Defender(24)

"Thanks. I'll try," but Arena couldn't fool herself. She was seized by the fear that she was entering into a terrifying new world. "I suppose you're used to all this?"

"A little," Morgan replied, helping her aboard.

Johnny made sure that all the kit was secure, including his two passengers, before giving the pilot a very definite thumbs-up. The big chopper gave a great shudder as the engines screamed into action. There was a wobble as the wheels left the ground, and sitting close to her, Morgan could see Halls taking control of her apprehension with great calm and poise. He was impressed. He tapped her forearm and handed her a headset. She took it and placed it over her blonde hair, deftly sliding a rubber band from her wrist, and fastening her hair into a ponytail. Suddenly the helicopter gave another violent shudder and the whine of the engines became deafening as it lifted off. Without even realizing she was doing it, Arena shifted closer to Morgan. He felt her body move against his, but he didn't budge.

The Puma flew over the main entrance to the airport, rapidly gathering speed and height as it climbed to clear the mountains ahead. Morgan looked down and saw a number of sandbagged guard posts at the key access points on the approaches to the airport. They each contained a three-man detachment of local troops manning machineguns. Morgan clocked the buzz of electrifying activity in and around Cullentown airport. Military, UN and civilian vehicles, planes and choppers were in constant motion, landing and taking off, delivering and picking up. The pace was relentless. He was back in the real world again, a world in which he felt at home, restored and revitalised, far from the trivialities of mundane city life.

Ina place like this, where so much was uncertain, every day was an open book. There were no guarantees, no routines, no 9-to-5. It was life, pure and simple and, as always, it gripped Morgan. He often wondered what it would be like to be satisfied with a conventional life, living in the same town, catching the same bus, going to the same job, the same problems, the same people, day after day, year after year. How could all those people possibly know what actually went on out in the real world? Maybe they were better off not knowing.

"If you have a look back out to sea, you'll see the US Navy approaching." It was Fredericks via the headset. "The rest of the world's finally taking an interest in this place."

"Not before time,' said Morgan.

"There's something else I need to show you."





CHAPTER 15





"There it is, Steve. Down there!"

Mike Fredericks received a thumbs-up of acknowledgment from Steve Mason, the helicopter pilot, who cringed, as Fredericks habitually yelled into the headset mouthpiece, deafening them all. Morgan laughed as he looked through into the cockpit to see a grimacing Mason belt Fredericks' arm with a reproving tap to his own headset.

"You know, these things actually work, Mike," Mason said for the benefit of them all. "You loud bastard."

They laughed as Fredericks, realising his bad habit, leaned over, lifted the left side ear piece of Mason's headset and bellowed directly into his ear, "Sorry!"

Five minutes later, they were on the deck, clear of what appeared to be a vehicle crash site. Morgan and Fredericks sprang from their seats as soon as the chopper's tyres had bounced. Johnny grabbed three AK.Vi fs from the back, passing one each to Fredericks and Morgan, and keeping one for himself, jogged to a clearing on the edge of the wide, red dirt road, taking up a sentry position, facing north-east. Morgan offered a helping hand to a thoroughly bewildered Arena, but she deftly ignored him and struggled down from the cargo hold. As soon as she was off, Mason took the big chopper in a low hover across to a clearing and shut her down.

"What's this all about, Mike?" Morgan asked as they walked. His guard was up. He was glad to have the A.KM. "When we were coming in, I saw what looks like a transit van down the side of the hill. This bend, with the high ground and dense bush on the far side, is a perfect choke point in the road," Morgan noted with an experienced eye. "Ambush site?"

"Looks that way," agreed Fredericks. "When we were flying in to pick you both up earlier, Johnny spotted a vehicle that appeared to have gone off the road here. I got Steve to drop us in." Fredericks lowered his voice just for Morgan. "It's pretty gruesome, Alex. Couple of days, by the look. I believe it's the priest and a couple of nuns who ran a medical clinic out this way. They're all shot to shit and the animals have been at 'em. Definitely ambushed. Follow me down. We'll take a look." He gestured with a movement of his head toward the edge of a steep embankment. Turning to Arena he said, "Ari, I'm not sure how you feel about these things, but you may wanna stay up here with Steve and Johnny. It's not pretty."