“Well, it was good to work with you, Frank. Let’s hope we don’t have the necessity again in the future. By the way, what are you going to do with your ‘time off’?”
“Oh, I don’t know Johanne. I thought maybe I’d go on a European vacation!”
Johanne laughed at the words, “Frank, you’re too much. Look me up if you come over. Otherwise, take care.”
Holden hung up the phone and looked around his office, noting an old crumb of pizza in the corner.
“I’m getting out of here,” he said to himself as he left his office, shutting the door behind him.
Epilogue
The two Hong Kong youths checked the equipment in the bags lying before them. Squatting on the floor in the rear of the small plane they stabilized themselves with their hands as they caught a slight updraft and lurched. Both sat back and waited, neither knowing whether or not to speak to the other passenger sharing the cabin.
The small plane picked its way through the mountain peaks, the tops now showing tinges of the early morning light. Low clouds lay in the valleys below them. Finally, the third passenger looked at his watch and turned to the pilot. There was a momentary exchanged of words. When their conversation was finished, the plane began a steep ascent. After a moment, the third passenger rose and walked back towards the young men.
They stood, nervously, and opened the rear side door to the plane. Both grabbed the bags that had been lying by their feet and strapped a small chute to each. The passenger nodded and they threw the bags out the door. He tossed a pouch to them and dove out the door after the bags. Both of the boys looked out the door after the man and exchanged a glance. Shutting the door, they sat down, opened the pouch, and began counting their money as the plane turned back towards Hong Kong.
Far below, in a clearing on the forest floor, three chutes waved gently in the early morning breeze. The man walked up and grabbed the bags, extracting what he needed from them both. He put on a backpack and, checking his compass, started hiking towards his destination.
After seeing the look behind the General’s eyes weeks ago, Garrett knew that nothing would deter the military man from his ambitions. Men like that didn’t care if the odds started to stack against them. The Chinaman had made up his mind and that was that. Waking up in the hospital after the bombing, Garrett knew that as long as General lived, Chin would keep trying to find and kill Kit. That was something he would not allow to happen. He also knew that, for the world’s sake, he could not allow the General to go forward with his plans for Kazakstan. No, Garrett knew he would at least have to make this attempt to end the General’s plans, permanently.
After hours of hiking, he came to a ridge overlooking the General’s compound. Garrett then removed his backpack and sat. He rested the remainder of the day until after darkness had descended. Grabbing his gear and checking everything twice, he stood.
“This one’s for you, Kit. For us.” he said out loud. Without any hesitation, Garrett Adams started his descent.
Millenium Strike Page 24