Line of Control - Tom Clancy [82]
The chopper continued toward the line of control without any of the occupants spotting the terrorists. Friday was not overly concerned.
They still had the southward trip along the other side of the range to go.
Suddenly, something happened that Friday was not expecting.
He heard a voice in his helmet. A voice that did not belong to Captain Nazir.
"Negative zone three," said the very faint, crackling voice.
"Repeat: negative zone three." A moment later the voice was gone.
Friday made sure the headset switch on the communications panel was set on "internal" rather than "external." That meant they were communicating only with the cockpit instead of an outside receiver.
"Who is that?" Friday asked.
Nazir shook his head slowly.
"It's not control tower communication."
The wheel was shaking violently. He did not want to release his two-handed grip.
"Do you see that yellow button below the com-panel?" he asked.
"Yes," Friday said.
"That's the nose dome antenna," Nazir said.
"Push it once then push on the external signal again."
Friday did. As soon as the button was depressed the voices began to come in more clearly. Other zones were checking in. There was also a blip on the small green directional map.
The signal was coming from the northwest. Friday switched back to internal communications.
"We'd better check it out," Friday said.
"It cannot be a Pakistani search party," Nazir said.
"They would not communicate on this frequency."
"I know," Friday replied.
"The line of control isn't far from here. I'm worried that it could be an Indian unit moving in."
"A sweep coming down through different zones," Nazir said.
"That would be a standard search-and-rescue maneuver.
Should we do a fly over "Why?" Friday asked.
"They may have intelligence on the cell's location that we do not,"
Nazir said.
"The direction they are headed may tell us something." "No," Friday said. He continued to look out the window.
"I don't want to waste the time or fuel."
"What do we do if they contact us?" Nazir asked.
"Radar at the line of control may pick us up as we near the end of the range. They may ask us to help with the search."
"We'll tell them we're on routine reconnaissance and were about to turn back to Kargil," Friday said.
Apu stuck his small, strong hand through the opening. He tapped Friday on the shoulder.
"Is everything all right?" he yelled.
Friday nodded. Just then, about one hundred feet below, he saw snow billowing from under an overhang.
"Hold!" Friday barked at Nazir.
The helicopter slowed and hovered. Ron Friday leaned toward the side.
The puffs of snow were concentrated in a small area and inching toward the north. They could be caused by an animal picking its way across the cliff or they could be the result of a wind funnel. It was impossible to tell because of the overhang. The sun was behind the top of the peak and unable to throw shadows behind or in front of the region.
"Do you see that?" Friday asked.
Nazir nodded.
"Take her down and away slowly," Friday said.
The chopper simultaneously began to descend and angle away from the cliff. As the target peak filled less and less of the window, the vastness of the range loomed behind it. The layers upon layers of brownish-purple mountains were a spectacular sight. Snow covered the peaks and Friday could actually see it falling on some of the nearer mountains, off white sheets like stage scrims. The sun cut a rainbow through one of the storm centers. It was a massive arc, more brilliant than any Friday had ever seen. Though Friday did not have time to enjoy the view, it made him feel for a moment like a god.
They dropped nearly one hundred feet. As they did, three people came into view. They were slightly more than two hundred feet away. The three were walking close together.
Each one was wearing dark, heavy clothing and carrying