Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape

by Ron McGee

  A woman approached with two wooden bowls filled with yellow rice and chunks of fresh, white fish. She smiled, urging them to eat. Ryan scooped a bite into his mouth and nodded his enthusiasm. The dish was delicious, garlic and spices giving it a tangy flavor.

  “Are they always this nice to strangers?” he asked after swallowing.

  “For Buddhists, being a good host is a form of reverence. We take it very seriously.” For a few peaceful moments, they ate in silence, the heat from the morning sun quickly drying their soaked clothes.

  Now that they had food, the captain, as Ryan now thought of him, wanted answers. He directed his questions to Lan, each of them struggling to make the other understand, and she managed to communicate that they were in trouble. The man’s expression darkened. He could guess who was after them, and he kept looking at his family as if he was already worrying for their safety.

  One of the fishermen called out, pointing across the horizon. The captain moved swiftly to the back of the vessel. Ryan and Lan set their bowls down, following.

  In the distance, sweeping along the hills above the waterfall, a military helicopter headed in their direction. Ryan and Lan traded a worried glance. To Ryan, the captain’s face was unreadable as he watched the helicopter making its way toward them, weaving erratically in its search.

  Abruptly, the captain turned to his family and shouted more commands. They jumped into action, some casting nets while others threw out lines with yellow buoys attached. The woman who had brought the fish and rice gestured for them to follow her quickly.

  She led them to the middle of the boat’s deck where two young boys slid open a wooden portal, revealing a dark cavity. She indicated they should get inside, her gaze darting to the skyline as the whomp-whomp-whomp sound of the helicopter came closer. Ryan couldn’t see inside, but they didn’t have much choice. Going first, he dropped into the shadows, landing unevenly on several burlap bags.

  A moment later, Lan landed beside him and then the door above slammed shut, leaving them in near-total darkness. It was a compartment used to store supplies—cramped, claustrophobic, and wickedly hot. Lan took Ryan’s hand and held on tight. They stayed completely still as the powerful buzz of the helicopter got nearer, until it was right overhead.

  For several nerve-racking seconds, the helicopter didn’t move. The entire boat shook as it circled. Then, miraculously, the shaking subsided and the sound faded. The chopper was moving away.

  Ryan let out a sigh of relief, not even realizing he’d been holding his breath.

  CHAPTER

  40

  LAZU RIVER,

  ANDAKAR

  Ryan didn’t know how he was going to get them out of Andakar now. The Thai border would be swarming with ASI soldiers, making it impossible to connect with the smuggler who was supposed to get them across.

  One of the fishermen was rowing Ryan and Lan to shore in a small skiff that had been tied up at the back of the trawler. The helicopter had continued its search downriver, so they had taken the opportunity to make it to land. But once they got there, Ryan had no idea which way to head.

  They needed a plan.

  He removed the plastic Baggie with his passport and cell phone from around his stomach. The Baggie was still sealed, everything inside just as dry as when he’d taped it on. Turning on the phone, Ryan hoped he could get a signal out here in the open. Thirty seconds later, with the skiff just reaching shore, Danny’s number began to ring.

  Ryan waited, but there was no answer. After four rings, it clicked over to voice mail. “Hey, it’s me,” Ryan said. “If you get this, I could use your help. Check your email, okay?” Thumbs flying over the keyboard, Ryan composed a message to Danny updating him on the situation. He needed a way out of Andakar, but he didn’t even know exactly where he was. His phone had less than half the battery left, but Ryan told Danny he’d leave it on for a while. With any luck, Danny could use the cell tracker app and the phone’s GPS to locate them and help find some way across the border.

  Ryan hit send just as the boat touched the riverbank. Before they disembarked, the River Gypsy who had been rowing them handed them each a plastic bottle of water and a folded piece of cloth. Ryan unwrapped his package, finding several strips of dried meat and pieces of flatbread covered with sesame seeds. They thanked him for the food and jumped off, happy to be back on solid ground.

  Lan looked up a small hill. “The captain said there are train tracks up top. They lead back toward the border.”

  “That has to be at least ten miles away.”

  “And they’ll be looking for us everywhere.”

  Ryan wished he could think of some alternative. But the truth was, he didn’t have any other ideas. Maybe his parents would have known what to do, but he had absolutely no clue.

  Hearing the sound of the helicopter, Ryan turned and saw it heading back in their direction. The chopper had made its quick, initial sweep down the river but was now backtracking, moving slowly and searching more carefully. “We need to find cover,” he said, guiding them toward the trees and brush that lined the shore.

  The crack of gunfire exploded across the river. Ryan and Lan dove behind a tree. But the shots weren’t aimed at them.

  “No!” Lan called in alarm. The helicopter circled the fisherman in the skiff like a shark stalking its prey. The man was panicked, paddling furiously back toward the trawler.

  Machine gunfire tore into the small boat and the fisherman was struck multiple times. Lan instinctively turned away from the slaughter, but Ryan stared in horror.

  The ASI had killed the man in cold blood.

  And they weren’t done yet. The chopper hovered, now focusing on the trawler and the rest of the River Gypsies. The tinny sound of a bullhorn carried across the water as the soldiers communicated with the fishing vessel.

  Lan saw what was happening. “They’re forcing them to land.”

  Downriver, Ryan spotted a clear area where it appeared the boat was being directed. As he watched, a small convoy of military jeeps raced along a winding road that led down to the landing point. The vehicles screeched to a stop and soldiers jumped out, weapons drawn as they waited for the trawler.

  “The ASI,” Ryan said.

  “They’ll torture them until someone breaks and admits they helped us. Then they’ll kill them all.”

  Ryan looked up the hill. He knew the best chance for getting Lan and himself out of Andakar safely was to run the opposite direction and stay low. If they could get on a train, they’d be miles away in minutes.

  Ryan thought of all the people he’d met over the last couple of days who had helped him: the monk with his string bracelet, the men at the café who didn’t give him up, the prisoners at the ASI command center, the girl in the Hello Kitty shirt and her father. He would have never made it this far without each one. If he ran away now, it would feel like he was abandoning all of them.

  Lan was right. Ryan couldn’t live in a bubble. He couldn’t just turn his back and pretend like this brutality wasn’t happening. If he didn’t help these people, who would?

  “Get to the train tracks,” Ryan told Lan. “Take whatever train comes along—just get out of here.”

  “We have to do something,” she said.

  “I’m gonna try, but you should go while you can. Otherwise, we’ll probably both die here.”

  Lan held her ground. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  Her mind was obviously made up. Ryan looked back at the trawler, which was being forced to shore by the gunmen aboard the helicopter. ASI soldiers waited for them, rifles pointed threateningly.

  “You’re sure?” Ryan asked.

  “Positive.”

  “All right. I’ve actually got an idea. But I’ll need your help.”

  CHAPTER

  41

  NEW YORK,

  USA

  Kasey didn’t understand why the police sent only one squad car. When she made the anonymous call from the pay phone around the corner, she told the
guy that she had heard a woman’s scream coming from inside the building. She thought they’d send a SWAT team or something.

  But it was just two uniformed officers who came to investigate. They knocked and rang a couple of buzzers. One of them stood on the sidewalk, peering up at the dark windows.

  “What’ll they do if no one answers?” Danny wondered.

  “Maybe they’ll call in reinforcements and search the building,” Kasey said.

  The front door unexpectedly opened and a light came on in the small foyer of the building. An Asian man in a cardigan sweater and reading glasses smiled at the officers. His back was slightly stooped and his movements were relaxed and deliberate. Kasey couldn’t hear the conversation, but it all seemed very friendly.

  “That’s him,” Danny said. “That’s Aung Win.”

  Kasey was surprised. “That guy’s a spy?” Aung Win invited the officers inside, then closed the front door.

  “That’s not what he looked like before. Believe me, he’s totally evil.”

  “He just let the cops come in. Like he didn’t have anything to worry about.”

  “Which means they’re probably not gonna find anything. He’s too smart. Maybe this was a mistake.”

  Kasey felt a sudden twinge of panic. Should they have waited to hear from Ryan? What if they had basically signed his mom’s death warrant by calling the police? The next ten minutes felt like forever as they waited in silence. Occasionally, a light would come on in one of the empty apartments for a minute, then abruptly go back out.

  Eventually, the front door opened again and the officers and Aung Win emerged. Kasey’s heart sank when she saw them all laughing. It hadn’t worked.

  The officers returned to their vehicle and drove away as Aung Win waved from the door. The moment the squad car disappeared, so did his smile. Aung Win stood up straight and pulled the glasses off.

  “Get back!” Danny whispered, pulling Kasey deeper into the shadows.

  They didn’t move a muscle as Aung Win angrily glared up and down the block. After a few tense seconds, he stepped back inside and shut the door. The foyer light went out and the building was dark once more.

  “What do we do now?” Kasey asked.

  “We go home and pray we didn’t screw everything up.” Danny quickly began to disassemble the camera from his drone. “On a low setting, the camera records up to ten hours. We can hide it here aimed at the front door.”

  “You’re gonna spy on the spy. Nice.”

  “I’ll swing by before school in the morning and replace the memory card. At least we’ll know if they leave.”

  They found a spot behind some pipes where the camera would be practically invisible and Danny hit record.

  They made sure nobody was watching from the building across the street. When they felt sure it was safe, they darted out of the alcove and turned to head down the sidewalk.

  But their path was blocked by a tall, imposing figure.

  “You’re dead.”

  Danny gulped. It wasn’t Aung Win, but it might be even worse: Kasey’s brother Steeg glared at them, punching his fist into his free hand.

  CHAPTER

  42

  LAZU RIVER,

  ANDAKAR

  An ASI officer, medals across his chest and gold epaulets adorning his shoulders, watched the trawler with a cold stare. As the boat approached shore, Ryan could make out the frightened faces of the River Gypsies, drifting ever closer to their doom.

  This was his chance. All the soldiers were looking away from the jeeps and toward the water. Ryan nodded to Lan and they darted out of the trees, scurrying down the hill as quietly as possible. They crept in behind the last jeep.

  “Is this enough?” she asked, showing him the handful of sticks and dried bamboo she had gathered.

  “Perfect,” Ryan said. “You ready? It’s gonna happen fast.”

  “You really think this will work?” Lan looked dubiously at the plastic Baggie in Ryan’s hand.

  “I sure hope so.” Ryan wasn’t overly confident. They were going to need a big distraction to get the ASI’s attention away from the fishing boat and this was the best idea he had.

  Ryan had emptied the plastic Baggie holding his passport and phone, then filled it with the drinking water the fishermen had given them. He raised the Baggie of water up to the sun. As he hoped, the water inside the pouch created a makeshift lens, like a homemade magnifying glass. Holding it up to the sun’s rays, Ryan created a laser-like beam of concentrated heat. It was an old survival trick he’d learned from his dad during a camping trip in Indonesia after their matches got wet in a storm.

  Ryan focused the beam on the kindling. Seconds later, it burst into flames. “Okay,” he whispered, “time for the bamboo. Be careful, it burns fast.”

  Lan put one end of the long, dry bamboo stick into the fire Ryan had created and it lit. Ryan peered around the jeep. The soldiers were still focused on the fishing boat.

  He crept around the side of the jeep and unscrewed the gas cap. Lan slipped in beside him and placed the bamboo stick into the gas tank, leaving the burning end up top. The bamboo made a great natural fuse, the fire racing down its length.

  But they had to get out of there fast! Ryan was running for the trees until Lan grabbed his hand and steered him behind a boulder. “Safer,” she said.

  With a whoosh, the gasoline in the tank ignited and the jeep burst into flames! Soldiers spun around in alarm, startled and confused by the sudden eruption.

  Lan looked worried, though. “One jeep on fire won’t stop them for long.”

  “The thing is, when you put fire in the gas tank, cars don’t really explode like they do in the movies.” Ryan grinned, making sure they were both fully behind the rock. “But the hand grenades in the back sure do. Cover your ears.”

  Lan did, as—ka-boom!—the first vehicle exploded in a ball of fire! Soldiers scattered in all directions, jumping for cover. The officer was struck by the concussive blast, flying several feet in the air before he splashed down into the river. It was utter chaos, the fishing boat suddenly forgotten.

  “Go!” Ryan yelled, pointing up the hillside. He and Lan took off running, getting as far away as possible while they could. As Lan continued, Ryan paused to look back.

  After the initial pandemonium, the helicopter was wheeling around to come after them. But down below, a second jeep suddenly caught fire, triggered by the explosion of the first. As the chopper soared in their direction, the second jeep blew sky-high!

  A chunk of flying metal hit the tail rotor and the helicopter began to veer wildly. It spun in circles, spiraling around and around until the tail hit a tree with a thunderous boom. The chopper plummeted to the ground like a brick, crashing right where Ryan and Lan had been hiding.

  On the river, Ryan saw the fishing vessel swerve away from the shoreline and head back out to open water. Ryan hoped they’d get far, far away before any reinforcements could arrive.

  Charging once more up the hill, Ryan caught up with Lan just as she made it to the top. Stopping to catch their breaths, they saw smoke billowing everywhere. It looked like a war zone.

  Lan shook her head. “You sure you’ve never done this before?”

  “Beginner’s luck,” Ryan said, with a smile. The sound of a train whistle stole their attention from the destruction by the river. They had made it to the tracks the captain told them about, and a train was chugging right toward them. Ryan was excited, thinking they’d finally caught a break.

  But Lan immediately dashed his hopes. “It’s heading the wrong direction—away from the border. Toward China.”

  Ryan thought through their options. The explosions would only distract the ASI long enough for them to radio for help. And he knew the Thai borders were basically impossible to cross. So maybe it was time do something unexpected. Maybe it was time to leave his father’s plan behind and trust in himself.

  With the train coming closer, they had to act quickly. “We should take it. It�
�s our best chance to shake the ASI.”

  Lan didn’t hesitate. “I’m with you.”

  Together, they sprinted toward the passing train.

  CHAPTER

  43

  THANLIN,

  ANDAKAR

  Tasha hoped she wasn’t too late.

  It had taken most of the night to shake the ASI soldiers chasing her. Twice, she’d been cornered and feared it was the end. But Tasha Levi never gave up. She knew how to fight with a viciousness that stunned the soldiers. Underestimating her was a serious mistake. She’d left a few dead bodies behind her, but had no regrets.

  Whatever it took to accomplish her mission.

  When she was finally safe, Tasha had doubled back around to Thanlin. She found the villager she had seen with Ryan and forced him to tell her about the temple with the secret chamber. Moving fast, she had traversed the mountain in a couple of hours, hoping to find Ryan and John Quinn still in hiding.

  The temple grounds appeared to be empty. Tasha identified the golden dome the villager had mentioned and headed that way. But the rumble of a motor stopped her in her tracks.

  A jeep was approaching from the opposite end. Tasha pressed up against a temple wall and tracked its progress. It pulled to a stop and two soldiers got out. The men wore gray uniforms, which meant they weren’t ASI. Probably just a regular guard patrol. They appeared relaxed as they set off in opposite directions.

  Tasha needed that jeep. If John and Ryan Quinn weren’t already gone, it would make the next leg of the journey much simpler. She couldn’t afford for the guards to raise the alarm and bring more soldiers. Which meant they’d have to be eliminated.

  Silent as a cat, Tasha followed the driver as he wound his way through the temple structures. After a few minutes, he stopped and unstrapped his rifle, leaning it against a wall. He took a couple of steps around the corner, unzipping his pants. This was going to be too easy.

  Thinking he was alone, the soldier peed, whistling softly. Tasha crept forward, closing the distance between them. She picked up his rifle, holding it like a club. He was zipping his pants back up as she advanced, swinging the weapon like a baseball bat. Whack! The butt of the rifle hit the driver on the back of the head and he crumpled to the ground. When he tried to get up, Tasha struck him again.