Part 91 (1/2)
Side-Winder, who was a yard or two behind RITCHIE, K. understood what was happening a split second earlier. Spinning round in an effort to escape, he found the masked figure of Clearwater behind him. As he attempted to hurl her aside, he fell full length over the crouching body of Cadillac.
Jodi, who had masked up after her scream, then ducked underneath the aircraft, fell on the big mexican and helped Clearwater hold him down till he started to choke. When they let go, Side-Winder rolled over on to his back and just lay there, convulsed with pain and gasping for breath.
Steve limped over and helped Kelso drag him across to the fire then went back for the two pilots. Jodi was trying to get Cadillac back on his feet. When the pilots had been laid alongside Side-Winder, Kelso pulled out the heavy air pistol he'd taken from BLACKWELL, B. and aimed it at the pilot's head.
Jodi pushed the pistol aside. 'No, Dave! Please. Don't do it!” Her voice, through the mask, sounded full of cotton wool.
'Okay.” Kelso relieved both men of their shoulder holsters, then checked Side-Winder for hidden weapons. Nope. Just the handset...
Clearwater picked up the empty flask of sake, slipped it inside the mexican's tunic and gave him a farewell pat on the forehead. Picking up the canvas tote-bag, she walked over to the aircraft with Jodi and Kelso. Cadillac had fallen over again.
'Leave him to me,' said Clearwater.
'How come you're still on your feet?” asked Kelso.
'I drank a lot less than you thought,' she said.
Jodi and Kelso helped Steve manhandle the second plane round so that its rear-mounted propeller faced the port side of its sister craft.
Steve hauled himself painfully aboard, locked the brakes, hit the starter-b.u.t.ton, then pushed the throttle wide open, using the slipstream to clear the gas-filled c.o.c.kpit.
He allowed a good ten minutes for the toxic fumes to disperse, then eased the throttle right back and climbed out, leaving the prop ticking over. 'Okay. Who's gonna take the first sniff?”
'Cadillac.” Clearwater marched the gla.s.sy-eyed Mute forward. 'Don't worry. He won't feel a thing.”
Steve pulled Cadillac's mask off, patted his face to gain his attention, and shouted in his ear. 'Breathe!
Deeply!” Cadillac did his best and showed no ill-effects. Steve tore his own mask off and tossed it away. Everyone else followed suit.
'Okay! Let's make tracks!” Steve pushed Cadillac into Kelso's arms.
'Stow him in the cargo bay. By the time he wakes up, we'll be halfway to Wyoming.”
Kelso hesitated. 'What about that store of goodies on the beach?”
Steve grabbed the tote-bag and backed away towards the second aircraft with Clearwater. 'Forget it, Dave!
We can't afford to hang around!” 'Are you crazy? By the time we find Malone we're gonna be up to our a.s.ses in snow! We need some of that stuff! Look! Give us fifteen minutes to pick up as much as we can carry!” 'All right. But move it!” Jodi and Kelso stowed Cadillac in the small cargo hold and ran off towards the beach leaving the hatch open.
Steve helped Clearwater up into her seat in the c.o.c.kpit, stowed the tote-bag, then limped over to Kelso's plane and started up the motor so they'd be ready to make an instant getaway. Where AMEXICO was concerned it was best not to take any chances.
Down on the beach, Kelso had jumped down into the waterproofed Aladdin's cave and was tossing out as many goodies as he could lay hands on. Medicaid kits, ration packs, filtration packs. There was enough to keep a bunch of guys alive this winter and the next.
Jodi knelt down, and gathered them up as fast as she could, stuffing them into a couple of zipper bags Kelso had found in the store.
'Dave!
You've had eleven minutes. C'mon! Jack it in!” Kelso threw out some more packs. 'Are the bags full?”
'Yeah! C'mon! Stop fuggin' around! We gotta get.outa here I'