Crash and Burn

by Maggie Nash

  “Angry doesn’t even begin to describe how I’m feeling right now,” said Beth, her voice quiet, but formal and controlled. She clutched her walking stick for dear life as she struggled to stand.

  “My leg is really stiff,” she said, as she hobbled off in the direction of the creek. “I think I need a walk to stretch it out.”

  Knowing better than to offer help, Daniel watched her in admiration as she staggered before straightening up and walking off into the distance, all the while trying valiantly to mask her limp. He was constantly amazed at her strength. Obviously she needed to be by herself to mull over what she had just learned. He’d leave her alone, but not for too long. They needed to talk about what their next step would be. He owed it to her to keep her informed.

  Daniel strolled over to the four-wheel drive and removed a large black suitcase. He carried it over to the campsite where he opened it carefully and expertly assembled the equipment. It didn’t take him long to have the satellite dish and the laptop set up. Soon he was online and scanning through the NCA site, searching for clues as to who might be behind this breach of security. He also attached a small black box to his phone and turned it on, punching the numbers from memory. The tension built behind his eyes as he stared at the screen, waiting for one of the few people he trusted to answer.

  “Addison,” the deep voice on the other end of the phone announced.

  “John…”

  “Wyatt. Where the fuck are you, mate? We checked out the cabin and you’d vanished. What happened?”

  “Change of plan—we had visitors.”

  “Shit. How the fuck did anyone find you? Only Will and I knew you were there.”

  “Well, someone found out and I’d like to know how.”

  “So would I. Where are you now?”

  “I think it’s better if you don’t know until we know who the leak is. We’ll be safer this way. Any news on the threat?”

  “No, nothing concrete. Does she remember anything? It would be useful to show her some mugshots to help identify the assassin.”

  “Now you want to question her? We should have done it before. She could have been protected all this time. I never agreed with this sit-back-and-wait policy of yours, John.”

  “I had my reasons, Daniel, but they don’t apply now that there seems to be a leak. I agree you need to keep your location under wraps for now. Let me do some checking and I’ll get back to you tonight.”

  “No, I’ll call you. I’ve got scramblers in place. I’ll get back to you in twenty-four hours.”

  The phone clicked off and Daniel set it down on the makeshift table, continuing to sift through pages on the computer screen. The phone call had told him nothing he didn’t already know. Hopefully John would be able to give him something to go on when he made contact later on. In the meantime there wasn’t much he could do but stay put.

  As long as no one knew where they were, they were safe. He hoped they stayed that way, but if someone got to them at the safe house, then it was possible they’d be found here, too.

  * * * *

  Beth’s need to know had burned inside her all day. She’d tried not to show Daniel how much it got to her, and it’d just about killed her to sit and wait for him to tell her. She figured if she appeared too emotional, he wouldn’t divulge everything. She’d tried hard to make him believe she was strong, even though the opposite was closer to the truth. Now she almost wished he hadn’t said anything.

  Her breathing was fast and ragged as she once again turned away from Daniel and hobbled into the bushland. She’d figured out over the last day that someone wanted her dead, but the complexity of the situation was much more than she could ever have imagined.

  Why hadn’t the police told her all this from the start? Why let her think she was going crazy? And she had thought she was going mad. She’d really wondered at the state of her mind and hated feeling that loss of control. It was suddenly too much to take in at once. What the hell was she going to do now? She couldn’t think—didn’t want to think, so she did the thing she always did when things got to be overwhelming. She took a deep breath and centered herself, concentrating on her surroundings and letting her muscles relax. After a session of meditation, she’d always felt better able to cope with anything. She hoped it worked this time.

  The late morning sun was hot as it rested on Beth’s head. She sat at the side of the creek, feet dangling in the cool water. A pair of rainbow lorikeets rummaged through the undergrowth on the other side of the creek, foraging for food. Beth smiled wistfully as she watched them take turns bringing small tidbits up to their nest in the tall branches of the ghost gum tree. She remembered learning at school that lorikeets mate for life, just like her parents had. She blinked back tears as she thought of them. She missed them so much. She needed them now like never before.

  Wiping her eyes, she continued watching the birds. As a child she’d dreamed of having that kind of simplicity in her own life. She wanted to be a part of a loving couple, both sharing the task of bringing up a family. But since her parents had died, she didn’t trust relationships. People don’t always stick around.

  After learning of the danger she was in, she doubted if a relationship was ever going to be possible for her now, even if she’d wanted it. Her head throbbed and she placed her fingers to her temples, gently rubbing to stave off the headache that was lingering below the surface.

  The Heads of Government Conference was starting in a few days. Daniel had told her that the security had been tightened and they were aware of the danger, so perhaps after the Conference was over they would be safe? It was a faint hope she was holding on to—wishing with all her heart that there was an end in sight. She had to wait it out and rely on Daniel, even though she hated being dependent on others.

  The distant sound of an airplane startled Beth and brought her attention back to her surroundings. She watched the familiar shape of the aircraft float by as she tied her shoelaces, wincing at the dull ache in her leg. She waited for the pain to subside before scrambling to her feet and making her way back to the campsite. She badly needed a nap. She was so tired that she couldn’t think straight. Maybe after a rest, she’d be strong enough to deal with the next phase of her life. There wasn’t much else to do anyway. Sitting around fantasizing about Daniel would accomplish nothing except build frustration and make things more difficult in the long run.

  * * * *

  Dinner was uncomfortably silent as both of them went through the motions of eating the tinned meat from the rations. Daniel searched Beth’s face, trying but failing to gauge what she was thinking. Her face was tight and expressionless, as she seemed to be keeping a tight grip on her emotions. That was probably good, he thought. She needed to be in control until they got out of this mess.

  Despite the nap she’d taken that afternoon, they both needed to get a good night’s sleep. Last night had certainly been a write-off in that department. God only knew when they might get another chance for a rest. Tomorrow was shaping up to be another long day.

  Beth finished eating quickly and made them both some coffee. Daniel watched as she maneuvered her injured leg about the campsite and over to the stove. Her independence amused him, but he also admired her for it. Most people would have fallen in a heap with only half of what had happened to her in the last twenty-four hours, but she’d managed to keep it all together and keep going. She was going to need all of that strength and more before this was over.

  Dusk settled in and the temperature dropped dramatically. As the birds settled in their nests for the night, the daytime sounds of the bush diminished and were replaced by the creaking of cicadas and the whisper of a breeze through the trees.

  “We should get some sleep. We need to get moving again in the morning, and I’d like to get an early start,” Daniel said as he finished packing away the plates.

  Beth placed a mug of coffee on the log beside Daniel and reached out to touch his arm. “Where will we go?”

  He laid his ha
nd gently on top of hers, wanting to prolong the current of electricity trailing across his skin. “I’m not sure yet. I have another call to make in the morning then I’ll let you know. In the meantime, get some rest.” He wasn’t ready to move his hand just yet, leaving it to linger on the softness of her warm skin.

  He felt rather than heard Beth’s soft intake of breath before she cleared her throat and coughed. “There’s only one tent,” she rasped.

  He shook his head. “You take it.”

  Shrugging in annoyance, she pulled her arm away and moved back to sit on the log nearer the tent. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’d better share it. You’ll freeze out here with no fire.”

  “I’ll live. I’ve done it before.” He stifled a smile as he saw her flustered face.

  “And you call me stubborn.” She stood and threw the almost full mug of coffee onto the dirt behind her. “Okay—but if you get cold later, don’t blame me.”

  Beth grabbed her backpack from beside her and walked off, making her way to the tent. It was sheltered under a tree at the edge of the clearing. She tugged at the zipper but it wouldn’t budge.

  What now?

  She tried once more, but still no luck.

  Shit.

  Once again she had to ask Daniel for help, and that grated. It was only a little thing, hardly worth worrying about really, she told herself. But it still grated.

  She glanced back to where she’d left Daniel. He was watching her. Grinning. Oh Hell. He was enjoying this.

  “Are you going to just stand there like a stuffed dummy, or are you going to help me?”

  “Sorry, I know how you hate to accept help. I thought I’d wait until I was asked. Wouldn’t want to be accused of taking over and all.”

  “Well…I’m asking.”

  “Asking for what?”

  “Oh, for crying out loud… Can you help me with this zipper…please?”

  “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

  Beth gave him her best withering glare. One that would’ve shrunk most men, but Daniel wasn’t most men. He laughed and strode over to her. With one quick flick of his wrist he had the tent open.

  “Thanks.”

  Daniel started to reply, but Beth didn’t give him a chance. She quickly threw herself inside the tent and shut the flap before he had a chance to open his mouth. She heard a chuckle as he walked away. She lay back onto the air mattress and relaxed. She glanced at the tent flap and laughed. At least he had a sense of humor.

  She shouldn’t have been so uptight with him but she couldn’t help herself. There was a tension between them she couldn’t explain, but now wasn’t the time to explore it.

  Despite the rough conditions, it didn’t take Beth long to fall asleep. She was exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally. Perhaps it was a combination of that plus the painkillers, but moments after she’d crept into her sleeping bag, she was asleep and dreaming once more.

  A dark, shadowy figure was moving toward her. She was running, fearing for her life. The bush track became narrower, and she came to a dead end. She turned her head from side to side, her breathing labored. There was no escape.

  She turned to the track to find the figure had now reached her. The man wore a mask and was holding a gun pointed directly at her. She gasped as he removed his mask and smiled malevolently at her. His face. As he started to talk, she realized there was something familiar about his face. “You won’t get away this time, Miss Hamilton!”

  “You! What do you want from me?”

  He ignored her question and cocked the trigger of his gun.

  Beth screamed.

  “No!”

  Chapter Four

  “Beth—wake up!”

  “No! No—don’t shoot me!” she shouted as she continued her battle with an unseen opponent.

  “Beth, it’s only a dream. It’s me, Daniel.”

  “Daniel?” Beth stopped struggling and opened her eyes. Daniel gazed at her with concern.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  Beth dragged herself up onto her elbows. It was still dark except for the light from Daniel’s flashlight. There was a pungent smell of burning wood in the air. “Is that smoke I’m smelling?”

  “It’s a bush fire. Not too close at the moment, but the wind has picked up so that could change at any minute.”

  “Shit, we’ve got to move again.”

  “My thoughts exactly. I’ve packed most of the equipment already. If you’re up to packing your things, we should be ready to roll in about ten minutes.”

  “Of course I’m up to it. I’ll see you in five.”

  Exactly five minutes later, Beth had changed clothes, packed her knapsack and started dismantling the tent.

  Daniel watched her from his position by the car. Grinning, he checked his watch and flashed a smile at Beth before walking back to her.

  “I’ll do that. You go get in the car.”

  She nodded then made her way to the Range Rover. Her leg was throbbing, but it was moving more freely now. With all the excitement of the last day, she’d had little time to think about it. She hadn’t used her walking stick since before dinner and it felt better to be moving unencumbered. She smiled to herself. At least something was working out.

  Daniel packed the last of the gear and closed the tailgate. He threw a couple of blankets into the back seat and placed several water canteens on top of them. The smoke was getting thicker now and the acrid smell burned Beth’s nostrils. They needed to hurry. Daniel started up the four-wheel drive and drove down the track.

  The black clouds of smoke grew thicker overhead as they drove, masking the dawn. The sky was dark, but not like anything Beth had ever seen before. The temperature was rising—she could feel the burning heat inside the car. The air seemed thick with texture and form. Frightened animals raced along the side of the track, fleeing the flames. The smell of burning eucalypts was almost overpowering. Beth covered her mouth and nose with her hands, but it had little effect. Her throat was closing up as the wheezing took over.

  Daniel turned off the air conditioning and closed the air vents.

  “Grab those towels from the back and soak them in water. We can wrap them around our faces. It should help with the smoke.”

  Beth nodded. Talking was impossible as she coughed the irritating smoke from her throat. Daniel slowed the car down as she helped him to tie a damp towel around his nose and mouth.

  A wall of red-hot flames and black smoke rose to the left as Beth peered out of the window. The wind had picked up and driven the fire toward them.

  “Daniel!”

  Daniel turned his head at her cry. The flames reached at least three stories high and were heading straight for them. His reaction was instantaneous.

  “Bloody hell! We have to find some shelter quickly. Watch on the right for any large rocks or ravines we can shelter behind.”

  Beth skimmed the landscape anxiously. It was difficult to see anything with the thick smoke masking the terrain. Suddenly, a large rock jutted out through the smoky haze.

  “Over there…a large rock and it has some sort of a cave under it.”

  Daniel didn’t waste any time, driving quickly over the rough ground and under the rocky outcrop. Beth silently thanked Daniel’s supervisors for the four-wheel drive vehicle.

  The fire rushed forward with incredible speed. Beth held her breath as the stifling heat inside the car burned her nose and throat. Daniel reached into the back and grabbed the water bottles and blankets he’d thrown in before they’d left the campsite.

  “Here…take these,” he said as he threw her one of each. “I’ll jump in the back. Lie down and cover yourself with the blanket. We should be safe if we stay down. Drink plenty of the water. I’ll let you know when it’s safe to get up.”

  “How long do you think it’ll be?” Beth asked anxiously.

  “Firestorms move through pretty quickly,” said Daniel as he gave her one of those heart-stopping smiles
to reassure her. “It shouldn’t be long. We’ll be okay.”

  The roar was deafening as the fire swept closer. It was like being in the center of an explosion. Beth dragged the blanket over herself as she lay across the front seats. Covering her ears to block out the noise, she thought about how her life was turning into one disaster after another. Beads of sweat dripped from her face onto the seat below her. The intensity of the heat was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Surprisingly, she wasn’t as fearful as she’d expected. Sure, she was scared, but somehow Daniel’s cool confidence gave her strength. Thank God he was here with her.

  Time seemed to stand still as the roar of the fire receded. Beth ran her tongue over her cracked lips. She coughed as the pungent smell of the flames gripped her throat. Taking a long drink from the water bottle, she listened for sounds of what might be happening outside. She checked her watch and realized it had been almost an hour since they’d left the campsite and at least half an hour since the firestorm had passed over. She moved the blanket away from her head and sat up.

  The scene outside the car window resembled the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. The previously lush greenery was blackened and small spires of smoke rose sporadically over the landscape. Tree trunks, which only moments before had held branches thick with foliage, were now stark columns. The air remained thick with smoke, but visibility was improving as the fire continued on its forward path and away from their position.

  Beth touched the window tentatively to test the heat. She jerked her hand away as the glass burned. Turning around, she saw Daniel sit up and scan the area. She slid through the gap in the seats, sitting next to him in the back. His face was drawn tight and his eyes crinkled at the edges where he squinted. She had a sudden urge to touch him, soothe his worry lines and smooth his brow.

  “Are you okay?” he asked huskily as she removed the wet cloth from around his neck and wiped his sweat-beaded forehead.