by Linda Mackay
“She’ll make it,” I said.
“Bet she screams again.” Amanda said putting a finger in each ear.
And she did.
Chapter 27
I fired the fatal shot.” Todd snarled at Amanda from the kitchen of our cabin back at Lake Yellowstone.
“Not a chance.” Amanda clicked her tongue at him.
“At least they’re arguing quietly in deference to Liz.” Mac said to me.
“Autopsy will settle it.”
“Don’t need that. It was Todd.”
Now Mac had my attention. “How do you know for sure?”
“Amanda hit the woman in the left cheek –and I mean her face cheek—with a rock from her slingshot. The force turned her face toward Todd’s location, where he fired a kill shot into her left temple. Amanda’s shot knocked her hat off, since she was already dropping from Todd’s shot. Ed found that bullet lodged in a tree.”
“I’m glad you took time to remind us we’d need to aim for the head since they’d all be wearing body armor.” There was a sentence I never thought I’d say.
“Everyone here is a practiced shooter. In the heavy forest, all shots would be at close range. We bet none of you would miss.” Mac rubbed my shoulder.
“Amanda won’t be happy.”
“She’ll get over it.” Mac looked at his watch. “Thirty minutes to show time. I’m going out with Ed to help keep eyes on for uninvited visitors, just incase.”
“I’ll check on Liz. I wish she’d have let us fly her out immediately.”
“She knows getting on-air is priority one. She’s also going to need some heavy-duty security after we go public. I’ll see she gets to a Salt Lake City hospital where we have a team. Thankfully, the Lake medical clinic had some hefty painkillers.”
“About this team?” I put my hands on my hips.
“Not now, Jorie.”
“Mac?”
“Yes.”
“What about Bass’s helicopter pilot?”
“He’s gone for back-up. Pilot isn’t in the loop, so it will take them awhile to jibber-jabber with higher-ups before they act.”
I smiled for the first time in hours. “Jibber-jabber?”
“It’s a technical spy term.”
I hope his bet was correct.
“How’d it go?” Liz asked through a fog of painkiller high.
“Mac did most of the talking, while the three rock geeks stood behind him,” I said.
“You talked on-air?”
“It was the right thing to do.” And probably the dumbest.
“You’re okay, Dr. Clark.”
“You’ll regret saying that later.”
“Exit plan?” She asked.
“A chopper is on the way to evac you.”
Liz’s eyes raised and I thought I saw a flash of fear.
“It’s an army medical chopper being flown by your team.” I said watching her body relax onto the bed. “We’ll head out as soon as you are airborne.”
“No. Go now.”
“That’s not happening.” Mac said walking into the room. “Bass was lying, all our operatives are alive and well. Our people have taken enough control that we have time to get you out first.”
Liz shook her head. “Never safe if Bakers involved.” Her entire body cringed with pain as she tried to move.
Mac sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her cheek. “We’ve got this, boss. President Holmes took off in Air Force One right after our broadcast. I just got word on the sat phone that six suspected Bakers we had eyes on have also left on their private jets or are in preparation to do so.”
Boss? What the cow-punching, dung-eating, monkey-barfing crap was going on?
“Ed?” Through my private rant I heard Liz say to Mac.
“He’s going out with the rest of us.”
“So sorry.”
“Can’t be helped.”
I was starting to understand their cryptic conversations. “How?” And, I was joining in.
“We stationed a team in Ennis, Montana, supposedly on a hunting trip,” Mac said. “They’re in air now and will pick us up near Nine-Mile parking lot.”
“Not the boat again?” I begged.
“Safest way out.”
“Evidence?” I was getting good at this.
“Part with Liz, part with us, part with the horses,” Mac said.
“Who’s bringing the horses to the ranch?”
“Stu and a couple buddies,” Mac said. “And yes, those buddies are my people.”
I wanted to say my people were sick of his people, but life had changed. My suspicions told me, this was only the beginning, and we were going to need his people for a very long time.
Chapter 28
At least it isn’t snowing,” Amanda said, zipping up her coat.
Todd looked at the boat bobbing up and down in its slip at the marina. “I need a new job.”
“Buck up, buttercup,” Ed laughed.
“Whose taking responsibility for leaving a park service boat beached on the south arm of the lake?” Someone had to worry about the boat and I was pretty sure that someone was me.
“I’ll put the pick-up cost on President Holmes’ tab,” Mac said.
Somehow that didn’t reassure me at all.
“Hey, is she still President?” Todd asked climbing into the boat while making the sign of the cross.
“Afraid so, all we’ve done is communicate that the DIA has evidence she was involved in the assassination of the former President. And while the FBI was at the White House attempting to arrest her, she boarded Air Force One and hasn’t been heard from since.”
“Holy, admission of guilt,” Todd said.
“Running off with Air Force One was not a smart move,” Amanda added.
“The judicial process for a case like this has never been tested,” Mac said. “Running was a tactical mistake in my opinion.”
“Then why?” I asked.
“Whatever The Bakers are cooking, this is just an ingredient in their recipe,” Mac said.
“Does that bother anyone besides me?” Ed asked.
“It should bother every person on the planet.” Mac said.
“But it won’t.” Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me. “What?”
“With Bull’s proof, it should be enough to convince even the biggest skeptic,” Amanda said.
“I had a conversation with Liz, and she enlightened me about the manipulation of people, information and country.”
“That’s horse plop.” Todd was about to go super hero on us. “We have irrefutable evidence that is so far beyond reasonable doubt that everyone will finally stand up and demand the corruption end. Bull’s team and us…we’re the real Avengers. People have absolute cause to flush their apathy and unite.” Told you he was going super hero.
Mac untied the boat. “No son, that’s not happening. You are about to enter the Twilight Zone. Imagine, a world gone crazy when the leading democratic nation begins assassinating its own. Facts ignored. Lies believed. Politicians maneuvering. The tipping point has arrived, so prepare yourself for a new country.”
Todd sighed, “This boat ride isn’t sounding so bad.”
“Then let’s haul it,” Ed put the engine in reverse and backed out of the slip.
“At least we aren’t responsible for Bernie,” Amanda said.
“That pilot wasn’t happy when he found out Bernie was riding with Liz.” Todd tried to find some humor to break the tension. I was proud of Todd and Amanda. They’d done something monumental for their country, and then Mac and I burst their bubble of faith in justice prevailing.
Ed picked up speed and the noise of the boat hitting the water silenced our voices. Mac and I locked eyes. The tipping point had changed the lives of everyone in the boat more dramatically than they knew…and a few of those people were going to hate the ingredients in Mac’s recipe for the future.
We made the hike from the lakeshore to Nine-Mile Trailhead in re
cord time. Waiting on the main road ahead of us was a Huey helicopter. I’d seen them on TV and knew they were big, but sitting in the middle of a narrow mountain road made it look like a 747. Two men jumped out the door carrying automatic rifles. Before my brain had time to process this was a full-blown covert military operation we were flying low over the Thorofare.
I could easily see trails, wildlife, and the encroaching winter below us. The friendly waves from a hunting party using the Thorofare trail brought me back to reality. The wheels were in motion to prosecute a sitting president for murder. Not only would our evidence be at the trial, so would we. You may get out of jury duty by talking to the “little person” in your pants, but I’d bet the contents of the F-boot that wouldn’t work for a federal witness subpoena.
Mac poked my arm, and pointed out the door of the Huey. A mother grizzly and four cubs of the year were making their way across the snow. The sow ignored the noisy machine, but all four cubs rolled over, tumbling in their efforts to see the big animal in the sky. I’d give everything to be a griz at this moment: feasting voraciously in preparation for winter hibernation.
Mac shook his head at me. How did he know what I was thinking? Looking at the others in the helicopter I realized it wasn’t hard to figure out we all were wishing we were someone else.
Amanda stuck a mini-bottle of tequila in my hand. She then gave a bottle to each of the other haggard people in the helicopter before having her offer gruffly waved off by the two heavily armed dudes. The lady pilot laughed at the soldiers, and tucked their bottles and hers in a bag on the floor.
Mac, Ed, Tata and I, toasted and drank. There wasn’t a drop left in anyone’s bottle. The occasion didn’t call for sipping.
“Sir.” The pilot said to Mac immediately after we landed at the ranch.
“Yes.”
“Air Force One landed in Miami and the President departed in a private Gulf Stream a few moments ago.”
“Direction?” Mac asked.
“Due south, then began making abrupt turns, sir.”
“Thanks, Captain Ford,” Mac said.
I wouldn’t have cared if the President were headed to Wyoming. I wanted a long, hot shower and a good night’s sleep in my own bed. Actually, I didn’t want anyone dropping in on me. But at least we’re home, and I knew Frank didn’t give a cow’s udder if half the army showed up. Win or lose…he’d make them sorry they arrived uninvited.
“Welcome, home.” Dad called from the porch.
Frank stared at Mac. “You bringin’ trouble to my ranch, young man.”
“Probably, sir.”
“Good,” Frank grinned. “About time those numb-nuts in DC learned a lesson.”
Dad grunted. “Bring ‘em on, we’re ready.”
“Dad,” The Schwarzenegger stance was one I’d heard numerous times growing up, and I was hoping to divert them from bullets to facts. “Bull, has video proof.”
“Look forward to seeing it, and him. He arriving in another ‘copter?” Dad asked.
We may be isolated, but the Internet and satellite TV keeps us connected. Obviously, the news of the accident was squelched. Mac was right not to mention the murder of Bull’s team during our news conference, reminding me you don’t always show your hand in poker.
“The president had Bull and his crew killed,” Mac said.
Dad looked at me and sighed. “I’m glad you brought this bunch home safe, Mac.”
“We saw your broadcast,” Frank said.
“Damn, fine job,” Dad added.
Frank took off his cowboy hat, rubbed his mustache and cleared his throat. “The President will be speaking from Air Force One in about 15 minutes.”
Mac nodded.
“Son,” Frank said,” I assume she ain’t on Air Force One.”
“No, sir. It landed in Miami, and she then boarded a private plane heading south.”
“I may be a retired marine, but in my book, that means she’s no longer operating as POTUS.”
“In my book too,” Mac said.
“Well then Colonel MacAlister, I’ll be taking my orders from you.”
I knew it!
Chapter 29
Boo, hiss.” Todd shouted at the President’s image on the TV.
“Evil, twat.” Amanda made the sign of the cross with two fingers like she was trying to ward off a vampire.
“So much for respecting the office, if not the person,” Mac said.
“Pretty sure those days are long gone.” Dad twisted off the top on a bottle of beer.
My fellow Americans, I’m coming to you live from Air Force One.
“Liar, liar.” I chanted at the TV.
We are living in dangerous times and never more so than now. Forces I believe to be coming from within our own government have attempted a coup.
“Yeah, it’s you tweedy-twat,” Todd yelled.
If my dear friend, President Wallace, was indeed assassinated, the true culprits will be brought to justice. I will be broadcasting on the emergency broadcast network only. Our military is being mobilized as I speak. We will prevail. God bless the United States of America.”
The screen momentarily went black before a news anchor began speaking. Mac turned off the TV.
“What the heck just happened,” Amanda said.
“The Twilight Zone,” Mac said.
Knowing retaliation was imminent wasn’t making accepting it any easier for me. Truth, justice and the American way had become nothing more than platitudes. President Holmes’ people were couching their story as fact, and our story as a coup. We were no longer a country with Walter Cronkite-trusted-news sources. Decades of work behind the scenes had created political media operatives instead of journalists, each telling their party members that only their news was true. Somehow they’d succeeded in programming the human species like robots to act and believe as told. Investigative intelligence and reasoning skills were being networked out of the human brain. Maybe Bull was correct---we deserved this insane mess.
“What’s our next move?” Frank asked Mac.
“Hunker down, sir.” Mac was giving Frank full respect for his former service as a marine and as the boss of our little slice of society in these remote mountains.
“And behind the scenes?”
Mac grinned at Frank. “There has always been a plan in place for the eventuality government insiders attempted to overthrow their own government. That plan has been activated is all I can say.”
“How safe are we?” Dad asked.
“We’re as safe as any solider can be in a combat zone.”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Amanda said.
Mac ignored Amanda and continued addressing Frank and my dad. “We have Captain Ford, Lt. Finnegan, and Sargent Hadley,” Mac pointed at each officer as he spoke, “until reinforcements arrive.”
“Reinforcements?” I obviously hadn’t thought this through--my turn to be sick.
“With respect to Frank, this valley is being renamed Camp Ellis for the immediate future,” Mac said.
Retired Lieutenant Frank Ellis saluted, “I’m honored, sir.”
I couldn’t believe the Cowboy Frank I’d known all my life was turning over control of his ranch to anyone. Take a breath, Jorie, this can’t be happening. “Frank, are you actually relinquishing control of the ranch?”
“Not a chance, Jorie,” Frank winked. “I’m turning over control of Camp Ellis. Piss me off and we cowboys will show them how a real coup works.”
“I would expect nothing less,” Mac acknowledged.
“I’m going home and take a long shower,” I’d reached my tolerance limit.
“Captain Ford will go with you.” Mac stared, daring me to object. If she kept Mac from walking in on me naked I’d seriously consider keeping the Captain permanently.
Peeling off his dirty shirt, Todd yelled as he walked down the hall, “Hey, where’s Gramps?”
It wasn’t unusual for Grampa Nus to be off on his own, so in the confusion of ret
urning home and racing to the house to watch the President speak, I hadn’t asked about Gramps. Dad and Frank looked at each other and then did rock, paper, scissors to determine who was talking.
Dad lost. “He moved a cot, sleeping bag and other ‘essentials’ into the root cellar and swears he isn’t coming out till the war is over.”
“That makes it a good time to claim his hot tub under the rules of war,” Todd cheered from the hall bath.
“Hard to argue with that logic,” Dad said.
“Colonel MacAlister, does that meet your approval?” Amanda asked.
“Only if Jorie is naked.”
Well crap.
“What in the world is that noise?” Todd asked.
“Sounds like a freight train being rolled by an earthquake.” Amanda speculated from her lounge chair on the front porch where we’d gathered.
Looking through the binoculars I saw two large military trucks, each towing a very large gun. “Reinforcements are here.”
“Looks that way.” Mac leaned back in his chair and smiled.
The trucks rattled to a stop in front of Dad’s house.
Todd pointed across the pasture. “Look, the noise shook Gramps out of the Bat Cave.”
“Someone should tell him you stay in the bunker when the noise starts.” Ed said towel drying his hair as he walked out the front door.
“Won’t take you long to learn Gramps does things his own way,” I said, “and that way is usually more convoluted than the park service.”
A blond, female soldier walked up to the edge of the porch and saluted. “Warrant Officer Smithy reporting for duty, Colonel, sir.”
Mac saluted. “Set up the M2’s first; Sargent Hadley will show you their locations. Then report back for bunk assignments.”
“Yes, sir.”
This had gone from surreal to ridiculous. “Special Forces, we are having a long talk tonight.”
“Sure thing, sugar.” Mac saluted and walked down the steps to join the new arrivals. He turned back and called out to me. “I’m not now, nor ever was, Special Forces. I’m Colonel Don MacAlister, US Army, and DIA Agent.”