown with a hangover and mine is huge! Jesus, Coach!”
“Holy shit! We thought you were together, blowing the ridge in the OB at Beyond The Edge. And he called me 911 about twenty minutes ago having chest pain, said he was waiting for me here at China Grove. His Jeep isn’t in the lot. But he’s not here, and he had been chasing those guys he confronted here yesterday! Maybe they stole his Jeep to retaliate. Dave found his pee stain. Kane says he saw him on the ridge, but he was breaking it down to exit the backside. Not like him at all! He was here. We can smell his aftershave. Listen, Mango. I brought Dave and Kane and his ambulance and somebody is blasting. He wouldn’t go out the back. I can’t raise him on any of his hardware or Ben, no one. Just Howie.”
“Jeez, Coach. This isn’t healthy. If it’s him blasting, then he must be O.K. He simply changed his mind. Maybe those guys did steal his Jeep. Relax will ya? I’m going back to sleep.”
COMEDIAN HAD GONE BACK to check to see if the Nazi’s body was in pieces. That’s when he heard the fuse and skied back the way he came. But he had to warn them down below. Probably too late already.
In his best Chris voice, he walkied the guys below, “Howie?”
“Ya Chris. What the hell? What’s taking so damn long?”
“Sorry man, I dropped the cord. Ready now. Here comes the mountain. In sixty seconds.”
“Copy that. We’re ready. You got a cold?”
“Ya. Given to me by Miss Auburn Hair, blue eyes, 36 Double Ds, black silk bra, black thong and a sister to match. Got a love hangover. Forgive me?”
“Ya whatever, I saw you with the Twins, you poor bastard! Is she around to nurse you back to health or did Mango steal both of them from ya?”
“Naah. They flew back to France in grandpa’s jet. She knows where I am when she wants to go slummin’ for my lovin.”
“Dog! Money and sex!! You’re always the lucky bastard.”
“Ya! O.K. Big tear down this one. Here goes. Sending Siberia your way.”
“Copy that.” Howie thought, ‘Chris forgot to say ‘sending Blue Icy, your way.’
AFTER TWO MINUTES of hauling ass toward the far ridge, his ear was trained on the last big tear down. The final huge blast shook the ground like an earthquake.
Comedian thought, ‘Oh fuck that was too big. Jesus. They must have switched out the sticks for bigger ones to blow me up, too. Fuckers.’
You could hear more than the ridge rumbling down the mountain, as a dark red splatter pattern from a paintball gun and the Nazi’s body parts were soon buried. It felt like they’d blasted out the side of the mountain.
Comedian put everything into getting to his own escape route.
Flying up toward him, Dead Man's Ridge. Gaining as much speed as possible, he leapt off the ridge like it was a ski jump and threw his small para-sail behind him. It popped open. His poles dangled from his forearms, as he maneuvered his way through the air about four hundred yards to the bowl, far below.
He hit the snow lightly careful not to let the poles make contact and break his arms, then skied to a stop, repacked his chute, and skied on to his hidden 4x4.
By the time the patrol shook out the surprise, rallied their resources he’d be miles away in his stolen, rusting four-by smoking his Cuban cigar, itching to turn on his cousin’s end of mission music Billy Idols’ ‘In the Midnight Hour.’
TOM AND LARA heard the two small blasts above them. So did the M4 team.
“Dad?”
“Brace for impact honey. Somebody made a big mistake.”
Tom’s mind raced. Had he missed a notification or was this something else? Instinct took over. Tom floored the SUV.
The METAPHOR driver floored it toward the Andersen family.
“Those Russian fuckers!”
“Doesn’t look good mate. Better give our madam a jingle.”
Then a final big blast shook the ground underneath them.
“Fuckers!”
The METAPHOR man riding shotgun, texted Desiree, ‘MKteam set big avalanche now upon us both. Orca’s family incl. We will NOT make it. U need more eyes on Orca! Been an honor, Dear. M4MMt OUT.’
“MY GOD!” Mango jumped out of bed and keyed his walkie, “Coach? I felt that clear over here. Chris never blasts that big. Not ever! Those blast patterns are not his signature. I hope to God he didn’t blow himself up. I’m coming. The whole mountain is probably coming down.”
“Is it someone else?”
“Yes! Chris never carries that much wack for the ridge.”
“I’m asking you again. Is it someone else?”
“Yes. Yes! My gut says. Yes!! He let me sleep in with our new friends who are long gone. Listen to me! He could be doing it differently today, which is so unlike him. You’ll know it’s not him, if there aren’t five charges. You know him and the number five. Shit. God damn this day. Out. Jesus fucking Christ what a cluster fucking mess! On top of that I can’t even mother fucking move.”
Mango stretched his back, went into the bathroom, feeling unusually stiff, and peed for about a minute. He forgot he still had his thumb on the talk key.
Hal said, “The three of us say there were only three charges, Mango. Do I have to listen to you pee? Don’t fuck with me boy! This is fucking serious!”
“You’re right. Sorry Coach. It’s just my nerves. I’m worried about him and can’t figure why it hurts so much to move.”
“Just man up and get the hell up here.”
“Yes, Coach. Sorry about my bullshit. Out.” Mango grabbed three aspirin, slugged down cold coffee. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Mango went frantic, looking for his keys.
Tom had switched into four-wheel drive and floored it. That guy at the gate had fucked up. In the mirror, Tom saw another car racing toward them, but he had to concentrate.
“Get your shoes, and warm gear on, get Boogey out of his crate, wrap up, and brace for impact. They know we’re here. They’ll find us. Hurry now.”
Tom honked S.O.S., so did the car behind him. Boogey was barking uncontrollably. The road was shaking. Tom looked uphill, and then back at the road with only precious seconds to work out his strategy.
“HOWIE? What the hell? Am I hearing an S.O.S.?” Hal asked. “No? And another one? We’ve got two cars on the road! My God!!”
“Yes! We’ve got two cars on the road. Damn it! They got by Allen at the front. Chris’ charges were too big. My God! Look at that! Gotta go, it’s gonna hit the road big time. Send the team and dogs. Now! Out!”
Howie put his truck into 4-wheel drive and sped as quickly as he could up the road, wondering, ‘if it would reach him on the road and how the hell did those cars get through?’
LARA SAW the mass of snow sliding toward them. “Oh my God, Dad!”
“You work at surviving this Lara! Sit on the gun.”
Tom knew they wouldn’t make it, but he had to try. Lara had read that guy, but why? Then it hit him.
‘Mavra Kimirov.’ Tom’s mind was flying. “Honey? It’ll take time to find us.”
Tom continued honking when he could, but had to fight the car over the slick road, knowing sound carried, at least the road crew would hear him.
Lara felt the hopelessness, too. “I love you, Dad. We’ll make it. You can do it. I know you can.”
She began to cry quietly, not to upset her Dad. She got Boogey out of his crate. Pulled him to her, and wrapped them both in the comforter. Lara hugged him hard.
Tom knew avalanches traveled at 150 mph. He knew the best thing to do was to pull them off the road and get the car behind trees or a boulder. The snow was about five hundred yards from the road. At the last moment up ahead he found a stand of trees, downshifted and headed there.
Tom only had seconds to get to the huge boulder or tree stand. He turned the car down hill to prevent a roll over, shoved it into park, pulling hard on the parking brake.
“I love you honey. You are a wonderful intelligent beautiful woman who has a very brig
ht future ahead.”
“I love you Dad, so much. You’re forever my hero.” Lara said as she read the text her mom had sent, refused to share it with her Dad and hurriedly texted her mom, ‘Mom they got us on the road w/ Avalanche. We love you. Fight on! Lara, Dad and Boogey!’
As Lara pushed send, the snow hit them so hard Tom felt like it broke his back. The trees did block a lot of it, but it still buried the car.
Tom knew a lot more snow of was coming. He’d honked S.O.S. and prayed.
“It’s gonna be O.K. Honey. I know they hear us. Hold my hand.” Tom reached over the seat for her hand. Lara placed her hand in his and he squeezed it so hard it hurt, but she didn’t let go, as she realized Tom was not alone, someone was also honking S.O.S.
METAPHOR was hit first.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR -- RUNNING ON EMPTY
TOM SQUEEZED HER HAND hard.
“I remember the first time I saw you and got to hold you. You knew me like I’d always been your Daddy. I knew then you completed me. You and your mom, made me the happiest man…”
“Forever and always, Daddy.”
‘A chance for her to survive, was still a chance. Maybe the trees weren’t the best idea. But it had been his only idea. His only option and her only chance.’
The tree above snapped. Lara screamed. That was the last thing Tom remembered.
The tree had crushed the roof separating them, and knocked Lara out.
Boogey was digging in the front seat. Dad wasn’t moving. But his hand was still clutching hers. Boogey was barking. Something was wrong. Snow was inside. It was getting cold, fast.
Lara was swimming up to consciousness. She heard a snowmobile coming to rescue them. She woke up with Boogey licking her face.
Lara heard voices. A man and a woman arguing. She couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Allen had followed the homing device he’d planted on their car when it was in the lot at the lift, and found them quickly, Mavra was on the back of his snowmobile, wanting the pleasure of seeing Elise’s family buried alive.
“I said I fucking can’t and I won’t. I know her!!” Allen yelled.
“Yes, you can. There’s lots of money in it for you. All those cool things you can buy. Here I’ll do one. See you hold the hand. See? Come on. Your time window is closing. Five seconds. Or else you forfeit. Five, four, three, two, one,” the woman said.
“All right!! I’ll do it,” Allen said as he dug into the snow to find the father’s hand.
Boogey was barking hysterically, savagely protecting Lara.
Mavra with a syringe in her hand reached over to hand off the syringe to Allen to inject the father, but turned around and plunged the syringe in Allen’s neck with both hands. Within a few seconds, Allen was dead.
Hands were digging for her and reaching for her. She heard Boogey attacking someone. Why would she need protecting? She felt someone’s hand on her wrist. Taking her pulse.
Lara struggled to clear her dazed head, she opened her eyes and saw those same dead eyes that had sat next to her on the chair lift. Lara remembered her from yesterday. She’d ridden the chairlift with her. Had a bandage on her ear. This redhead stared right through her, then and now.
“You? I know you! Please? Help my Dad. I’m OK.”
Mavra just kept staring at her with those freaky vacant eyes.
“I’m fine. Help my Dad, I said.”
Mavra leaned in and in a hoarse whisper said, “Let me help.”
Mavra grabbed her hand, too tightly.
Lara’s instinct took over. She pulled her hand out of her glove. Lara tried to pull her arm away but this woman had thought of that, too.
She lay on top of her legs so she couldn’t kick while Boogey was biting her calves. She was concentrating on her ungloved hand.
Lara understood where she was going, grabbed her hair, pulling her head into her knee, fast and got this woman hard in the mouth, and maybe broke her nose. The woman with red hair punched her in the jaw. Everything went black.
Lara felt a sting between her fingers, as Boogey was tearing up this red-headed female assailant’s legs and upper arm.
“You won’t feel any pain,” Lara thought she heard the woman say.
Lara fought hard to live, but the drug was so powerful. She was sliding, sliding away.
“My mother will find you…”
The last thing she heard was Boogey, snarling.
Those cold eyes loomed in her face.
Mavra said, “‘It’s nothing personal, dear.’ That’s what my Deduska said when he gave your mother my money. When I lose, it’s always personal to me. And now this will be personal for your precious mother. Forever.”
HAL’S WALKIE spoke to him again. “Hey Hal? Look under your feet. Then look for Mavra Kimirov. None of this was me I tried to stop it,” Comedian said.
The self-hate had started early. When he’d heard the cars honking SOS far below and behind him as he skied to his get away, he knew he’d been duped into murdering two cars full of people.
“Who is this? Bob? You just call?”
“No, Hal.”
“Anybody?”
Dave had skied back and saw Hal was white as a sheet.
“Someone just called me saying ‘look under my feet.’ The rest was garbled.” Hal keyed his phone. “Listen you, son of a bitch. I’ll get you if it’s the last thing I ever do!”
More garbled response. Hal froze. He looked up the trail where Chris and the skiers had gone. Chris had been baited for two days.
Dave tried to think what those guys could want.
‘It was Chris. Dynamite can be gotten anywhere. It was Chris, because Chris was the avalanche patrol.’ “Hal?” His walkie chirped.
But Hal’s walkie chirped again. “Hal, it’s Bob. Team two’s ETA three minutes. I can’t believe there are two cars. This has never happened to us. And Hal? I’m sitting next to Chris’ Jeep right now. I’d know his car anywhere. I’ve worked on it enough. I checked the bathrooms, no one saw him come in and Hal... his hood’s still very warm, four sets of foot prints lead away from the doors and disappear into fresh four wheel drive tracks, like someone picked them up. And Hal, his decals are peeling off. I mean, all of them.”
“Call the CHP and call Paul in. Tape off the car and the road now. Bag them if you can. Check the pharmacy. I know he’s out of pills and aspirin. He told me so himself.”
Hal choked up. He looked under his feet. Hal wiped his cheeks under his sunglasses. “Oh God. This isn’t good.”
Kane had skied up. “Coach? I’m not positive that was Chris. It looked like Chris. He had the Patrol suit on. He waved. I assumed. I’m sorry.” Kane felt like shit.
“Don’t beat yourself up. I’d have done the same thing. Maybe it was Chris and he got caught with that huge charge. Shit. I hate this,” Hal sighed, hoping his instincts were wrong. “Bob? Call team one send them and Deedee up here. Get back to me when you raise Ben. Out. Dave? If he doesn’t show up in five minutes, we’ll search the ridge ourselves.”
Dave put a kind hand on Hal’s shoulder, “Hal? If he was coming, he’d be here by now.”
“I know, damn it to hell.” Hal choked up. “Shit! The skiers. Bob?”
“Ya, Boss?”
“Get that damn chopper out of Lone Pine! Get any local fixed wing to comb Beyond The Edge and the OB for two skiers, male, black on black and black on red, maybe some four-by is waiting for them on the other side on the old forest road. I’m sure we’re too late. Chris was chasing them. Copy?”
“Copy. Two skiers, four-by east side of ridge, old fire road, out.”
“What did that guy mean? I’m glad you’re here. This is too heavy.”
“I feel ya.” Dave patted Hal.
All were looking at the snow under their feet.
“We’re with ya Coach. I’m worried too,” Kane said.
Hal’s eyes stopped on the log. Then it held his attention.
“Bob? You copy?” Hal said looking
at the log as his mind worked it out.
“Ya Coach?”
“Turn on all Patrol GPS’s. Chris’s jeep was just found in town. Stolen, we think. Is Deedee coming? Where’s the chopper?”
“Copy that. Chopper One is down, and Chopper Two is transporting to Reno. Gave choppers the skiers M.O. Calling all the local fixed wing guys and Civil Air Patrol, now. Yes, Deedee’s en route. But Hal, Chris checked in with Howie and according to Ben, Howie said he blew the ridge, so Chris was on the mountain a few minutes ago. And yes, they are searching for the honking cars. Maybe he’s just having hardware problems and chose to chase those guys out the other end. You know reception sucks up there. I’ll call Tina in.”
“O.K. My gut says different. And find anything that flies, and get the dogs up here. ASAP! Out.”
“ASAP sir. Out.”
Kane and Dave looked at Hal. Their old coach was showing signs of stress.
Hal turned to Dave. “He’d tell me he was O.K. wouldn’t he, Dave?”
“Knowing you’re busting your ass to get here. Yes, of course, anyway he could. He loves you, Hal.”
“Then, it’s those skiers. I just know it.”
Hal looked out at the ridge, trying to feel Chris. His instincts were impossible to ignore. Chris was somewhere close by, maybe in the trees. He felt he was dead. But he didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want to be the one to find his best friend’s boy dead, and have to tell Mariam. A boy he’d help raise into a man. So he would wait for the dogs and the team to come to search for Chris. He was trying to stay calm to think but hell, it was Chris. His boy. He turned away from Dave and Kane and looked at his hands. They were shaking.
“Coach? He wouldn’t put you through this.” Kane was feeling it, too.
“Ya? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time. Last time, I gave him a gut check he never forgot. But that was ten years ago when he was still a hot head. I gotta sit.” Their Tokin log looked different Hal thought. ‘It all looks different’ his little voice said.
Hal sat on their Tokin log. The log rocked and Dave saw it too. It had never done that. Like a locomotive, a cold reality hit Hal, then Dave, and Kane. Hal jumped up, keeping his feet in his original prints. He froze. With his hands, he told Dave and Kane to freeze.