Part 12 (2/2)

'And ...' he thought it over. 'I charge five thousand American dollars to fly.'

A jet screamed overhead at high alt.i.tude. Sven looked up, sucked thoughtfully on his lower lip. 'Ten thousand American dollars.'

I threw up my hands. 'Fine. Whatever.' I got out my wallet and showed him my AmEx card.

He frowned apologetically? 'Cash only.'

My head felt like it was going to explode. 'I don't have any cash.'

Sven looked puzzled. 'No cash, you hef?

'No! That's right! No b.l.o.o.d.y cash I b.l.o.o.d.y hef Are you deaf?' I screamed.

Sven said, calmly, 'Lady professor, cannot leave?'

'Of course we can't leave her there! She's my wife, for crying out loud!'

'Lady professor? Your wife she is?'

'Yes.'

'Married you are?'

'Yes.'

'Husband you are?'

'Yes!'

Suddenly Sven looked very nervous. He seemed unable to meet my gaze.

He sidled away, ducked under the airframe and began to check the fuselage for damage.

I stared at Chris in desperation. 'Can you fly this bucket of junk?' I kicked the nose wheel of the helicopter. Sven yelped in protest but I ignored him.

Chris shrugged. 'I expect so.'

'Well, then, you can just get right back in the d.a.m.n c.o.c.kpit and-'

Chris shook his head. The sympathetic look became even more sympathetic. 'Sven's right. There's not enough fuel. And we have to fix the damage. By the feel of it one of those bullets nicked a rotor. We were lucky to make it back in one piece.'

Sven heard the words bullet and rotor in the same sentence and immediately began to climb over the airframe, poking his bony fingers into bullet holes, groaning and generally muttering about the cost of damages.

I stared at Chris. I couldn't believe I was hearing this? 'She's back there!

She might be dead and you're worrying about a nicked rotor? The thing got us here - it can d.a.m.n well get us back! You were her friend! My G.o.d, how could you let him do this to her?'

From the airframe, Sven ran a hand tenderly over more damage and muttered, 'By Gott, how could you let him do this to her?'

Chris looked from me to Sven and back to me again. He seemed unsure which of the two identical questions to answer first.

'Well?' I insisted, determined to get Chris to agree with me at the very least.

Chris sighed. 'Look, I know it's hard, but you just have to -'

'No! No I don't, all right? I don't ”have to” anything. G.o.d Almighty, Chris, I've ... We have to go back. We just have to. OK? We just have to!'

By now I was kicking the nose wheel and bas.h.i.+ng the airframe with my bunched fists. Neither did any good. Sven had retreated in abject fear to the rotor housing and was making soothing noises while stroking the idle blades.

Chris gathered up both my fists in one of his. 'The more you damage the chopper the longer it'll be before we can go back.' I struggled to get my hands free. No chance. I swore. I swore louder when I realized I couldn't free myself from his grip. I kicked the nose wheel again. He tugged gently. I flew away from the chopper and sat down on the ground about ten feet away.

He grinned sheepishly. 'Oops. Don't know my own strength sometimes.

Sorry.'

I struggled to stand up, then lost my balance and fell over again. I began to get an idea of how tired I was. And how hungry. And thirsty. Don't misunderstand me. I was still just as angry. I was mad as h.e.l.l. But those other feelings - once you realized they were there, you couldn't ignore them.

Chris helped me up. 'You want me to carry you?'

Chris could probably carry two people my weight while jogging up a mountain. 'Don't be ridiculous.'

He shrugged. 'I won't if you won't.'

I said bitterly, 'If you won't help me get back out there, you can just leave me alone.'

I struggled to my feet and started to follow the others towards the village. I got all of ten steps before losing my balance. I managed to preserve my dignity enough to sit, rattler than fall, but that was where my effort ended.

Chris loped towards me. 'Come on. You do need my help.'

'I'd rather sit here and rot.'

The shadow of a frown crossed Cwej's face. It was the nearest I'd ever seen him to being angry. .'Don't be like that, Jason. The Doctor knows what he's doing, I'm sure. Now come on. Let me help you.'

He waited. Eventually I nodded, mumbled a.s.sent. 'That's better.' He put his arm round me and lifted.

I swore as he helped me to my feet. I swore as he all but picked me up in his arms. I swore every step of the way back to the village.

Chris just grinned.

I trudged through the village and arrived back at the hotel leaning like some old woman on Chris's arm. Children followed us every step of the way?

Some pointed at us. All of them giggled. One little girl wore the hair slide that I'd given Bernice on our wedding night. I thought I'd felt bad up until then; seeing that hair slide just 'made me feel very much worse.

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