Natasha thought worrying about that now was too little too late. But perhaps Alex was trying to tell Chief in a non-threatening way not to shoot first and ask questions later.
“Professionals don’t kill for pleasure, Mr. Klasse. And as professionals our job is to achieve the mission’s various goals. The most important goal is the safety of everyone. At any cost. That said, we do have different types of ammunition we can load into the gun. When have some non-lethal ammo—you might call them rubber bullets—as well as the deadlier type. We even have some tranquilizer rounds, just in case we want to take one down to study,” Chief said.
“That’s good to hear. We have options. And I hope you’ll include me in any decision where force will be used against the indigenous life,” Alex said.
“Not a problem, Mr. Klasse,” Chief said in a conciliatory tone. “If time allows, of course.”
Power negotiations were on going. Natasha doubted they wouldn’t stop until the mission was complete and they were back on the Chinook heading home.
“Any more questions before we issue your weapons?” Chief waited and watched heads shake back at him. “Good. Ron, take ’em to the rear cabin, and fix them up.”
Ron stepped up and took Chief’s place as he walked away. “You heard the man, step this way. Roll Tide.” The man spoke the cheer Roll Tide slowly, as if the words were delicious and needed to be savored.
*
The group arrived at the Warthog’s rear cabin, where Don had already matched six handguns with holsters. He was in the process of pulling ammo magazines from a bag.
“Everybody grab a gun. We’re gonna have us some fun, fun, fun,” Don sang to a tune one might hear at a hoedown. “The holster has a clip. Just slide that bad boy over your belt or the waist of your pants.”
Ben picked up his gun and pulled it from the holster. He held the side of the gun up to his eyes. “It’s not very big…Springfield Armory XD two…forty-five ACP.”
“The smaller the better. Won’t get in the way. Fits a woman’s hands pretty good, too,” Don said, and then handed two magazines to Ben. “Extended mag holds thirteen.”
“Don’t you have guns made for men?” Ben asked.
“Why we sure do, little buddy,” Don said, a big grin crossed his face. His teeth were the lovely shade of tobacco brown. He placed his big paw on Ben’s shoulder. “Those guns are for the Redwater team only.”
Ron heaved out a laugh. “Good one, Don.”
“He’s a little green, but we’ll get him nice and educated before this trip’s over,” Don said.
“Roll Tide,” Ron said.
Ben didn’t look the happiest. Alex knew Ben wasn’t the one used to being teased. The young man kept his mouth shut, though. Don and Ron made a formidable tag team. Ben was definitely outmatched.
Don handed out the remainder of ammo magazines, while Ron walked over to an improvised shooting range a few yards away. Several plastic bottles had been set some fifteen or twenty feet from where Ron waited.
The way Matt clung to Natasha’s side didn’t set well with Alex one bit. Having Susan on the trip was like having a ball and chain around his ankle, keeping him from doing what he wanted. Worse, her presence made it as if he had the plague, keeping others from interacting with him. He had a wonderful relationship with his students back in Sarasota. He could sit with them at a pub, joke around, and still remain the authoritative figure who earned respect. Of course, he was careful not to cross certain lines to keep that order. And, of course, had failed miserably with Natasha—crossing the widest line of all. Now, Logan, Matt, Ben, and even Natasha basically treated him and Susan like they were the parents, worthy only to be ignored.
Alex was the last to receive his ammo magazines and followed the others over by Ron.
The older man waited for his captive audience and held up his handgun. “Put your mags in your pocket and look at your gun. I’m gonna learn you something. Firstly, this gun is made from polymer. Only the barrel is steel. We picked the Springfield Armory pistol mostly because of its safety features.” Ron pointed to the top of the slide. “See this right here? It’s the chamber indicator. When it’s up, like on mine, that means there’s a bullet in the chamber. Yours is down. Everybody see that?” He paused, and then moved on, turning the back of the gun toward them. “This little hole with the pin sticking out tells you if the gun is cocked—the hammer’s inside the gun so you can’t see it. When the pin is out like this, always treat your gun as if it’s loaded. There are two more safety features. One in the trigger…see this little thing poking out from the middle?” Ron fingered the lever. “The gun can’t fire unless that’s pushed in. You could grab hold of the barrel and pound a nail with the grip and it won’t shoot. But see this right here on the grip?” He pointed to a slim lever on the grip and pushed it in and out with his finger. “That’s the grip safety. The gun won’t fire unless that’s pushed in, even if you pull the trigger. Everybody got that so far?”
Alex watched his wide-eyed crew. He and Susan had handled guns before and even had spent some time target shooting in their younger days. Matt had said he hunted as a boy. Logan had said he learned how to shoot while in the Boy Scouts, not by a Scout Master, but by one of the parents on unofficial outings. Ben and Natasha both had said they had not handled a handgun.
Ron continued, “Go ahead and put in a mag.”
Hands went into pockets, and the bright clang of parts sliding together and snapping into place indicated the guns were loaded.
“Hold this part right here—the slide—and give it a quick pull backward.” A bullet ejected from Ron’s gun as another from the magazine replaced it in the chamber.
Alex snapped his back first. Susan, Ben, and Logan followed next at about the same time.
Matt watched Natasha struggle. She held the slide with her thumb and forefinger, trying to pull it back.
“No, hold the slide like this,” Matt said. He grabbed his left hand on top of the slide and racked in a bullet. “Here, let me do that for you.”
“Hold on there, partner. Let the little lady give it a try. It’s all part of learning,” Ron said.
Natasha hesitated a bit, grabbed firmly on the slide, and jacked a bullet in. “I did it!”
“Y’all can practice later. We ain’t gonna get into how to break the gun down to clean it. Y’all shouldn’t be shooting this thing much this trip.” Ron walked over near Alex’s side, no longer in front of the plastic bottles. “Point your gun at a bottle. Try to match the front sight between that grove in the rear sight, and squeeze—don’t pull—squeeze the trigger slowly. This ain’t no race.”
Alex hit his target. Susan missed. Logan nailed his. Ben hit the ground just in front of the bottle, and it bounced up and took the bottle down.
Alex saw Matt watch for Natasha to shoot before he did. She hit Matt’s target. Matt moved his aim over to her bottle. The bullet struck the ground just beyond—missing the bottle.
“Y’all got the basic handle on this?” Ron asked. “I’ve got other shit to do.”
“If anyone needs help, I can take care of it. Thanks for the weapons and the instruction. We can manage on our own for now,” Alex said.
“I left more ammo back at the rear cabin. You can shoot all you want. Just make sure to load up the mags before you turn in. I’m packing everything up tonight for the trip tomorrow,” Don said.
“Will do. Thanks again—to the both of you,” Alex said.
“Okay,” Don said. “You ready, Ron?”
“Roll tide.”
“Roll tide,” Don returned. The two stepped away.
Ben turned his attention back to the target and shot two rounds; the 2nd shot hit the bottle. It was already on its side and spun off to the left.
Logan cast a curious gaze toward Matt and Natasha. Matt hovered over her like a watchful parent while she looked over at Alex.
Natasha gazed at Alex with those warm, dark eyes that could thaw an iceberg. The same eyes that melted his
heart every single time she looked at him. Her parting lips reached out in a silent cry for solace. She missed him—it showed. He missed her—probably more so. There was no way he could ignore her in this moment.
“Susan, go ahead and empty the mag to get a feel for the gun. I’m going to give Natasha a hand. She looks like she’s having trouble.” Alex turned and walked away, not waiting for approval. If his wife had a problem with him aiding Natasha, he didn’t care.
He stepped behind Natasha and turned to Matt. “Let me help her. Looks like you need the practice.” Alex reached over and put his right hand on hers—the one that held the gun. He then reached over with his other hand onto her left hand, essentially embracing her from behind. Her neck smelled of gardenias and spices. It was all he could do to keep from kissing it. “Okay, what you have to do is get in a comfortable position. The fingers on your left hand should wrap around the others under the trigger. Move the gun until you sight the target and squeeze—and don’t close your eyes—squeeze the trigger.”
A few seconds later the gun fired. The bullet hit the target.
“I hit it!” Natasha said, showing big smile.
“All it takes is a little concentration and patience. You’ll get better with practice.” Alex stepped back, leaving Natasha on her own.
Matt’s lips had formed a tight O, looking none too pleased.
Turning back toward Susan, he saw she wore the same expression as Matt.
Ben fired his gun.
Logan fired his gun.
Alex widened his stance, crossed his arms, and watched bullets fly toward the plastic bottles.
*
When Vince Cooper stepped into the tent, he saw the college crew unrolling their sleeping bags and preparing for a night’s rest. He was pleased that everyone looked healthy and fit. The mission was sure to have physical challenges, and daily operations would go smoother if everyone pulled their own weight. As long as they kept out of his business, he didn’t expect them to slow him down.
“Hey. I just wanted to make a quick check on you before lights out. Take care of your bedding, because you’ll be bringing that with us on the trip. There aren’t any spares on the Warthog. Pack it up neat and tight after you wake up. Don will be waiting at the rear cabin to load it,” Coop said, his stiff demeanor had softened.
“What time do we leave? I need to set the alarm on my phone,” Alex said.
“Don’t bother. Ron will give you a wakeup call about an hour before sunup. We’ll get dressed, eat, take care of bathroom duties, and do the final packing before we leave.”
“How long do you think it will take to get past the mountains?” Logan asked. He had laid out his sleeping bag next to the side of the tent, with Matt on the other side of him, and Natasha on the other side of Matt. Ben was between Natasha and Susan, with Alex by Susan and near the other side of the tent.
“I hope it takes less than a day, but it may take longer. The roughest part of the trip is getting past the mountains. There’s nothing manmade about the passage we’re taking. It formed during an earthquake over a year ago. The path varies in width, and elevations shift. The computer model shows we can make it, though. But you know how real life is. The results are only as good as the guy who wrote the program,” Cooper said.
“Mr. Cooper,” Susan began.
“Please, Coop. You all may call me, Coop.”
“Okay, I will. I was wondering if you could tell us what you personally think about this mission. Obviously, there’s something of great value here or Ace Corporation wouldn’t have funded us. Alex told us not to be nosy about Ace’s commodities interest. But I want to know what you think we’ll find living in Patagonia. Do you believe there are dinosaurs there?” Susan asked.
Coop raised a hand. “I’ll tell you what I know. A team of two men entered Patagonia far south of here. They traveled on foot and made it about thirty miles in. During that time, when we had communication, there weren’t any reports of dinosaurs of any kind. It wasn’t until they were well within their journey when they first reported seeing some type of life, too far away for them to identify. Whatever it was spooked easily, and they could never get a clear view. It wasn’t until their satellite phones went dead and they started the journey back that they encountered the pterosaur.”
“So you do believe the photos were real and that extinct animals still live,” Susan said.
“Yes, I do. We have more than just a few pictures. We have video of the flying reptile. It’s real, and we believe there’re other extinct animals alive too.” Coop watched the expressions on the college crew’s faces. If any of them had doubts before, they were certainly all believers now. “Our theory is, over the centuries the indigenous animals learned they were trapped by the mountains. So there was no reason for them to venture from resources—mainly water. The rivers and lakes are not located near the mountain walls. So the larger animals, like the T-rex and sauropods, if alive, won’t be part of the greeting committee. We expect to meet smaller life forms first. But as we head farther in, we might find ourselves in the middle of Jurassic Park.” Coop smiled. He had to admit such a thought made him a bit giddy too.
Chapter 8
Natasha bathed in a shallow stream under a narrow waterfall. She slowly wiped her cheeks and forehead with her hands, and pulled her long hair behind her back. The sound of falling water played a soothing melody, one that held Alex in its spell as he watched the new love of his life.
Warm winds carried the soft aroma of honeysuckle. He tasted it in his mouth as he breathed the sweet air. This was truly paradise. Natasha was the goddess who ruled. She was lord and master of all that was, especially him. He would worship her night and day, devoting everything toward her happiness. She had pulled him from the mire that held him captive. Alex was reborn by her touch, and needed her by his side else he wither away and die.
Natasha turned her lovely gaze his way. Her lips widened and her eyes softened as she saw him. An arm stretched out, and her hand beckoned him to join her in the river of life.
His heart swelled with immeasurable joy. He longed for her touch and sweet embrace.
But as Alex went to move, he looked down and saw the earth had swallowed him up to his knees. He was held tightly, imprisoned in its grip.
Natasha reached out even further, and a puzzled expression replaced her beautiful smile. She was hurt—wounded—that he did not come to meet her. Tears fell from each eye. She brought both of her arms over her chest and embraced herself. She turned her back toward Alex and walked past the waterfall, disappearing from sight.
“Natasha! No! Come back. No,” Alex cried.
The waterfall’s song intensified the loneliness that devoured him.
“Roll Tide. Time to get up folks,” Ron said, his head poking inside the tent. His arm entered next with a battery-powered lantern in his hand. He set it down and disappeared back outside.
Alex felt the weight of sadness lift as his dream dissolved into his foreign surroundings. His eyes came to focus on the lantern, and it took him a second to gather his thoughts and piece together where he was.
Others began to stir, some with moans of protest. This would be but the first of many mornings to wake in a strange location, not knowing what challenges the new day would bring.
Susan was awake, staring blankly at the ceiling. She was not a morning person. Alex had learned to keep conversations to a minimal until she had her first of many cups of coffee. Ask too many questions too early and risk getting your head bit off your shoulders.
Memories of the recent dream cascaded over him in waves. He remembered Natasha in her innocence—in her glory—and felt the magnetic urge to cling to her side. To join her and become one, for now, and all eternity.
Susan coughed, and then blew her nose in a tissue. Spoiling all the hope Natasha represented. Reminding Alex he was trapped—up to his knees in the earth—unable to pursue true love.
Matt, directly on the opposite end of Alex, turned on the lantern next
to him, and was the first to rise and dress. He kept his back to everyone as he slipped off the pants he slept in and replaced them with the ones chosen for the journey. Modesty was a luxury not to be found this trip.
Logan peeled himself from the sleeping bag and let out a big yawn loud enough to wake most anyone from a dead sleep. He looked over at Natasha, who had propped herself up on her elbows.
She gave Logan a go to hell stare. “You snore.”
“Me? I wasn’t the only one snoring.”
“Yeah, but yours has an annoying rasp that gets on my nerves.”
Matt turned around and buttoned the front of his shirt. “Man, I was out from the time my head hit the pillow. I didn’t hear anything last night. The sleeping bag could have had a little more cushion, but other than that, I had a good night.”
Alex watched Susan rise and amble over to her bag. She pulled out a few items of clothing, shed her bed shirt and replace it with one made of denim, and quickly stepped into pants, pulling them up and buttoning them.
He was surprised Susan didn’t wait for everyone else to dress and leave before exiting the security of her sleeping bag. She had always been on the shy side when it came to displaying her body. She only owned one-piece bathing suits, becoming incensed when Alex used to suggest she buy a bikini. I guess the game we play now is just pretend no one else is in the room and get dressed as quickly as possible.
Natasha followed Logan over by their bags and changed into the clothes of the day.
Matt let his gaze linger a bit too long when Natasha pulled her nightshirt off. She didn’t notice, but Alex did. And Matt caught Alex taking notice. He responded by turning his gaze to the ground as he headed out the tent.
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