Everlasting - Iris Johansen [57]
Five minutes later Kira was at the controls of the helicopter and Paulo and Sandor were seated and ready to take off. She had started the engine and the rotors were whirring, but there was still no Zack.
“There has to be trouble. Surely he should be back by now.” Kira's hand tightened on the stick as cold terror shook her. “I'm going after him.”
“I'll go.” Sandor opened the door of the helicopter.
Shots! A deadly rat-a-tat from the direction of the woods into which Zack had disappeared.
Paulo muttered a low curse and jumped to the ground, the flamethrower ready in his hands.
Then Kira saw Perry's helicopter suddenly rise sluggishly above the trees, gaining altitude with reckless swiftness. The gunfire escalated in intensity.
“The soldiers must have heard their helicopter and closed in just before it took off,” Sandor said. “That means they'll be streaming all over the place in a second. Where the hell is Damon?”
Oh, dear God, she prayed, don't let him get shot. She wouldn't be able to bear it if anything happened to Zack. “Well, I'm not going to wait any longer to find out. I'm going after him.” Her voice was tense and ragged as she fumbled at the handle of the door. “I won't let him stay out there alone. They're shooting, dammit.”
The shots were coming closer. She suddenly saw Zack break clear of the shrubbery at the edge of the clearing and streak toward them! He wasn't hurt. She was so relieved that she felt a little dizzy.
“How close are they?” Paulo shouted.
“Too close,” Zack said curtly. “An entire company of them. They're right on my heels.”
Paulo's grin glittered in the darkness. “Well, let us see if we can't discourage them.”
He lifted the flamethrower and swept it in a wide arc across the shrubs and the trees that bordered the clearing, and then brought it back again. A whoosh, an explosion, and then the woods were aflame! The flames curled and soared, forming a wall of fire that writhed as if it were a living entity in the darkness. Kira could hear startled voices shouting in frustration beyond that barrier of flame.
“Let's see them get through that,” Paulo said with satisfaction as he shouldered the weapon.
“I'm glad you didn't become trigger-happy in that passage,” Sandor said dryly. “That's a very effective weapon.”
“Too easy,” Paulo said with a shrug. “No challenge. Anyone can win with this.” He turned to Zack, who was now climbing into the helicopter. “Isn't that right, Zack? Besides, who wants to destroy all those beautiful trees?”
“Get into the helicopter, Paulo. Sorry there's no more fun to be had tonight. Lift off, Kira.” Zack dropped into the seat beside her. His hand covered Kira's on the stick. “Are you all right?”
Was she all right? He was the one who had been dodging bullets. She nodded jerkily. “I will be as soon as we get out of here.” The helicopter lifted, hovered, and then straightened out as it gained altitude. There was a sudden barrage of artillery fire as the helicopter became visible over the flames, but then they were out of range.
“Where are we going?” she asked, glancing at Zack.
“The encampment, first. We'll just have to take one thing at a time.”
She nodded and turned the helicopter toward the north. She could still see the spiraling clouds of black smoke and the blazing inferno of the woods below. It was a macabre contrast to the gently winking lights of the turreted palace that had once been her home. Then she could no longer see either the woods or the palace as the helicopter sped out of Belajo toward safety.
When they landed in the glade at the encampment, the brilliant beams of the helicopter lights revealed Marna standing patiently, her head thrown back, looking up at them.
Paulo jumped out as soon as the ignition was turned off. “I will go and explain matters and try to smooth the