by Ronald Craig
"I call Mr. Chen."
"We could use help and a sedative to get Crown and Judy to the boat as well," Jenny said.
"Sedative?" Jimmy asked.
"Drugs to make them sleep," she explained. Jimmy acknowledged he understood and dialed his phone.
The conversation with Steven Chen went back and forth for several minutes. Jimmy set the phone down and said, "Mr. Chen say two option. You go home he can feed Crown to fish or send help."
Charlie and Jenny exchanged glances and Charlie responded, "We need help to see this through."
Jimmy was back on the phone a brief moment and ended the call. "Mr. Chen say no find help in Dalian but send Bruce with sleep drug," Jimmy said with a smile.
"And that pleases you?" Jenny asked.
"You see, Bruce special. We go find boat." They spent most of the day on the docks with Jimmy trying to negotiate the exit plan with fishing boat captains. Finally they found willing ears and in addition to the fee Jimmy explained the situation with Crown selling young Chinese girls which solidified the captain's willingness to help. The captain explained the harbor was not a good place for pickup and he would have a powered inflatable boat pick them up in the small cove below a botanical garden called Forest Zoo. The small boat would be there at eight a.m. the following morning. They would use the same boat to go from the fishing boat to the shore of South Korea where he could not go. Jimmy found the Forest Zoo on the map and drove there to become familiar with the location. It was late afternoon when Jimmy got the call with flight information on Bruce. They drove to the airport and exchanged the rented car for a small van.
When they approached the arrival curb Jenny and Charlie felt a new surge of confidence. Waving from the terminal exit door was a man six-foot four inches tall and about three hundred pounds. "See Bruce special," Jimmy said.
The passenger door opened and Bruce set his carry-on bag between the front seats. "Hello Jimmy," he said then turned to face the back seat, extending his hand. "Charlie, Jenny pleased to meet you, I'm Bruce."
"Bruce, thank you for coming," Charlie said. "This crazy idea suddenly feels more doable."
"We are sure glad to meet you," Jenny added.
"Steven Chen filled me in on your Nelson Crown and I'm pleased to help you get him back to justice. To answer your next question, I've spent over half my life in the US."
"We have a fishing boat lined up in the morning; a two day boat trip then we take an inflatable to the South Korean shoreline," Charlie told him.
"The plan is to take them tonight, hold them in the van sedated and meet the boat tomorrow morning?" Bruce asked.
"They in simple house, not big problem," Jimmy said.
"Then let's get some dinner Jimmy, and help these folks with some luggage."
*****
Jenny relayed the plan to Chief Walker at three a.m. as they drove through Dalian toward the guest house. The house was dark and the driveway was empty as they pulled in and parked. Jimmy needed only a minute with his lock pick to open the front door. Charlie and Bruce entered the house first and Jenny was right behind them with syringes in hand to sedate Crown and Judy. Jimmy watched the street from outside the house. They moved slowly toward the back of the house where they heard the sound of soft snoring. The glow of a digital clock helped illuminate the bedroom as Charlie looked in. He saw Crown on the right side of the bed and Judy on the left. He ducked back into the hallway and indicated Bruce's target was on the right side of the bed.
Charlie and Bruce moved slowly into the room and took position on either side of the bed and Jenny moved into the doorway searching for the light switch. The lights came on and Charlie had a hand over Judy's mouth to silence her scream. Crown sat up and before he could utter a word was hit hard in the side of his head by Bruce and fell back down on the bed. Jenny moved in and pushed the syringe into Judy's arm, held immobile by Charlie's other hand. She moved to the other side of the bed to sedate Crown out cold from the blow to his head. Judy was slowly losing her fight as the drug took effect.
Movement in the center of the bed caught his attention. Charlie pulled the covers back ready to swing and was looking into the frightened eyes of a naked, bound and gagged young girl. Bruce pulled Crown out of the bed and tossed him on the floor. He spoke to the young girl in Chinese while Charlie covered her with the blanket. Jenny searched the room and found the girl's clothes. When Bruce had her calmed down, he removed the gag from her mouth, pointed to Jenny and explained she would help her get dressed.
"We'll check the house while you help her," Charlie whispered to Jenny. They made a quick sweep to ensure no one else was in the house then heard the shower in the master bathroom. "That's Jenny helping that young girl rinse some of the slime from Crown off. I could kill him right now and walk away!" Charlie said in rage.
"I understand and if you choose to let them swim back to the mainland from a kilometer out in the Yellow Sea, I understand that also."
"Let's get them dressed and in the van then," Charlie said and they returned to the bedroom and pulled clothing out of the closet and dresser to cover them both, then carried them out to the van. Charlie went back into the house to get their passports and grabbed a laptop computer off a small desk. He switched off the house lights and followed Jenny out the front as she held the young girl's hand. Jenny led the girl over to Bruce.
"Where can we take her?" she asked.
Bruce turned to the young girl, squatted down and they spoke a short time. He stood and said, "Maylee lives in Shenyang. Jimmy and I can take her home after we help you load these two into the boat, but we need to leave here now." Bruce told Jimmy what was going on and they all got into the van. They were halfway down the block when a car pulled into the driveway they had just left.
"Somebody just go to house," Jimmy said looking in the rear view mirror.
"Get us out of here Jimmy," Bruce said.
"Was it David Lu's car?" Charlie asked.
"Not black one, but new car. Look red." Jimmy sped up and took a left on the main road. Traffic was light that time of the morning and their white van was easy to spot.
"Turn here and shut off your lights," Bruce told him. Jimmy did and they watched the dark red sedan moving fast behind them on the main road. Jenny pulled Maylee close to her as Jimmy leaving the lights off, drove to the end of the street and waited at the curb. They were all looking out the rear windows in the van when the dark red sedan turned off the main road onto the side street they were on.
"Go!" Bruce yelled. "We need to lose them, in an alley or behind a building." Jimmy made the turn at the end of the street and another immediate right turn a block later, keeping his lights off and foot down on the accelerator. They reached the end of that block and without slowing made a hard right back on the main road. The van leaned hard in protest, but kept its footing. Jimmy pulled the steering wheel quickly left crossing the main street and entering another side street and raced into an industrial complex at the end of the street and stopped behind one of the buildings.
"Why in the hell are they going to see Crown at four in the morning?" Charlie asked.
"Maybe there was a silent alarm at the house," Bruce suggested.
"Jimmy, are we north of Dalian?" Jenny asked.
"Yes and need go south main road to boat."
"We can wait here until it's time to meet the boat," Charlie suggested.
"If they call for help and are watching the main road, we don't stand a chance," Jenny said. "Jimmy, can you get us to the plane from here?"
Jimmy opened the glove box for light and looked at the map. "Not far, can use side street," he said.
"What good will that do us, Jenny?" Charlie asked.
"I can fly it," she said. "My mother and I went up with my step dad all the time in his plane when I was in high school. I can fly it, Charlie."
"Jimmy you heard her. Take us to the plane," Charlie said.
Jenny pulled out her phone. "We need to tell the Chief there is a change in pla
ns," she told Charlie. Looking at her phone she added," No signal here, like before. Charlie you'll need to call from the air." She handed him the phone and he put it in his pocket. Jimmy pulled out of the industrial complex and drove through the neighborhood toward David Lu's plane.
Chapter 34
Jimmy wove through the neighborhood and came to a stop where the side street intersected the larger road north to Shenyang. They could see the barn with David Lu's plane about a quarter of a mile away to their right. The barn was dimly lit, but from that distance they couldn't see what was going on.
"Maybe this lack of cell phone service north of Dalian is working in our favor. If that's David Lu, there is a chance he hasn't gotten word on Crown."
"Jimmy, drive past it and let Bruce and me out on the back side of the barn."
"I have more sedative," Bruce said. "We were thinking two days at sea for you."
Jimmy made the right turn and headed toward the barn at the posted speed to not alarm anyone in the barn. The side of the barn was one hundred feet from the road and as soon as they could see the back side of it, Jimmy stopped. Bruce and Charlie jumped out and could hear a generator running in the barn. They ran to the backside, the dirt field dampening the sound of their footsteps. There was a back door, but they didn't want to announce their presence without knowing how many men were inside. They moved around the other side of the barn and found David Lu's black Mercedes parked there. Bruce signaled Charlie to wait there at the end of the side wall as he moved away in the darkness staying just beyond the light cast from inside the barn. He went out about twenty yards then returned in a wide sweep back to where Charlie was waiting. The sound of the generator gave them some cover.
"Two," Bruce whispered. "One on a ladder fueling the plane, the other is in the plane."
"Is the ladder guy on this side of the plane?" Bruce nodded yes. "I'll take him," Charlie whispered.
When Charlie and Bruce rounded the corner of the barn both men turned to face them. The man on the ladder was reaching for a gun in a shoulder holster when Charlie pushed the ladder out from under him. He hit the ground hard and his gun flew beyond his reach. Charlie hit him twice as the man started to stand, once in the stomach and then directly in his face. Blood was flowing from the man's nose, surely broken by the second blow. Charlie bent over and shoved the syringe into his arm. The man was beyond any resistance at that point. Charlie picked up the gun and walked over to where Bruce had David Lu held on the ground.
"Who the hell are you?" David asked.
"We, Mr. Lu, are from the Childhood Preservation Society and are here to put you out of business," Charlie said.
"You're a dead man," he shouted. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Actually, I know exactly the low life you are. Bruce, will you help me get this asshole into the back seat before nap time?"
Charlie set the ladder back up removed the fill nozzle and closed the latch. Then he went to signal the all clear and Jimmy brought the van around to the front of the barn. They quickly loaded Crown and Judy also into the back of the plane. Charlie put the laptop in his luggage and then put both their bags in a tail section side compartment.
Jenny quickly hugged Jimmy and Bruce and kissed Maylee on her forehead, then took her position in the plane.
"You have been a great help and the only reason we are leaving with these monsters," Charlie told them.
"You had better get out of here, Charlie. It has been our pleasure to help," Bruce said.
As Charlie got into the other side of the plane, Jenny called out, "Jimmy, Bruce, thank you so much. Get Maylee back to her family."
"We go now, Mr. Chen be most happy," Jimmy said, taking Maylee's hand and walking to the van. Bruce pulled the wheel chocks out from the wheels and gave Jenny a thumbs up.
"We will wait until you lift off," Bruce told Jenny, as he got into the van and Jimmy pulled it out of their way. Jenny started the plane and let it run a moment before pulling the throttle out and guiding the plane out of the barn.
"I said I could fly it Charlie, but this is my first solo take off,"
"Well there's always a first time for everything," Charlie said. He pulled the phone out of his pocket. "As soon as we get a signal, I'll call Chief Walker." Jenny had the plane turned onto the compacted grass and dirt runway and pulled the throttle all the way out. The engine roared and they picked up speed. Jenny kept pulling back on the wheel to testing if their speed was enough to lift off.
"We're heavy, a four passenger plane with five on board!" Jenny said concerned as the plane continued to use up the runway provided. The sun was just breaking the horizon behind some trees ahead of them. "Oh shit, I didn't see them! Lord…"
"I should have left Lu behind, can't toss him out now."
As the plane started to lift off the ground, Jenny banked to the right to avoid trimming the trees ahead.
"Stay as low as you can to the water and head due south. I got bars," he said
"Walker."
"Chief, we are in David Lu's plane. We couldn't get to the boat."
"Give me the tail number,"
"I didn't see it…Chief…are you there?" Charlie looked at the phone. "Jenny, he knows we are in the plane, but I lost him the signal is gone."
"Charlie there's land ahead."
"Go to the left slightly to stay over the water. North Korea is to our immediate left."
"How far off shore is international air space?"
"And I would know that because I was a truck driver?"
"See if there are any charts, under the seat maybe?" Charlie searched and found nothing to help.
"Nothing, all I can say is keep the land on my side in sight. If you see land on your side we may get unfriendly company. Can you go lower? The phrase under the radar comes to mind."
"I feel better with room for error, another common phrase."
Jenny was heading almost due east to avoid the land stretched out in front of them. The altimeter was reading 200 feet. "Jenny we need to stay below a hundred feet."
"I wasn't planning to swim to shore," she said nosing the plane down. It was cool but Charlie noticed the beads of perspiration forming on Jenny's forehead. He checked the phone for a signal but found nothing. Looking at the instrument panel he noticed the power switch for the radio and switched it on. He heard a faint sound coming from the headset and brought it closer.
"Should you be wearing this?" he asked.
"I have my hands full, that’s your job."
"I was going to offer our passengers beverage service."
Charlie put the head set on and listened. Plane and tower communication filled his ears. Jenny tapped his shoulder and he took them off. She was pointing to the land on his side that was now moving away from them.
"Go south-east now. It should be South Korea ahead of us," he said. "What radio channel should I listen to?"
"And I would know that because…I was a school teacher?"
"Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor."
"On a thread, Charlie. A very thin thread. Go through the channels. Someone will be trying to reach us soon." Charlie put the head set back on and listened a moment between channels. After forty five minutes they saw land ahead.
"Land ho, captain!" he shouted.
Jenny turned to him and shared her first smile since leaving Dalian. The land ahead continued to fill their view and color returned to Jenny's hands gripped tightly on the wheel.
A jet suddenly appeared on Jenny's side and rolled slightly exposing the missiles strapped below the wings. Jenny waved frantically at the pilot, "Charlie, find him on the radio!"
Charlie moved the dial through the channels quickly until he heard, "Single engine aircraft, this is Lt. Lang, South Korean Air force. What are your intentions?"
"Lt. Lang, we are American citizens seeking to bring escaped felons to South Korean for extradition to the United States."
"You are approaching South Korean air space without authorization. My orde
rs are to inform you that if you enter our air space without authorization we will use deadly force."
"Lt. Lang, I repeat, we pose no threat, we are American citizens seeking to bring escaped felons to South Korean for extradition to the United States."
"If you don't change course, I will fire on you." The jet fell back out of sight behind them.
"Jenny, turn due south. This guy is not listening to me."
"Is he going to shoot us down?"
"He can't unless we cross into his space."
"Lt. Lang, we have contacted the United States with our intent, can you please check again?"
"Sir, I have only my orders to keep you from a posing a possible threat to South Korea. Your current, corrected course will keep you away from South Korean air space."
"And on a course to run out of fuel, falling into the ocean, Lt. Lang. We have no choice and will need to land soon."
"This is my final warning! If you change course back into our air space, I will bring your plane down."
Charlie and Jenny looked ahead as the southern tip of South Korea and the vast open sea beyond came into view." Two more jets approached fast head on and then split their formation to pass them on both sides.
"My God Charlie, they don't need to send more guns after us!"
"Lt. Lang, this is Captain Stevens, Kunsan Air Base, a little mix up with our training exercise. Sorry for the confusion, we'll take it from here."
"Roger that, Captain Stevens. Glad we avoided an incident."
"Good job bringing them in, Lt Lang, Stevens out. Single engine aircraft, please identify yourselves."
"We are Charlie and Jenny Watson, Captain Stevens."
"Right answer sir. Correct to heading ENE 75 degrees."
"Jenny left to 75 degrees, the Cavalry is here!" Jenny changed course and watched the compass adjust to 75 degrees.
"Sir, you are 25 miles out. You can come off the deck for your approach on runway 4 left."
"Captain Stevens, first of all thank you, sir. My wife is flying and we just had our first solo takeoff."
"Understood. Four runways will appear soon, you are cleared on the far left. If you climb to 300 feet it will increase your visibility."